One of the many areas where the present government has failed is in transport policy. Research by a joint team of academics from the Universities of Glasgow and Plymouth have rightly called the policy as a ‘big disappointment’.
- Traffic congestion is now worse than ten years ago
- The investment needs of the railways have been completely ignored, in particular to increase capacity
- Bus services in the UK remain poor
- Tram schemes have been abandoned
- Policies to encourage walking and cycling have been neglected
- The government is afraid of addressing the environmental impact of aviation
- Transport carbon emissions continue to rise
This is another damning verdict on the government. Many argue that their policies have been timid, yet in many areas the opposite is the case. They are still in favour of expanding the airports, despite public opposition. They have deliberately cut spending on public transport, forcing up fares on both buses and trains… indeed, nothing has been done to address the long-term impact of privatisation. People are reluctant to walk and cycle to places because their environments have been either neglected or perceived to be dangerous.
The situation is going to get worse. Many vital local schemes aorund the country aimed at easing congestion will certainly be shelved, because the government is far too busy diverting taxpayers’ cash to the pockets of City bankers…