MEDIA COVERAGE

December 2023

Highways Magazine: A358 dualling delayed again. Chris Todd, director of Transport Action Network, urges for investment in public transport rather than damaging road schemes.

Forbes: Fundraiser launched to raise money for active travel funding cuts legal challenge.

November 2023

New Civil Engineer: Development Consent Order decision on A66 road scheme delayed four months. Also reported by Highways Magazine, Construction News, and Cumbria Crack.

October 2023

Forbes: Legal challenge on active travel funding cuts by Transport Action Network is given the go-ahead by High Court. Also reported by New Civil Engineer, edie, road.cc, Local Government Lawyer, TransportXtra, and ENDS Report.

TransportXtra: Chris Todd, Director of Transport Action Network, was invited to give his thoughts of the Government’s new Network North policy.

September 2023

Highways Magazine: A major plank to the Carbon emissions case for the Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) in doubt following Rishi Sunak’s delay on ban on petrol and diesel vehicles until 2035.

New Civil Engineer: National Highways says RIS3 should focus on maintenance of network, as well as building deferred road schemes. Chris Todd, Transport Action Network Director calls for an independent review on road building.

Forbes: UNESCO report advises against the Stonehenge Tunnel ‘in its current form.’

August 2023

Morning Star: Bus operators warn that up to a quarter of services could be lost in Wales due to lack of funding. Chris Todd, Transport Action Network director, urged the Welsh government to find a way of ‘safeguarding and improving bus services’.

New Civil Engineer: National Highways sign contracts worth £1.3bn for the Stonehenge Tunnel scheme. Chris Todd, Transport Action Network director, calls for solutions that ‘manage congestion’ rather than more road building which is ‘making things worse.’

July 2023

Logistics Manager: Transport Action Network, together with Green Alliance, Possible, and Transport & Environment call for the government to take action on road freight emissions. Also reported by Motor Transport and edie.

The Construction Index: Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site begin new legal challenge against road scheme.

Forbes: Transport committee recommends focusing on maintenance rather than road building. Transport Action Network gave oral and written evidence to the committee’s inquiry. Also reported on by Edie.

Road.cc: Recent fall in cyclist fatalities is down to increased road safety measures and updates to Highway Code, according to Cycling UK.

Forbes: Mark Harper gives the Stonehenge Tunnel the green light. The decision to approve the road scheme was also reported on by The Guardian and National World.

L’ADN: While the Toulouse-Castres motorway in France is debated, Wales has cancelled some road projects and puts the climate emergency at the heart of its decision making.

June 2023

New Civil Engineer: FOI shows National Highways has spent £330,000 on legal fees for six RIS2 schemes

Highways Magazine: Climate Change Committee (CCC) say it is time for a roads reset.

The Argus: Chris Todd quoted on concerns over the future of active travel scheme along the A259.

Road.cc: National Audit Office report finds DfT is almost certain to fail on their active travel targets in England. Also reported on by Forbes.

The Guardian: An exclusive piece on Transport Action Network’s legal challenge on the decision to cut investment in walking, wheeling and cycling in England. This was also later reported on by TransportXtra, New Civil Engineer, Road.cc, Politico, Local Government Lawyer, Highways Magazine, and ENDS Report.

May 2023

TransportXtra: Greater emphasis on modal shift needed, not increasing road capacity.

inews: Experts warn DfT decision to allow bigger, longer lorries will put people at risk.

April 2023

Edie: Why thousands are coming together at The Big One.

New Civil Engineer: Delayed schemes could be brought forward using money earmarked for smart motorways.

Highways Magazine: Revised net zero strategy admits we are off track to meet 2030 targets.

The Guardian: Campaigners warn that road building and new roads policy will lead to UK missing net zero targets. Chris Todd, Director of Transport Action Network quoted: “The DfT claims this new policy will ensure transport projects ‘meet environmental targets’. Yet it states that an increase in emissions from road schemes is not ‘reason to prohibit’ or restrict their approval. With the revised net zero strategy admitting we are off track to meet 2030 targets, ministers are deliberately accelerating us towards runaway climate change. We need the public to tell them to slam the brakes on this road-building spree. Instead, we urgently need world-class public transport and active travel, not world-destroying temperature rises.” Also reported in Energy Live News.

Ground Engineering: Permission for full hearing on A428 road scheme refused.

March 2023

New Civil Engineer: Experts call for a traffic reduction target in England.

February 2023

New Civil Engineer: Potential impact of infrastructure planning review by the National Infrastructure Commission.

Business Live: Call for the Welsh Government to outline sustainable transport plan following its decision to scrap road building schemes.

Forbes: Wales lead the way by scrapping major road schemes. Also reported in ITV News.

January 2023

FT: Poor public transport is driving people to consider buying a car. Chris Todd, Director of Transport Action Network is quoted in the article: “Ministers urgently need to switch funding from road building to modernising rail and prioritising buses.”