20th February 2009

Following the government announcement that it would cost £500m a year to bring UK commuter fares in line with prices paid in other European countries, the Green party have called for action to make it happen.

The government has announced it would cost £500m a year to bring UK commuter fares in line with prices paid in other European countries (i). That's a bargain; let's do it. We are wasting three times that much every year building, widening and repairing motorways and trunk roads (ii).

Eight years ago an opinion poll asked whether we need to build more roads, or should we channel the funds into alternatives, or do both. Only 22% supported the Labour, Tory and Liberal Democrat line of doing both (iii). Over 60% supported the Green party line and said invest in alternatives. Since then we've spent at least £9bn on major roads in England alone (iv).

Labour and Tory still have policies for the highest rail fares in Europe while the LibDems have called for "an immediate fare freeze" - that is, freezing rail fares at the hghest level in Europe. Gloucestershire commuters, especially in these difficult economic times should not have to put up with fares that are as much as four times fares on the continent.  We need Greens elected to Westminster, because the other parties are simply not delivering on public transport.

Yours sincerely

Martin Whiteside, Hillside, Claypits Lane, Thrupp GL6 7LU
Green Party Parliamentary Candidate for Stroud

Notes:
(i) See news reports:
Guardian here.
The Independent here.

(ii) Expenditure on motorways and trunk roads in England alone in 2006/7 was £1.6bn. This has shown a steady increase from 1999/2000 when it was £961m. This does not include £2.73bn spent on local roads, itself almost double the 1999 figure of just under £1.4bn. Source: correspondence from RLMP Division, Department for Transport, 6.2.09, citing Highways Agency Financial Accounts and local authority returns to Communities and Local Government.

(iii) ICM for the Ecologist vol 31 no 4 May 2001 p34. Cited in Green Party: The Strongest Link here.

(iv) £6.8827bn for the six years for which figures are available. It's safe to assume at least £1bn a year for the last two years.

(v) From 2 years ago see here.