Archived press release

Cut the jams: cut the bills

7 March 1998

Cutting urban traffic jams could cost far less than previously thought. That's the conclusion of a new report published today by Friends of the Earth. Current spending on local measures to cut traffic is only £85 million. Friends of the Earth argues that doubling this figure in the Budget could have a major impact on urban jams.

“Curbing Shorter Car Journeys: prioritising the alternatives” by Dr. Mayer Hillman, shows how investment in cycling, walking, and travel by bus, has a greater potential to cut urban traffic than investment in tramways, railways or roads [1].

Most journeys are short. Almost three quarters are less than five miles long.

Journeys less than five miles long account for only a fifth of all miles travelled. But the proportion is far higher in urban areas, where traffic jams are worst.

Four fifths of journeys under one mile long are walked. Yet two thirds of journeys between one and three miles long, and three-quarters of journeys between three and five miles long, are 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.

The bicycle is quicker than all other alternatives to the car for journeys of less than five miles.

Two fifths of journeys under three miles long in Britain are made by car, a third more than in the Netherlands. Almost twenty times as many of these short journeys are cycled in Holland than in Britain.

“Curbing Shorter Car Journeys” concludes that improving urban traffic conditions means concentrating on promoting cycling, walking and bus use. Rail investment will have little effect on the urban car journeys that are such a major cause of congestion, while road investment will only make congestion worse. Investment in cycling, walking and bus use is also far cheaper than rail or road investment [2].

Mayer Hillman, author of “Curbing Shorter Car Journeys” said:

“All the evidence shows that investment in cycling, walking and bus use will cut congestion in cities far more effectively than rail investment. Yet the Government continues to fund prestige projects, like urban tramways and the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, while starving local councils of funds for cycle lanes, pedestrian routes and bus priority”.

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

“By focussing investment on promoting cycling, walking, and bus use, we can cut congestion in cities cheaply and quickly. The Chancellor must ear-mark more money for these measures in this month's public spending announcement.The forthcoming Transport White Paper must also place more emphasis on cycling and walking.”

Today (Saturday), local campaigners throughout the UK are protesting over the Government's failure to give local councils the powers and the funds to cut traffic and promote alternatives [3].

[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] For example, the whole London Cycle Network could be built for the cost of just two kilometres of the Leeds Supertram or only 300 metres of the extension of the Jubilee line in London. The amount of money given to local traffic reduction packages could be doubled for less than the cost of the Government's controversial plan to widen the M25 near Staines.

[3] Local Transport Day is 7 March. At least 36 different local environmental groups,including local branches of FOE, the Council for the Protection of Rural England and Transport 2000, have joined forces to protest over the lack of Government support for local traffic reduction strategies.

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust