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NEWS RELEASE Thursday 2nd December 2004 Transport Edinburgh referendum date set: TRANSform Scotland, the national sustainable transport
alliance, today welcomed the City of Edinburgh Council's proposals for
the Transport Edinburgh referendum due to be held (as a postal ballot)
in February. Colin Howden, Campaign Manager of TRANSform Scotland,
said: "There is no hope of solving Edinburgh's transport
problems unless traffic restraint measures such as congestion charging
are implemented. Some politicians argue that if we just pour money into
public transport then all traffic problems will go away. This is patent
nonsense. All expert advice is solidly behind the need for the need for
road traffic demand management measures, such as congestion charging,
to be implemented if traffic and pollution levels are to be tackled. "February’s referendum will set out a
route map for delivering a massive investment programme in transport and
robust measures to control traffic levels. It is estimated that congestion
charging will raise £760 million over 20 years and the Council can
only use this revenue solely to fund transport improvements. If approved
in the referendum, congestion charging will begin in 2006. This will be
preceeded by a widespread package of upfront investment in buses, cycling,
walking – with the three tram lines to follow in 2009 and 2001. "It is now time for the political opponents
of the charge - and those that have so far kept their heads down - to
come on board with delivering the scheme. The political opponents of the
proposals have failed to present any credible alternative strategy for
tackling Edinburgh's traffic problems and the Inquiry Reporters clearly
acknowledged this. The Edinburgh Liberal Democrats, in particular, have
taken a shamefully opportunistic stance and, in so doing, have seriously
undermined the environmental credibility of the Lib Dem party nationally." ENDS Notes to Editors: [1] Background For background information on the Transport Edinburgh proposals, see http://www.transport-edinburgh.org.uk/
END OF PRESS RELEASE
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