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 Home  Transport Government doesn't know impact of roads, road pricing and sustainable travel |
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Government doesn't know impact of roads, road pricing and sustainable travel |
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Road Block produce an excellent monthly summary of all issues re roads plus actions - the items below are a sample from their latest issue. Join them now at: http://www.roadblock.org.uk/
Government doesn't know the climate impact of its roads policies
An important report by consultants Steer Davies Gleeve (SDG) for Transport 2000, Road Block, RSPB, Friends of the Earth and Sustrans published on 2 August has revealed that surprise-surprise the DfT doesn't have a clue about the climate change impact of its roads policies and that emissions will continue to rise unless policies change dramatically. The DfT's CO2 estimates are top-down guesses, which bear no relation to reality. Over half of approved road schemes have not had a CO2 assessment. SDG also discovered that the 2004 'Future of Transport' White Paper added an extra 900kms of new roads to the already planned 500km in the 2000 'Ten Year Plan' plan, but did not increase the CO2 estimates. The DfT is also pinning all its hopes on solving road transport emissions on technological fixes which already look set to fail - like voluntary agreements with car manufacturers which are already way off target. The report received great coverage in the Financial Times, Guardian, Daily Mail and Express
Seehttp://www.roadblock.org.uk/press_releases/2006-08-02.htm
and here for the full (905K) report - http://www.transport2000.org.uk/library/CO2_emissions_report_Final_v3.pdf
and FT coverage here http://www.ft.com/cms/s/8f916540-21c2-11db-b650-0000779e2340.html
DfT savaged on climate change by Environmental Audit Committee
The cross-party Environmental Audit Committee released a report criticising the DfT for its climate change record on 7 August. Its calls for higher taxes on 4x4's and aviation received widespread media coverage, but the Committee were also very critical of the DfT's roadbuilding policies. The report said the Committee of MPs "were unimpressed by the Secretary of State’s defence of the Government’s record on road building". They recommended that road schemes should be independently assessed for their impact on climate change, and that they should also be assessed against public transport schemes.
http://www.roadblock.org.uk/press_releases/2006-08-07.htm
Full report is here: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmselect/cmenvaud/981/98102.htm
Sustainable travel towns cut traffic
An innovative personalised marketing scheme run in Peterborough and Worcester by sustainable transport charity Sustrans and partner Socialdata has proved that it if households choose greener and healthier alternatives just once or twice a week car traffic can be significantly reduced by up to 13%. It is possible! The £10 million scheme is only in its first year, and is being run by Sustrans on behalf of the Department for Transport at three "Sustainable Travel Demonstration Towns" - Peterborough, WorcesterandDarlington. How is this achieved? Sustrans have used what is called "Smarter Choices" and Individualised Travel Marketing (ITM). The work involves making direct contact with households by phone and on the doorstep to offer personalised information and advice on alternatives to using the car, from bespoke bus timetables, to discounts on cycles. When given choices and information many people opt not to take the car.
See http://sustrans.org.uk/default.asp?sID=1155215529265
Road pricing
In a 'leaked' letter to the Sunday Times on 6 Aug, it was revealed that Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander proposes to introduce new legislation next year to bring in national road pricing. See http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2300741.html . Meanwhile, Alexander has appointed Anthony Vigor, formerly a senior research fellow at the Institute of Public Policy Research, who is an advocate of road pricing as his policy adviser. The environment secretary, David Miliband, has also appointed a green policy adviser, Tony Grayling, formerly the IPPR’s associate director who is also a big fan of road pricing. Looks dead certain then, except the DfT are still insisting that the objective of road pricing is simply to shift congestion off the busiest roads, not to reduce traffic overall to tackle climate change.
A Friends of the Earth briefing on road pricing is available here: http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/road_pricing.pdf
David Croker - veteran of Twyford Down - dies
Many people will be sad to learn of the death of David Croker on 2 July 2006. David was a crucial player in the battle to save Twyford Down. He was one of three people who took the government to the European Courts over the infamous destruction which triggered the 1990s roads protests. Despite being a Conservative councillor, David fiercely opposed the Tory road for decades, being the Chair of the Twyford Down Association and leading the opposition to the scheme through the public inquiries. He also invited the young Earth First! movement to Twyford Down in 1992, and the rest is history... He was a remarkable man, full of integrity and passion.
Read David's obituary in the Times here:http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,172-2314591,00.html
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