Blog ARCHIVE
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...
MPs publish damning report on flagship roads programme
MPs publish damning report on Government's flagship roads programme Welcoming today's publication of the Transport Committee's report [1] on its Strategic Road Investment inquiry, which Transport Action Network (TAN) gave oral and written evidence to [2], Chris Todd, director of TAN, said: "This is yet another damning report for the...
TAN press statement on A303 Stonehenge approval
TAN statement on A303 Stonehenge approval Today, the Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, has given the go ahead to the dual carriageway and tunnel through the World Heritage Site at Stonehenge [1]. Rebecca Lush, TAN's roads and climate campaigner, said: "Just as the Climate Change Committee has recommended that new roads...
Government’s failings driven home
After years of (too) subtle hints about the Government’s road building programme, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) has strongly recommended a Welsh-style roads review for England. Its 2023 annual progress report to parliament was pretty damning, but especially so on transport. It tore into the lie that we can decarbonise...
Call for English roads review welcomed
Call for English roads review welcomed In response to today's publication of the Climate Change Committee's 2023 Progress Report to Parliament [1], Transport Action Network's director, Chris Todd said: "We welcome the climate committee's call for an urgent review of England's roads programme. Having spent the last three years challenging...
Why we’re challenging walking and cycling cuts
In March, ministers tried to sneak out a cut of two-thirds of England’s dedicated funding for walking, wheeling and cycling, under the headlines of a record investment in infrastructure and delays to the roads programme and HS2. This prompted a huge outcry from walking, cycling, disability and environmental organisations. They...
Walking and cycling cuts will slash swathe of government promises
Walking and cycling cuts will slash swathe of government promises The Department for Transport's (DfT) decision to slash funding for walking and cycling by two-thirds is facing a legal challenge. Campaign group Transport Action Network (TAN) claims ministers bypassed legal processes to chop investment. TAN is arguing this unlawful cut...
Heading down the wrong road
Heading down the wrong road The Department for Transport (DfT) and National Highways are expected to publish initial details of its third roads programme, the third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3), for consultation early on 18 May. RIS3 sets road funding and schemes for building in England for 2025-2030, and is...
Creating a genuine national transport policy
Despite claiming to lead on the climate and nature emergencies, the Government wants to continue the “largest ever” road-building programme, as it boasted in 2020. As we warned in The Guardian recently this “Road-building spree will derail UK’s net zero targets”. It will also harm nature and local communities, while...
£20bn backlog as potholes grow
£14 billion and 11 years. That’s the estimated cost of fixing all the potholes in England and Wales. When combined with the arrears in bridge repairs, that’s a total maintenance backlog of £20 billion. A recent report found that almost one in five local roads in England and Wales are...
Outdated transport plan will make things worse
Outdated transport plan will make things worse TAN [1] is concerned that Transport for the South East (TfSE) [2] is locking the region into a high carbon, car dependent future, with rising traffic and congestion. The TfSE Board is meeting on Monday (13th) [3] to approve its Strategic Investment Plan...
Roads programme in turmoil!
Roads programme in turmoil! Transport Action Network (TAN) [1] has welcomed the statement by Mark Harper (Secretary of State for Transport) that several road schemes in the second roads programme (RIS2) will be further delayed [2]. They are: Lower Thames Crossing - construction delayed by two years [3] A27 Arundel...
Why England urgently needs a roads reset
We gave evidence at the House of Commons’ Transport Committee’s inquiry into strategic road investment on Wednesday 1st March, talking about why England urgently needs a roads reset. The current situation National Highways and the Department for Transport (DfT) are preparing another round of funding for motorways and trunk roads...
Wales leads world on tackling transport carbon
Lee Waters, Deputy Minister for Climate Change, announced on Valentine’s Day that the Welsh Government will curtail harmful and unnecessarily expensive road schemes. This represents a landmark turning point in tackling climate change. The Welsh Government is clear that it will still build roads; just not in the traditional traffic...
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