PRESS RELEASE

Statement by Transport Action Network in response to the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s announcement today about funding for the eight mayoral combined authorities.

Chris Todd, Director of Transport Action Network said:

“The Chancellor of the Exchequer’s announcement of a £15.6 billion boost for modern public transport projects in England’s city regions outside London is welcome. This shows how Metro Mayors have made compelling cases for driving growth through better buses, trams, and rail infrastructure.

“Today’s announcement makes even more incongruous the Government’s insistence on pressing on with the Lower Thames Crossing (LTC), a twentieth century white elephant, failing to offer the same modern public and active travel options for people and businesses in Essex and Kent.

“The Financial Times report [1] that the Government is gambling £1 billion on finding private finance of at least another £6.3 billion to build the LTC hints that the Government has been captured by vested interests and group think. This is a road scheme that not only makes very little economic sense but by our calculations will see tolls at the existing Dartford crossing triple to pay for it [2]. We’re calling on Ministers to scrap the LTC and instead develop rail, tram, bus and ferry solutions along the lines of our Essex-Kent Superlinks report. Additionally, critical enhancements to the rail freight network such as Ely and Haughley Junctions, with far better business cases than the LTC, need to be prioritised instead.”

– ENDS –

Notes to editors:

[1] Financial Times article from yesterday.

[2] See articles in The Guardian and The Sun.