Better Transport

Transport 2000 [1] is pleased the Govermment has heeded the call of its rail mascot, Sardine Man [2], and the call of thousands of disgruntled commuters, and begun to take action to tackle overcrowding on the railways through its Rail White Paper, published today [3]. Improving major bottleneck stations like Reading and Birmingham New Street will mean more and longer freight and passenger trains can run.

The Government’s long-term strategy for rail is expected in the next 10 days. Transport 2000 has prepared a press briefing outlining the context for the strategy, what it is likely to contain and the questions it is likely to leave unanswered.

Our briefing 

Planning minister Baroness Andrews has granted an independent public inquiry into the controversial Westbury Bypass after lobbying by Transport 2000 [1] and other groups. The road scheme would pass in front of the famous Westbury White Horse and through a tranquil valley, damaging the habitat of dormice and 13 of the 16 UK bat species.

Transport 2000 [1] has criticised the Government in response to today’s announcement [2] of fare increases at least 30% above inflation. The organisation argues that pricing people off the railway to combat overcrowding makes no environmental or economic sense.

In order to protect a nationally designated landscape, Transport 2000 [1] and CPRE [2] have today gone to court to challenge Dorset County Council`s decision to let the Weymouth Relief Road be built.

The road, which the council approved on 16 April, would gouge a cutting out of the Dorset Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), written about and praised by Thomas Hardy. AONBs have the highest protection possible under planning law.

In an effort to say ‘good-bye’ to car-dependent train stations, Transport 2000 [1] today launched a competition to find the train stations in England and Wales that are most difficult to travel to [2]. The Government is due to publish the Local Transport Bill this autumn, and if it is serious about meeting today’s transport challenges and reducing congestion, then it needs to get train operators, local governments and Network Rail working together to link train stations to the local area.