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NEWS RELEASE
Tuesday 5th December 2006
National Transport Strategy:
Support for road pricing and railways investment welcomed
TRANSform Scotland have today (Tuesday 5th) welcomed the Scottish
Executive's new National Transport Strategy, but questioned whether the
Executive will be prepared to action to deliver upon the measures it sets
out.
Paul Tetlaw, Chair of TRANSform Scotland, said:
"The strategy says all the right things. However, it remains to be
seen whether the Executive will be prepared to take action to deliver
the improvements it sets out.
"It is imperative that the Executive moves forward the implementation
of road pricing, and not just talk about it. Motorists and road hauliers
don't pay for the damage they do to the environment, and road pricing
will be essential if we are to tackle climate change emissions from the
transport sector.
"Unfortunately, the Executive has continued with the fiction that
the technology for road pricing doesn't exist: tell that to the German
transport ministry - they've had a satellite-based road charging scheme
in operation for the past two years."
On railways strategy document 'Scotland's Railway', Paul Tetlaw said:
"We welcome the clear commitment from the Executive to funding the
Edinburgh tram network and the Borders railway.
"The Executive has also recognised the need for journey time improvements
on the key Scottish inter-city rail network, including the benefits of
electrification. Many of these routes are currently uncompetitive with
road because of decades of road-building and under-investment in the railway.
It would certainly make more sense to get our current railway up to speed
before wasting time on daft plans for 'bullet trains'."
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS:
[1] TRANSform Scotland
TRANSform Scotland is the national sustainable transport campaign, bringing
together rail, bus and shipping operators, local authorities, national
environment and conservation groups, consultancies and local transport
groups - interested in transport, the environment and a sustainable Scotland.
We can be contacted at Lamb's House, Burgess Street, Leith, Edinburgh,
EH6 6RD. Tel 0131 467 7714; fax 0131 554 8656; email <info@transformscotland.org.uk>;
web <http://www.transformscotland.org.uk>.
[2] Further information
Our detailed advance briefing (published on 04/12/06) is available as
a PDF at: <http://www.transformscotland.org.uk/info/docs/2006-12-04_NTS_briefing.pdf>
END OF NEWS RELEASE
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