Blog ARCHIVE
Dartford toll hikes: just the beginning
This week saw the government slap a 40% hike in toll charges for the Dartford crossings, raising the basic cost for a car from £2.50 to £3.50. It suggests that perhaps we’re not so far off the mark when we said tolls would have to triple if the Lower Thames...
Calls for urgent action to tackle road safety emergency
Calls for urgent action to tackle road safety emergency Transport Action Network (TAN) [1] is today calling on Ministers Heidi Alexander MP and Lilian Greenwood MP to focus the Department for Transport’s (DfT) highways funding allocation in the spending review [2] on addressing England’s road safety emergency. Four people are...
Road safety record is a car crash
National Highways routinely claims that safety is its “top priority” but this spin is not borne out by its spending decisions or its poor record of reducing serious casualties on its network. Since coming into existence (as Highways England) in 2015, the company has spent a fraction of its huge...
Reaction to £1bn transport funding announced today
Reaction to £1bn transport funding announced today including Lower Thames Crossing TAN’s [1] reaction to today’s announcement by HM Treasury of £1billion for repairing existing structures and funding the Lower Thames Crossing [2]. Chris Todd, Director of TAN said: “The Lower Thames Crossing is such an embarrassment that its latest...
Spending Review cuts active travel funding by 40%
Spending Review cuts active travel funding by 40% In response to the transport announcements in the Chancellor's Spending Review today [1], Transport Action Network's Director, Chris Todd, said: "Confirmation of funding for city region tram, bus and rail projects already announced and for rail projects such as the Transpennine upgrade...
Treasury cuts to cycling and walking budget unlawful, rules Court of Appeal
Treasury cuts to cycling and walking budget unlawful, rules Court of Appeal In a historic judgment, the Court of Appeal has today ruled in Transport Action Network’s (TAN) favour, finding that the March 2023 cuts to cycling and walking funding imposed by the Treasury were unlawful [1]. Coming the day...
Court of Appeal to rule on Treasury cuts to cycling and walking funding
Court of Appeal to rule on Treasury cuts to cycling and walking funding Tomorrow the Court of Appeal is due to issue its judgment on the lawfulness of Treasury cuts to the cycling and walking budget. The full judgment is expected to be available before noon on Tuesday, 10 June...
Spending Review roads bonanza would increase costs and inequality
Spending Review roads bonanza would increase costs and inequality Transport Action Network (TAN) [1] is warning Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves MP not to pour billions into road building in this week’s Spending Review, unless it’s for better maintenance, or to adapt to extreme weather events due to climate...
Boost for public transport welcome but LTC could deprive other areas of much needed investment
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...
The Great Train Robbery?
People are crying out for better transport choices across the country, whether it be better buses, reliable railways, or safer streets. They are also fed up with litter and potholes becoming an all too familiar sight. They want our roads and pavements kept in good order, as the polls keep...
Lower Thames Crossing construction traffic delays could top £1bn
Lower Thames Crossing construction traffic delays could top £1bn Transport Action Network (TAN) [1] has calculated that the cost of the delays caused by constructing the Lower Thames ‘smart’ motorway Crossing (LTC) [2] could be well over £1bn, based on the disruption caused by the controversial M25 Junction 10 scheme...
True cost of traffic delays from building major roads
There is concern that National Highways is routinely underestimating the impact and cost of delays caused by the construction of new road schemes. It does this to skew the business case and secure approval. When planning “enhancement” works on its network, National Highways is obliged, as with any other major...
Net zero undermined by DfT
As over 40% of all UK’s emissions down to transport Transport remains a huge problem when it comes to sector emissions in the UK, despite its full impact being underestimated. Since 1990, carbon emissions for domestic transport have only fallen by 13%, showing how woeful the Department for Transport’s (DfT)...
TAN will not legally challenge LTC planning consent
Transport Action Network will not legally challenge Lower Thames Crossing planning consent: Exposure of true costs will thwart new motorway. Transport Action Network (TAN) [1] is announcing today that it will not be judicially reviewing the UK Government’s approval of the Development Consent Order for the Lower Thames ‘smart’ motorway...
A bumpy road ahead?
In a volatile world where things are changing fast and the economic outcome is uncertain, now is the time to invest in resilience and looking after what we’ve got. And when we say resilience, we don’t mean an excuse to add another lane or build another road to cope with...
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