“No ‘Green Budget’”

Transport pressure group TRANSform Scotland has been quick off the mark.

TRANSform’s Director, Colin Howden, says: “The Chancellor’s collapse on fuel duty means this is no ‘Green Budget’. Instead of carrying on with a measure that would have reduced climate change emissions, the Chancellor has caved in to the roads lobby and put the duty increase on ice. This will badly damage the UK Government’s credibility on climate change.

“The reform of road tax is welcome if long overdue. There needs to be greater incentives for people to chose low-emission cars over highly polluting vehicles such as SUVs, and the introduction of a top rate of £950 is a step in the right direction.”

Further info from TRANSform

Fuel duty was frozen between 2003 and October 2007, contributing to making the real cost of motoring decrease, whilst the cost of public transport across the UK has increased.

ref: Parliamentary Written Answer, Jim Fitzpatrick MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, 17 July 2007, Hansard Column 246W

In the same period traffic increased by over 12% and road transport carbon emissions by almost 5%, with road transport now accounting for over a fifth of UK emissions.

ref: Transport Statistics of Great Britain 2007, Section Seven: Roads and Traffic, Table 7.1

Billion vehicle-kilometres
1997 = 450.3
2006 = 506.4.

ref: Transport Statistics of Great Britain 2007, Section Three: Energy and Environment, Table 3.8 (b)

Greens Urge Yellow Vote

Green Councillor, Steve Burgess, has issued a Press Release ahead of tomorrow’s Full Council meeting which will decide whether or not to paint double yellow lines on The Mound.

Burgess points out that the proposal “has been backed by opposition parties in Edinburgh but the ruling administration wants to have a mixture of single and double yellow lines. Liberal Democrats’ commitment to cycling in Edinburgh will be under scrutiny.”

The whole saga, which will benefit bus passengers as well as cyclists, is covered in detail here.

The Green’s Transport Spokesperson continues: “Keeping the Mound free of car-parking will open up the cycle lanes at the weekends, keep buses moving and prevent tailbacks of traffic. A pick and mix of single and double lines simply creates a transport hokey-cokey, with buses and cyclists having to weave in and out of parked cars.”

The report to the Council is here.

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