The accessible, inclusive transport campaigning charity Bus Users says it is disappointed at the Government’s Transport Decarbonisation Plan, because it focuses on delivering ‘Clean Transport’ rather than transforming our behaviour when it comes to travel.
Speaking in Parliament today, Grant Shapps MP outlined plans for the electrification and decarbonisation of vehicles, public transport and air travel in order to protect people’s ‘personal freedom’. With the National Bus Strategy in place and plans for investment in walking and cycling, the hope is that public and active travel will become the natural choice.
Chief Executive of Bus Users, Claire Walters does not believe the current Plan goes far enough: “Decarbonising transport is an opportunity, not only to tackle pollution but to reduce congestion and actively encourage people onto more sustainable forms of transport,” she said.
“That cannot be achieved without robust measures to disincentivise private car use. This has been the case in London where modal shift was delivered, not only through the sort of investment and bus priority measures promised in the National Bus Strategy, but alongside congestion charging and parking fee increases, it is sustainable and active transport that has the potential to meet decarbonisation targets, build communities and improve our town and city centres, not private cars.”
(Picture – Yay Images)
