HS2 and the building of new roads will be under scrutinty this week at the start of a Transport Select Committee inquiry.
The Committee will examine how public transport is changing as a result of the pandemic and the implications Covid-19 raises for the Government’s approach to rail, buses, active travel, air quality, transport decarbonisation, and the future of mobility among others.
Witnesses on the first panel will give members an overview of some of the key changes to public transport the country has seen since March. The second panel is focused on how the pandemic has affected public transport in different parts of the country, particularly urban and rural areas.
The purpose of the session is to examine in detail the implications the pandemic has for public transport across England and also examine how Government and other policymakers should respond to these challenges. In particular, how should the Government’s current or forthcoming strategies on public transport be adapted to reflect the implications of the pandemic?
The Observer reports that this will include questions on HS2 and the country’s road building programme as pressure mounts to reduce carbon in such projects across the UK.
