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PRESS RELEASE: The day the Metro stood still
The recent strike on the Tyne & Wear Metro has illustrated the vital importance of light rail in public transport in the region, and that positive lessons must be learned, says a local transport campaign group.
The Tyne Crossings Alliance, which is campaigning to stop the construction of the proposed second Tyne road tunnel in favour of traffic reduction measures and sustainable public transport, hopes that the effects of the
Metro strike on Monday 19th January will have made people realise how important the Metro is, and how effective light rail would be if used properly.
Alliance spokesperson, Brian Paget said:
"There is no doubt that the strike shutting down the Metro had a massive negative impact on road traffic in the region which demonstrated the link between a good public transport network and reduced congestion.
"Additionally, we learned that bus companies were unable to cope with the demand - the buses couldn't move on the clogged up roads or handle the volume of passengers.
"It's really amazing how much traffic the Metro took off the roads when the service resumed. Imagine that we had a Metro or other light rail crossing as an alternative to a second road tunnel at Jarrow. The consequences are
obvious - significantly reduced congestion at the existing Tyne Tunnel, affordable cross-Tyne transport and a valuable genuine reduction in harmful motor emissions.
"Sadly, the Tyne & Wear PTA never seriously considered a light rail cross-Tyne solution at the East end of the Tyne. No meaningful studies or assessments have been commissioned into the viability of a cross Tyne light
rail link as an alternative to a road tunnel. The members of the PTA, who are supposed to champion local public transport on our behalf, should be shamed by that fact that they cannot provide any balanced evidence for a
public transport solution, yet are willing to spend £10 million of public money propping up their ill-conceived plans for a second road tunnel.
"The PTA should stop wasting our money and drop the second road tunnel scheme, and learn the role that traffic reduction measures and light rail could play in solving the cross-Tyne transport dilemma. The Metro strike was inconvenient for everyone, but teaches us a vital lesson - that pursuing a car-based economy in the Region is madness."
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