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ForthRight Alliance
NEWS RELEASE
Sunday 5 September 2004
ANGER OVER FORTH ROAD BRIDGE 'HYPOCRISY'
Public transport users being 'unfairly penalised' say groups
Groups opposed to plans for a Second Forth Road Bridge have hit out at
rules which mean buses using the current road bridge are being forced
to pay more while cars and trucks get offered discounts. [1]
The recently reformed campaign coalition - the ForthRight Alliance - says
this example highlights how the body responsible for the bridge, the Forth
Estuary Transport Authority (FETA), are failing public transport users
and undermines the authority's case for building a Second Forth Road Bridge.
[2]
Friends of the Earth’s Chief Executive, Duncan McLaren, said:
"Public transport users are being unfairly penalised.
FETA should be providing incentives for public transport use and car-sharing
not to long distance car commuting and environmentally damaging heavy
lorries. FETA’s failure to provide discounts or exemptions for buses
highlights the failings in their current policies and exposes the hypocrisy
behind their vision for the future.
"FETA seem to have been hijacked by its road-building obsessed Fife
members. Calling this a ‘multi-modal’ bridge is just a Trojan
horse to get the new road bridge they’ve always wanted. Instead
of wasting time and money on a new multi-million pound road bridge FETA
should stick to the job in hand. That is, to deliver the long-promised
public transport alternatives and take steps to reduce the level of single
occupant car commuting across the current bridge. The introduction of
a frequent user discount or exemption for buses would be a good starting
point."
Convener of the ForthRight Alliance and Vice Chairman of the Cockburn
Association, Bill Cantley said:
"Currently seventy percent of cars on the Forth Road Bridge at peak
hours are single occupancy vehicles, this cannot continue. Public transport
must become the cheapest and most luxurious alternative for commuters.
Why would an Edinburgh bound commuter in Aberdour chose to wait for a
late train on a dreich November morning and pay more for the privilege?
Excellence and pricing are real issues for public transport in Scotland.
Car-owners are asking for real qualitative and economic reasons for leaving
their vehicles at home, something that can be achieved through road pricing
and real investment in public transport."
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS:
[1] Forth bosses face wrath of bus firms over second
road bridge, Sunday Herald http://www.sundayherald.com/44542
Unlike cars and trucks, under the current rules,
buses are not eligible for frequent user discounts.
Current tolling on the bridge
Normal With discount
Cars £0.80 £0.72
HGVs £2 £1.30
Buses £1.40 No discount available
*Note: Lorries cause 60,000 times more damage to road and bridge surfaces
than cars.
[2] Campaign groups who successfully fought a second Forth road bridge
proposal ten years ago have reformed to fight plans for a new crossing.
The ForthRight Alliance have reassembled in response to the Forth Estuary
Transport Authority's (FETA) decision to include a second Forth road bridge
option in its transport strategy. The campaigners propose that instead
of an additional road crossing FETA should be pursuing sustainable transport
alternatives.
The groups back an alternative set of options ('Option
3') that would reduce traffic levels but not involve building a second
Forth road bridge.
Alliance members include the Cockburn Association,
Friends of the Earth Scotland and TRANSform Scotland. A full list of members
available at: http://www.forthrightalliance.org
[3] A consultation on FETA's Local Transport Strategy
ends on 30th
September. http://www.feta.gov.uk/
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