Media

16 December 2009
As the UK pushes for a climate deal in Copenhagen, environmental campaigners accused the UK Department of Transport of hypocrisy. Today DfT authorised [1] a £91 million road in Norwich, which will, with associated development, add to carbon emissions from transport, while holding up £92m spending on buses and low carbon city transport.[2] The Norwich Northern Distributor Road, which was given ‘programme entry’ status today, is linked with business parks and a so-called ‘eco-town’, which will on current plans be entirely car-based with no new public transport. By contrast, the ‘Kickstart’ bus funding programme, which has received £63m of bids from councils across England [3], and the £29m sustainable cities programme to help cities cut carbon from transport [4], have been held up and may be abandoned due to Treasury opposition.

16 December 2009
Campaign for Better Transport today welcomed draft revisions to Department for Transport guidance on setting local speed limits. The changes aim to encourage local authorities to introduce 20 mph on residential streets and those with high movements of pedestrians.[1]

15 December 2009
Campaign for Better Transport said that the Government’s strategy for smart and integrated ticketing was a good start but said the Government should plan for a national Oyster card for the UK. [1]

9 December 2009
Today’s Pre-Budget Report announced that that the Department for Transport will be launching a study aimed at reducing future rail industry costs while increasing capacity. 

8 December 2009
Campaign for Better Transport welcomed the Climate Change Committee’s report on aviation released today [Tuesday] but called on the Government to focus on modal shift to rail instead of hoping for technological breakthroughs.