NEWS RELEASE
Friday 11th May 2007

GREENS' DEAL WITH SNP:
No progress on sustainable transport

TRANSform Scotland [1] has today (Friday 11th May 2007) criticised the Scottish Green Party for their deal with the SNP.

Paul Tetlaw, Chair of TRANSform Scotland said:

"The Greens have evidently failed to gain any concessions from the SNP over transport policy.

"By agreeing a deal with the SNP, they have chosen to side with a party committed to cancelling public transport projects in order to subsidise new road-building. Transport is the key battleground on climate change policy, yet the Greens have chosen to make a pact with a party committed to more roads and more air travel.

"Those who have worked so hard for improvements to our public transport system, in order to benefit the environment and public health, will be saddened by the Greens' decision.

"The go-ahead for the Edinburgh tram scheme should have been a minimum requirement for any agreement with the SNP. They have clearly failed to gain any concessions here. We urge the Greens and all other parties to oppose any SNP budget that does not include funding for the Edinburgh tram system."

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>.


END OF NEWS RELEASE