NEWS RELEASE
Monday 2nd April 2007

SCOTTISH TORY PARTY MANIFESTO:
An environmental liability

TRANSform Scotland [1] has today (Monday 2nd April 2007) branded the Scottish Tory Party an "environmental liability" following the release of its election manifesto.

The document proposes an expanded programme of road-building and continued subsidies for aviation, with only vague references to public transport, and with no support for walking or cycling.

Additionally, the rejection of road pricing puts the Scottish Tories badly out of step with the findings of the Eddington Study, which recommended this as the best way to tackle congestion and benefit the national economy.

Colin Howden, Director of TRANSform Scotland said:

"These are a deeply damaging set of policies which would worsen Scotland's record on climate change. The Scottish Tories continue to be an environmental liability.

"The only real reference to sustainable travel is a commitment to review - not build - high-speed rail. Not only is this pie-in-the-sky policy-making, but as it's outwith the control of the Scottish Parliament, it's also very convenient.

"Following David Cameron's announcements earlier this year about trying to curb environmentally-damaging aviation emissions, it makes you wonder whether this lot are in the same party."

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] TRANSform Scotland

TRANSform Scotland is the national sustainable transport alliance, bringing together rail, bus and shipping operators, local authorities, national environment and conservation groups, businesses and local transport groups.
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] The Scottish Conservatives's manifesto is available at <http://www.scottishconservatives.com/yourvoiceinparliament/manifesto.asp>

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