Press Releases |
Gridlock deadlock? Last week’s report into the Government’s transport strategy by a parliamentary committee illustrates not only a failure to seek sustainable solutions in Westminster, but also on the part of local government, says a local transport action group. The Tyne Crossings Alliance, which is campaigning against a second Tyne road tunnel, says that failure to devise sensible lasting solutions to gridlock would cause disaster for Tynesiders. The Tyne & Wear Passenger Transport Authority (PTA) is sponsoring the proposed road tunnel on behalf of the Tyne & Wear local authorities. “The PTA is supposed to come up with public transport solutions”, said Brian Paget of the Alliance, “but instead it is proposing to use public funds to build roads to satisfy a short-term view on the part of some local business people and others. Despite the evidence, roads enthusiasts still believe we can ‘build our way out’ of congestion. The PTA should modernise its strategy and promote public transport alternatives to meet the demands of commuters needing to cross the river, instead of encouraging even more of them to use a car”. The Alliance believes that this failure by the PTA to invest adequately in public transport while promoting an additional tunnel would cause harm to local bus companies. They would experience even greater congestion throughout the region. A sustainable future economy as well as quality of life depend on reducing road traffic which local authorities are already tasked to do. This development would have the opposite effect. Within the next few days [1] Stephen Byers, the Transport Secretary, is expected to be presented with an application for an order to build the tunnel. “We hope he will stand by his recent claims that improving the public transport system is his top priority”, said Mr Paget “and that he will call for a full Public Inquiry into the development. We feel this is the only way to force the PTA to reassess their position and act on their mandate to invest in a sensible public transport solution”. Notes
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