NEWS RELEASE - September 13th 2000

Transport Bill debate: Executive must come out fighting in defence of its congestion-busting proposals

TRANSform Scotland Campaign Manager Colin Howden said:

"The Executive must make the case why road charging and workplace parking levies are necessary to combat congestion and cut dangerous levels of pollution. The opponents of road charging appear to have nothing to offer in terms of reducing congestion, air pollution, climate change or the funding of transport - just empty rhetoric."

"The proposals have been under attack by business interests perversely happy to maintain the unsatisfactory status quo of congested roads. The Executive must make the case to business that essential business users are the ones who will gain from a workplace parking levy."

TRANSform and Friends of the Earth have produced a briefing on the Transport Bill (published today). This is available from http://www.foe-scotland.org.uk/nation/atmosphere.html or from the office on request. The recommendations are below (2).

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

(1) TRANSform Scotland is the national sustainable transport campaign, bringing together 67 organisations - including transport operators, local authorities, national environment and conservation groups, chambers of commerce and 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

(2) Recommendations:

(i) The enabling powers for local authorities to introduce urban road charging schemes, where locally appropriate, must be supported if we are realistic about tackling urban pollution and congestion.
(ii) The enabling powers for local authorities to implement workplace parking levies must also be supported. This is a crucial measure in tackling urban peak-hour congestion - as well as the resulting pollution.
(iii) The Bill should include a discretionary extension of the parking levy to cover out-of-town parking. The Bill currently does little to counter the pollution caused by businesses and consumers choosing out-of-town developments, leading to reductions in the vitality of town centres.
(iv) The Bill should include enabling powers for local authorities to designate residential streets as ïHome ZonesÍ, thereby improving local quality of life and opportunities for childrensÍ play and exercise.
(v) This Bill must ensure that we set, implement and monitor targets for reducing climate change emissions and levels of traffic. Climate change emissions from transport are dependent on local authorities being given the powers to implement road traffic reduction.

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