Better Transport

12 January: I've just written to all the regional government offices to ask them to make sure that the latest round of local transport plans have serious targets for cutting CO2 from transport.

Local transport authorities have to agree the next round of local transport plans (LTP3) by March 2011. This time, local councils are much freer to set out their own priorities. This could help them respond better to local needs, but they also need to contribute to the national need to cut CO2 from transport and there's a danger that they won't do enough to switch away from carbon intensive transport. The regional government offices are the only external check on LTP3s, so we're asking them to properly assess local transport plans in their region to ensure that local authorities clearly set out what they're doing on CO2.

We've set out in our briefing that the government offices need to ask tough questions when they meet with local authorities to assess progress. As well as making sure that the LTP3 addresses how public transport, walking and cycling will be made more attractive compared to car travel, the government offices need to make sure that local authorities are properly engaging with environmental and other groups when they develop their plans. This should be an opportunity to really make a difference to local transport, not just to carry on as before.