2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003,
2002,
2001,
2000,
1999,
1998,
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1996,
1995,
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TORIES SCRAPE BOTTOM OF OIL BARREL WITH ELECTION PETROL BRIBE
10 May 2001
HAGUE TO GREEN VOTERS: BREATHE MY EXHAUST!
Friends of the Earth today savaged the Tories' manifesto pledge to cut
6p off a litre of petrol. According to the environment pressure group,
this would mean:
- more traffic. Friends of the Earth estimates that
for every 1% cut in fuel prices traffic levels could rise by
about 0.2%
- more roads. FOE has identified 77 road schemes in England
and 29 in Wales which the last Tory Government wanted to build but Labour
put on hold. These schemes would damage 23 Sites of Special Scientific
Interest and four Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. (Examples include
A5 Dunstable bypass - through Blows Down SSSI, Poole Harbour crossing
- damaging Holes Bay SSSI, Wales M4 relief road - through Gwent Levels
SSSI: full list from FOE press office.)
- more pollution. According to the Government's Chief Medical
Officer, between 12,000 and 24,000 people a year die prematurely in
Britain because of air pollution from road traffic. Road transport is
the second fastest growing source of carbon dioxide, the main climate
changing gas (number one is civil aviation, but this produces much lower
total CO2 emissions).
- more accidents. In 1997, 171 children were killed and 4,799
seriously injured while walking or cycling in Britain. A Government
study in the mid-1990s showed that death rates for British child pedestrians
were worse than in France, Germany, Italy or Sweden.
Commenting, FOE Executive Director Charles Secrett said:
“Mr Hague's promise of petrol price cuts shows the Tories miserably
scraping the bottom of the last oil barrel in town in their desperate
bid to avoid Election day disaster. Everyone who cares about our environment
will treat this frantic bribe with the contempt it deserves. Mr Hague
has just told every green-minded voter in Britain that the Tories couldn't
care less about their support.”
Contact details:
Friends of the Earth
26-28 Underwood St.
LONDON
N1 7JQ
Tel: 020 7490 1555
Fax: 020 7490 0881
Web: www.foe.co.uk/feedback.html
