In response to a Ministerial statement on transport today, Scottish Greens set out their own programme of public transport priorities to free up Scotland’s traffic jams and deliver convenient, affordable alternatives to travel by car. As part of the programme Greens repeat their call for Edinburgh Trams to be funded, but that the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link be dumped. Patrick Harvie MSP said public transport must “come first”. Greens want the Aberdeen and Glasgow Crossrail schemes to be prioritised instead of the unnecessary roads such as the M74 Extension and the Aberdeen Western Bypass. Greens also propose to reverse rail privatisation, open new rail stations across Scotland and re-regulate bus services.
Patrick Harvie MSP said: “Any responsible government needs to get its priorities right on transport. Better rail services must come first, not new motorways. Bus and train services must be run to help passengers, not shareholders, and some form of bus re-regulation must be prioritised. Clinging on to the failed policies of the past will not solve congestion, only proper investment in alternatives will satisfy commuters and the public.”
Despite increases in spending, our roads remain congested, with road traffic levels at their highest ever. Traffic levels are predicted to rise another 27% by 2020. Congestion already costs the UK economy £20 billion every year. The contribution from transport to climate change pollution is 8% higher now than in 1990, and rising. The answer is to reduce traffic levels and vehicle speeds, not to build more motorways. Greens want all existing and future transport plans to reduce rather than increase climate change emissions.
For more information contact 079 099 33 074
Notes to editors
Key Green transport policies to reduce congestion and deliver sustainable transport alternatives
• Statutory road traffic reduction targets to 2021, beginning by stabilising traffic at 2001 levels by 2014, with interim progress reporting and targets.
• Oppose unnecessary additions to the major road network, including scrapping the M74 extension and the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.
• Introduce more home zones and traffic calming schemes, and low emission zones where polluting vehicles are barred.
• Introduce ’smart’ bridge charges to reduce the burden on multiple occupancy vehicles and public transport.
• Support the introduction of congestion and road-user charging at both local and national levels.
• Instead of the onus of road safety policy being placed on walkers and cyclists, we need to encourage safer driving. Crime on the roads is still treated too leniently, and the victims of driving offences should be treated the same way as victims of other crimes.
• Communities need more power to demand speed limits, traffic calming and prioritisation of road space. Local authorities should work with communities to develop comprehensive speed management plans for all of our cities, towns and villages.
- Widen the extension of concessionary fares not just to pensioners and under-18-year-olds, but also all those in full-time education and low-income single parents, and ensure they apply to ferries and subways as well as buses.
- Pilot free bus travel for under-16s.
Walking and Cycling
• Communities encouraged to carry out Street Audits of key walking routes to schools, community facilities and public transport.
- Cycling is good for people’s physical and mental well-being, saves money and the environment, yet cycling currently only merits 1% of the transport budget. We want cycling funding to quadruple by 2014 to at least 4%.
• Link all schools and public centres by networks of green cycling and walking routes by 2017, incorporating parks and nature-rich places, and will continue to support and develop home zones and safer routes to school. Ensure that all school pupils have cycle training.
• Help cyclists to link to public transport by ensuring secure storage facilities.
• Ensure environments where walkers and cyclists feel safe, including a high-visibility strategy to promote the safety of vulnerable groups.
Buses and trams
The deregulation of bus companies is stifling the development of an integrated country-wide coach and bus network. Some form of bus re-regulation is needed in order to support marginal services and ensure that missing transport links are identified and provided.
• Work with bus companies to improve services, develop integrated bus and coach networks for longer journeys. Encourage integration of rural buses with other public transport and with business transportation such as couriers, regular shop deliveries, etc.
• Carry out an inquiry into rural bus services and pricing.
• Encourage the use of out-of-town coach interchanges that reduce congestion and journey times.
• Fund Tram Line 3 in Edinburgh.
Affordable, reliable rail services
Return rail to public ownership to ensure it works in the public interest. The first step to reversing rail privatisation would be to ensure that the next holder of the Scotrail franchise is a not-for-profit provider.
Target funding towards relieving ‘pinch points’ in the rail network that are restricting services, with longer-term funding of major projects to enhance the network.
• Invest in higher speed rail links to make north-south rail travel preferable to flying.
• Invest in regional rail infrastructure including re-opening rural stations and supporting development around those routes.
• Dual the railways between Perth, Inverness and Aberdeen and invest in a Dornoch rail crossing, rather than dualling the entire A9 and A96.
• Support crossrail schemes in Glasgow and Aberdeen.
• Enhance suburban rail in and around Edinburgh and upgrade Waverley Station by diverting funds from the unjustifiable £610m Edinburgh Airport Rail Link. There are much cheaper options available such as a new station on the Fife line and linking the tram scheme with the Glasgow and Stirling lines.
• Ensure the new Borders Railway goes to Hawick and ultimately links up with England.
Freight and ferries
• Prohibit any further increase in lorry size.
• Build on the success of the Freight Facilities Grants through marketing and planning and the introduction of a national strategy for rail and water freight.
• Seek to reduce the volume of freight by reducing food and other commodity miles and cutting unnecessary packaging.
• Develop shipping and harbours, and support the re-opening of rail and rail-freight access to Cairnryan.
• Allow Young Scot cards and senior citizens’ bus passes to be used on ferries.
George Baxter
Media and Communications
Scottish Green MSPs
Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh EH99 1SP
Tel: 0131 348 6360
Mob: 0790 99 33 074
Fax: 0131 348 5972