NEWS RELEASE

CAMPAIGN URGES CAR CLAMPDOWN FOR SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT SITE

The campaign of sustainable transport, TRANSform Scotland, has made a last-minute plea to the Scottish Office to reject the proposed Holyrood site for the Scottish Parliament because of its inferior public transport access compared to the Calton Hill location. In a letter to Minister of State Henry McLeish MP - who now has both the devolution and transport portfolios - the Chair of TRANSform Scotland, David Spaven criticises suggestions reported in the media that this location would fail because of insufficient room for parking spaces for every MSP and senior staff member of the Scottish Parliament, commenting that:

"Any such criterion would fly in the face of the Government's claimed commitment to transport policies which will reduce the need for private transport, rather than generting even more road traffic. The Scottish Parliament site should provide only a handful of spaces for MSPs and staff with disabilities or genuine travel problems and for security and distinguished visitors. TRANSform Scotland urges the Government to choose the Calton Hill site and to ensure that access is prioritised for walking, cycling and public transport users ahead of the motor car. To fail to do so would set a poor example to the people of Scotland and would fundamentally undermine the intended change of direction to sustainable transport policies for the 21st century."

TRANSform Scotland was launched in November 1997 to campaign for transport and land use policies which encourage increased reliance on walking, cycling and public passenger transport, and rail and water based goods movement. It now has more than 40 member organisations encompassing bus and rail operaors, local authorities (including the City of Edinburgh Council), environmental organisations and local transport campaign groups.

ENDS