Archived press release

London needs long-term commitment to public transport funding syas FOE

30 April 1996

Friends of the Earth today welcomed Transport Minister Stephen Norris's commitment to peg public transport fares in London to increases well below those of previous years [1]. However, FOE said Treasury funds must be made available to ensure London Transport's long-term investment plans can be fulfilled. And Friends of the Earth maintained its opposition to road-building within the M25 ring,including new Thames crossings for cars [2].

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

"The Government has promised to spend more on public transport and less on road-building. Yet the strategy for London is full of firm plans for roads and short on long-term finance for public transport. A long-term public transport funding commitment is essential if London's traffic problems are to be solved." [3]

Friends of the Earth also welcomed the promised completion of the London Bus Priority and Cycle Networks but urged Ministers to provide the resources to finish the programmes more quickly.

Tony Bosworth, Friends of the Earth's Assistant Transport Campaigner said:

"For the additional cost of two bus fares per Londoner per year, the Government could complete the Bus Priority Network by the end of the decade. These resources could be found by cutting just one of the Government's controversial plans for new roads in London"[4].

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] Transport Minister, today, Stephen Norris committed the Government to pegging public transport fares in London to increases well below those of previous years, during his press conference on a new transport strategy for London.

[2] Friends of the Earth worked closely with local people to save Oxleas Wood from the former East London River Crossing in the 1980s and early 1990s. When consulted last year over Government plans for new river crossings to the east of Tower Bridge, Friends of the Earth said:

"Priority should be given to the development firstly of rail crossings to encourage existing car users out of their cars and secondly to small local crossings with provision for public transport. Large strategic crossing such as the discredited East London River Crossing and the proposed Lower Thames Crossing would be inappropriate and unacceptable."

[3] Last Thursday, (25 April), Transport Secretary, Sir George Young published the Green Paper "Transport: the way ahead", saying "We need to put more weight on public transport in our future spending decisions". DoT Press Notice 129

[4] The London Bus Priority Network is expected overall to cost about 80 million. In 1994/5, the Government allocated 2.5 million to it. This rose to 8 million in 1995/6 and 9 million in 1996/7. If similar funds are allocated over the next three years, the Government would have spent only 46.5 million by the end of the decade. By adding only an extra 12 million per year, the Government could complete the network in this time period. That is about 1.60 for every person in London or the price of two bus fares.

By contrast road schemes in the London area include the A13/A112 Prince Regent Lane Junction Improvement (46.2 million) and the A406 Golders Green Road Junction Improvement (34.3 million), either of which could be cut to fund the Bus Priority Network.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust