Transport plan
The transport secretary has backed the Crossrail scheme in London and moves towards road pricing for motorists.
Alistair Darling announced details of his review of the 10 year transport plan in the Commons on Tuesday.
Government Response: Department of Transport
Alistair Darling, transport secretary, said: "Looking ahead, the challenges we face are clear. As the economy continues to grow, and with increased prosperity, we will want to travel more and the demand for goods from all over the world will grow.
"Our job is to help people travel, not to stop them. The challenge for us is how we meet people's need and wish to do so whilst meeting our environmental aims."
Party Response: Liberal Democrats
John Thurso, transport spokesman, said: "Much is said about the rate of traffic growth and its consequences, but very little attention is given to the causes of that growth.
"It is difficult to see how ministers expect to find the solution, when they don't even understand the problem.”
Stakeholder Response: British Retail Consortium
David Southwell, director of communications at the London Retail Consortium, said: "The LRC, the principal trade body for retail in the Capital, welcomes today’s government announcement committing to a joint public-private funding of the Crossrail scheme. This falls in line with one of the LRC’s key policy aims, which supports the development of a sustainable and effective transport system for
"However, the LRC is reluctant to offer its unconditional support to a scheme which includes the option of levying a supplementary business rate which it believes to be inappropriate for such a large-scale infrastructure project.
"Whilst the project offers potential benefits to business in
"Property costs are a significant and growing liability to retail – especially small retail.Any funding proposal which asks for the business cost burden to be shared equally, but that does not deliver equal benefits, is highly flawed."
Stakeholder Response: Corporation of London
"Major City firms have said that they will help with funding, through a business rate supplement. I hope the government and others will show equal support.
"We now at last have the real chance to build the rail service that London needs for the 21st century. Let's get on with it."
Stakeholder Response: Institute of Directors
A spokesperson for the Institute of Directors, said: "We welcome the transport secretary's announcement today. We have long argued
that while total road traffic is set to increase by 17 per cent by 2010, congestion will be little changed from current levels and unless a dual strategy of congestion charging and road building is implemented road misery
will continue.
"From a business perspective the status quo will very soon become unacceptable and more radical solutions will be demanded, in contrast to the rationing by congestion currently on offer.
"The UK desperately needs a system, which will reduce congestion and finance investment in new capacity. Far greater private sector investment needs to be introduced."
Stakeholder Response: Transport for London
Bob Kiley, London's transport commissioner, said: "This groundbreaking agreement means that London, for the first time, has the opportunity to make long-term decisions on planning major capital projects without the fear that funding will be withdrawn in future years."
Stakeholder Response: Construction Products Association
Michael Ankers, chief executive of the Construction Products Association, said: “For the last two years, the government has led us to believe that the roll-forward of the Ten Year Transport Plan would offer a useful strategic planning document with detailed reporting of progress to date and new targeted outputs that would allow the industry to plan for the long-term with confidence and offer the government best value.
“The Review fails to report the government’s progress towards the targets it set in the original plan in any comprehensive way. Where it does publish the outputs to date, the government often appears to have fallen far behind its original targets. For example, in 2000, the government committed itself to completing 130 major local road schemes by 2010. Only five schemes have been completed to date.
“A number of the key projects and targets from the Ten Year Plan are absent from this Review. There is no mention of eliminating the repair backlog on the local road network by 2010 nor of major new rail schemes such as Thameslink 2000 or the East London Line Extension which could be built in the next three years and deliver real improvements to rail services.
“The one announcement in the Review that the Association does welcome is a government commitment to push forward with Crossrail. However there is no clear timetable for the delivery of this project which would allow the industry to plan with confidence. A time-focused target for its completion however would have helped to ensure that this project was not delayed for the foreseeable future.
“The Association has repeatedly called for the government to use the review of the Ten Year Plan as an opportunity to take stock and set new and revised realistic and attainable targets within a new ten year timeframe up to 2015. This Review calls for a plethora of technological and quick fixes but commits to almost none of the solid improvements to the UK’s transport infrastructure that are so badly needed.”
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