Archived press release

TRANSPORT WHITE PAPER An Important Step Forward, But Traffic Reduction Targets Still Missing

20 July 1998

Friends of the Earth has described the Government's Transport White Paper “A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone” as “an important step in the right direction, but not the Great Leap Forward we still need”. FOE Senior Transport Campaigner Roger Higman has accused “the termites of the No10 Policy Unit” of “eating away at the radical foundations”of Mr Prescott's original draft.

FOE has welcomed proposals for:
. new congestion and workplace parking charging rights for local councils, with income hypothecated for investment in local public transport
. £700 million in new money set aside over the next three years for 150 local transport strategies
. a National Minimum Concessionary Fare Scheme, guaranteeing a maximum half fare on public transport for all pensioners
. a national public transport information system by year 2000
. new powers to set exclusive quality contracts for bus routes
. an independent Commission on Integrated Transport.

But FOE has criticised the White Paper for failing to include specific road traffic reduction targets. Currently road traffic is projected to grow by 30% over the next 20 years, leading to an increase of 10% in CO2 emissions. FOE has also criticised the Government over reports that a draft White Paper chapter entitled “Reclaiming the Streets”, which included proposals on taking back “road space” from cars and redistributing it to cyclists, buses and pedestrians, was eviscerated after interventions from the No10 Policy Unit, which described it as “anti-car”.

Commenting, FOE Senior Transport Campaigner Roger Higman said:

“This White Paper is an important step in the right direction - towards a society which depends on high quality public transport rather than on car use. But it is not the Great Leap Forward we still need to see. Plans for local authorities to fund and implement local transport strategies are very welcome. We hope to work with the best local councils to help set an example to the rest. Even if the No10 termites have nibbled away at Mr Prescott's radical foundations, there is still much to welcome here. Next, we need the Government to set clear targets for traffic reduction”.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust