Archived press release

"jams today, bigger jams tomorrow" unless Government backs traffic reduction says friends of the earth

14 October 1997

Traffic jams that dwarf those clogging our roads today could be a regular feature on the country's roads unless the Government introduces measures to prevent traffic growth, said Friends of the Earth today, following publication of the Government latest road traffic forecasts [1].

Unless more roads are built, the length of road per car in Great Britain would shrink from 16.5 metres today to 12.4 metres in 2016 and 11.3 metres in 2031 [2]. However, no amount of road-building could cope with the forecast growth in traffic of up to 51% by 2016 and 84% by 2031 without causing enormous damage to our countryside and towns [3].

Only policies to reduce traffic growth, as envisaged in Cynog Dafis MP's Road Traffic Reduction (United Kingdom Targets) Bill, can prevent an environmental, social and economic disaster, as gridlock grips Britain [4].

Roger Higman of Friends of the Earth said:

“As car companies from all over the world gather in London for the Earl's Court motor show, the full cost of the traffic growth they have fuelled is becoming clear- jams today, bigger jams tomorrow”.

“Only road traffic reduction, and the Road Traffic Reduction (UK Targets) Bill can secure a long-term solution to congestion and pollution problems”.

Transport Ministers, Gavin Strang and Glenda Jackson have expressed support for the objectives of the Bill, in letters received by Friends of the Earth. Environment Minister,Michael Meacher has also signalled his support for the Bill.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] Government traffic forecasts published today suggest traffic levels may rise by 24-51% by 2016 and 36-84% by 2031. (DoT Press Notice 230: “Strang reveals latest traffic forecasts”)

[2] There are currently about 22.24 million body-type cars in Britain which can be driven on 366,999 km of road. By 2016, the number of cars will have grown by 32.5% to 29.5 million and by 2031 by 45.5% to 32.4 million. Unless more roads are built, the length of road per car would drop accordingly.

[3] After similar forecasts were published in 1989, the Conservative Government doubled its trunk road budget. However its roads programme met with resistance from communities throughout the UK and proved too expensive for the Treasury to accept. Road spending has since been cut back and over 230 projects cancelled.

Traffic growth as now forecast, although lower than that forecast in 1989, will still lead to massive congestion unless either road-building plans are stepped up or traffic reduction policies instituted. In 1993, Friends of the Earth demonstrated, in evidence accepted by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, that no feasible amount of road-building could cope with the traffic as then forecast.

[4] Cynog Dafis MP's Road Traffic Reduction (UK Targets) Bill will be given its second reading in late January. If passed, it would require John Prescott, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, to draw up and implement a plan to reduce road traffic nationally by 10% from 1990 levels by 2010. This would compare with forecast growth over the same period of between about 23 and 46%.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust