NEWS RELEASE - Monday 5th March 2001

Reversing the unsustainable? First report on ScotlandÕs Local Transport Strategies published

In a new report published today, Monday 5th March, TRANSform Scotland question whether the new system of Local Transport Strategies fulfil their remit to Òreverse the unsustainabilityÓ of current transport trends. (1) (2)

The report takes as a case study five local authority Local Transport Strategies - Aberdeen City, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Glasgow City and West Lothian - and ranks them against Scottish Executive and sustainable transport criteria. A wide variety in the quality of the Local Transport Strategies was observed (3). The report is critical of the Scottish ExecutiveÕs collapses on crucial issues such as road-building policy and on traffic reduction.

The reportÕs authors, Colin Howden and David Spaven, conclude:

(1) Some local authorities (in particular West Lothian and the City of Edinburgh) are taking their responsibilities seriously - while others (such as Glasgow, with its support for the M74 Northern Extension, the largest urban motorway building project in Britain) remain wedded to the outdated and discredited view that road-building is a realistic solution to traffic congestion.

(2) Those local authorities that are responsible enough to aim at long-term sustainable objectives need to be supported with sustained investment, rather than the current short-term funding available through the Scottish Executive.

(3) The local authorities are being set a poor example by a Scottish Executive whose main investments are currently in new trunk road building - counter to the advice they give to local authorities and often without proper appraisal being carried out.

David Spaven, Chair of TRANSform Scotland, said:

ÒOur analysis suggests there is a wide gap between the best and the worst local authorities, and this disparity needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency by the Scottish Executive if we are to secure long overdue improvements in the quality of local alternatives to the car and the lorry.Ó

Colin Howden, TRANSform Scotland Campaign Manager, said:

ÒIt must be questioned whether Local Transport Strategies are in any way meaningful when investment priorities - at both local government and Scottish Executive level - often follow the demands of powerful vested interest groups rather than matching policy commitments with action. We currently have a gross mismatch between an Executive which talks about ÒsustainableÓ and ÒintegratedÓ transport yet delivers road-building above all else.Ó

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

(1) TRANSform Scotland is the national sustainable transport campaign, bringing together 68 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) See section 2 of report for background to the Local Transport Strategies. Last year, the Scottish Executive set the local authorities the task of Òreversing the unsustainable transport policies of recent years.Ó

(3) See section 6 of the report.