The Conservative Party appears to be in favour of light rail schemes and re-designing high streets along the lines of that in Kensington.

However, it is also reported to be in favour of longer, heavier lorries.

It was noted that the Government still view the cost of oil by 2010 will be $35 a barrel and falling in its traffic forecasts for road and air in spite of industry predictions of more than $100 and a current price of $68 per barrel.

A consortium of climate and environmental groups are organising a series of seminars to coincide with the Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem annual party conferences.

It has emerged that the Government has plans to add 900 kilometres of motorway lanes in addition to the 500 kilometres already in the pipeline. TAR is currently engaged on work to establish carbon dioxide emissions from motorways. Government claims that carbon dioxide emissions from motorway widening will not increase above present levels are based on the assumption that vehicle emissions per kilometre will continue to fall but in practice, the rate of fall has slowed and even shown signs of increasing with the growing use of large 4x4 vehicles.

The Eddington report is seriously delayed and is now expected in September.

A TAR working party have had a meeting with the Treasury. Issues discussed included land use, social inclusion, security of energy supplies and its costs. Ninety per cent of UK transport is dependent on oil. It was agreed to hold another meeting in six months.

The Treasury officials expressed the opinion that rural railways should be closed because they do not pay and they responded to the observation that rural roads do not pay either by saying they were looking at roads as well.

Treasury officials were supportive of road user charging and Government work on it is continuing and is now focused on technology.

The rail strategy covering the next 20 to 30 years will focus on three issues: capacity, environment and rising passenger expectations.

Concern was expressed at the exclusion of rail services from the proposals for free concessionary bus travel.

Funding from a variety of Government “pots”, but mainly from money that would have been spent on London Crossrail had construction not been delayed by the Olympics, is to be spent on a number of major rail projects including loading gauge enhancements from ports for 9ft 6in containers.
Norman Bradbury 27 May 2006