Blog ARCHIVE
Zombie roads revival as buses lose out
Zombie roads revival as buses lose out TAN welcomes Rishi Sunak's promises [1] for long overdue investment in rail upgrades, including electrification in the north and north Wales. However, it questions how many of these schemes will actually get built and if they do they could be decades away. It...
Plan for drivers has little substance
The Conservatives have clearly decided to make transport the latest front in the culture wars with ‘The plan for drivers’ announced at their party conference in Manchester. Looking behind the headlines however, while there are a few genuinely new initiatives, most involve extending the scope of existing promises, not delivering...
New Roads and Climate Case to Head to the Courts
New Roads and Climate Case to Head to the Courts A legal challenge to the planning approval of the A57 Link Road [1], just outside the Peak District National Park, is set for a two day hearing in the High Court, starting tomorrow (3 October) at 10am. It is the latest...
Council undermines opposition to its own planning application
Council undermines opposition to its own planning application Transport Action Network (TAN) is shocked by the way that a very strong refusal of Oxfordshire County Council’s £300 million HIF1 road scheme [1] in July [2] has been undermined by an extraordinary meeting of the council’s planning committee on 27 September...
Sunak’s EV delays puts LTC carbon claims in doubt
Highways Magazine: Sunak's EV delays puts LTC carbon claims in doubt A major plank to the carbon emissions case for the Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) has been thrown into doubt following prime minister Rishi Sunak's delay on banning petrol and diesel vehicles until 2035. Last July, National Highways claimed that...
Vote of no confidence represents a new low for democracy in Wales
Vote of no confidence represents a new low for democracy in Wales The Deputy Minister for Climate Change Lee Waters, has survived a vote of no confidence by 42 votes to 16 following a motion submitted by the Welsh Conservatives. The motion represents a new low for the ‘personalisation of politics’...
Politicians must ignore the noise to realise the 20mph changes in Wales
Politicians must ignore the noise to realise the 20mph changes in Wales TAN Cymru is welcoming the rollout of 20mph limits in Wales which has shown real progress in its first week [1]. This is despite the high levels of scaremongering and misinformation that has been propagated on social media....
UK’s climate action driven off course
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s much leaked speech claimed the UK will take a more ‘pragmatic’ approach to climate change and getting to net zero. Yet, his speech failed to recognise that the UK is already off course and the latest proposals will make things worse. Just six months ago, the...
How does the industry react to National Highways’ RIS3 proposals?
New Civil Engineer: Future of Roads | How does the industry react to National Highways’ RIS3 proposals? National Highways wants the government’s next road strategy for England to focus on maintaining the existing network while building some large, deferred schemes. Since 2015, the government and National Highways have set out...
Do Not Proceed With Stonehenge Tunnel In Current Form
Forbes: Do Not Proceed With Stonehenge Tunnel In Current Form, UNESCO Tells U.K. Government In July the U.K. government gave the go-ahead for a controversial tunnel close to the internationally famous Stonehenge standing stones. UNESCO has now told the government the scheme “should not proceed in its current form.” The...
Planning reforms risk breaking international law
Planning reforms risk breaking international law Transport Action Network (TAN) [1] has responded [2] to the Government’s consultation on operational reforms to the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) consenting process which ends today [3]. TAN is concerned that the proposed changes, while sensible in parts, are mostly focussed on the...
Wales could lose a quarter of its bus services
Morning Star: Wales could lose a quarter of its bus services due to lack of funding, operators warn The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), which represents bus companies, estimated that between 20 and 25 per cent of the country’s services are at risk of closing without further long-term government funding....
£1.3bn of spending already committed to by National Highways for the Stonehenge Tunnel
New Civil Engineer: £1.3bn of spending already committed to by National Highways for the Stonehenge Tunnel Contracts worth £1.3bn have been signed by National Highways for the construction of the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down scheme which has a total estimated capital cost figure of £1.7bn. Known as the Stonehenge...
Don’t declare war on public health
The news that Labour has apparently scrapped its commitment to roll out clean air zones across the country is worrying if true. According to the Royal College of Physicians, air pollution is responsible for around 40,000 premature deaths and costs the UK over £20bn every year. It has been linked...
Transport in the headlights
Hardly a week goes by without there being some momentous story involving transport. As with most things at present, evidence or rationality often plays little part in the debate. This is despite many of these issues having far reaching consequences affecting public health, inequalities and often involving vast sums of...
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