NEWS RELEASE - March 11th 1999

A welcome boost for public transport

Colin Howden, Campaign Manager of TRANSform Scotland, said:
"This is a welcome boost for public transport in Scotland. We are especially pleased that the first stage of the Edinburgh Crossrail project has been given the go-ahead as this will help tackle car congestion in the east of Edinburgh. We are also glad that spending hasn't just been concentrated on the central belt and that good projects in rural areas have also been supported."

"The only disappointment is that more funds are not available. It is certainly the case that high quality bids from the likes of Aberdeen City Council (for bus priority measures) would have benefited from receiving a full allocation. We also hope that in future years that the Fund can be expanded to include pedestrian and cycling projects for which there are currently few funds available to local authorities."

"Public transport investment has for many years not lived up to the money poured into road-building. When motorways like the proposed extension to the M74 would cost over £30 million a mile, investing in local rail and bus schemes can better fulfil the peoples' desire for better public transport systems." (2)

Colin Howden concluded:
"All of our member local authorities - Edinburgh, West Lothian, Aberdeen and Dumfries and Galloway - have been awarded funds. Perhaps the reward for these local authorities shows their greater commitment to promoting and implementing sustainable transport projects - rather than just talking about it."

Last month, TRANSform Scotland's AGM passed a resolution calling for Government and the political parties to pledge to redirect funds from road-building to allow a doubling of the Scottish Public Transport Fund. We hope that the political parties standing in the Scottish elections will take up this challenge.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

(1) Today's MORI poll (see e.g. today's Scotsman "Scots love their cars, but not so keen on roads, survey finds") "found that 57 per cent of those questioned did not believe that more motorways and trunk roads were the answer to traffic congestion in Scotland."

(2) TRANSform Scotland brings together 51 organisations - including transport operators, local authorities, national environment campaigns & local transport groups - interested in transport, the environment and a sustainable Scotland. We can be contacted at 72 Newhaven Road, Edinburgh, EH6 5QG. Tel.: 0131-467-7714; Fax: 0131-554-8656; E-mail: campaigns@transformscotland.org.uk; web: http://www.transformscotland.org.uk

END OF PRESS RELEASE