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BUDGET: NO RELIEF FOR BLOCKED-UP BRITAIN - But 500 Million on Buses Mild Decongestant, Prescott Told

20 Mar 1998

Friends of the Earth today said that the Budget would bring “no transport relief for blocked up Britain”. Facing the multi-billion pound crisis in Britain's railways, £500 million in new money over three years would be “as much use as a quack flu cure”. But new research commissioned by Friends of the Earth shows that it could make a significant difference at a local level if spent on Britain's buses, as well as on cyclists and pedestrians. At present the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions spends just £85 million per year on all local traffic reduction packages. This money is spread between measures to promote cycling, walking and bus-use and even includes some road-building.

FOE's call comes on the day that Deputy Prime Minister, Mr John Prescott, plans a major announcement on the use of the Budget money for transport. FOE is also demanding that a higher percentage of money raised from motorists should be spent on public transport investment.

FOE has today written to Mr Prescott, with a copy of its new report: “Curbing Shorter Car Journeys: prioritising the alternatives” by Dr. Mayer Hillman. This shows how investment in cycling, walking, and travel by bus, could be more cost effective in cutting urban traffic than investment in tramways, railways or roads [1]:

• Almost three quarters of all journeys are less than five miles long. These shorter journeys are a major cause of urban congestion.
• Two thirds of the journeys between one and three miles long, and three-quarters of journeys between three and five miles long, are currently made by car.
• The bus is next most popular to the car on journeys between three and five miles long, but is less popular than walking for shorter journeys. The train is hardly used at all on journeys of less than five miles.

FOE quotes examples of successful local bus schemes in London, Blackpool, Brighton,Ipswich, Leeds and the West Midlands [2]. FOE also argues that John Prescott should press the Treasury to increase funding for bike routes as the bicycle is quicker than all other alternatives to the car for journeys of less than five miles.

Roger Higman, Friends of the Earth's Senior Transport Campaigner said:

“The Budget announcement of £500 million over three years for public transport is nothing like enough to bring relief for blocked up Britain. Trying to use this money to solve the crisis on our railways would be us much use as a quack flu cure.

Instead the money must be spent wisely at a local level. Investing it in priority lanes and other measures to promote buses will have far greater effect in relieving the misery of blocked-up Britain. But of course, a real cure for our congestion crisis will only come when a far higher proportion of tax taken from motorists is spent on public transport investment.”

[1]     “Curbing Shorter Car Journeys: prioritising the alternatives” by Dr Mayer Hillman is available from Friends of the Earth, Publications Despatch, 56-58 Alma Street,Luton, LU1 2PH, priced £8 (Code L437).

[2]

• In London, the south and west London demonstration project for the city wide bus priority route network showed a 23% reduction in peak hours journey times, and increased frequency of 15%
• In Blackpool, Blackpool Transport invested £750,000 in new vehicles, and Lancashire County Council matched this with £130,000 spent on parking control,bus shelters. Passenger use has risen 20%.
• In Brighton investment of £7 million by bus companies was matched by Brighton Council investing in bus priority measures. Fare levels have fallen, but total revenues risen by 12%. On key routes passenger use rose by up to a quarter.
• In Ipswich the “Superoute 66" (including a guideway between housing developments) makes bus access to the town centre faster than cars. In the first 16 months of operation, passenger use rose by 43%.
• On one route in Leeds a 450 metre guideway system, together with marketing,timetable distribution and improved staff training, led to a 46% rise in passenger use in 16 months, while bus use across the city fell by 4%
• In the West Midlands the 13km showcase “Line 33" bus corridor project was launched in early 1997, as a partnership between the local PTE (Centro), Travel West Midlands, and West Midlands police. It includes bus priorities, new shelters, easy access kerbs, electronic information, and low floor buses. Bus use on the corridor doubled within a few weeks.
  

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