Copies of a statistical breakdown of increases in traffic levels over the last 15 years, county by county, plus map is available on request from the press office on 020 7981 2880

Countryside campaigners CPRE [1] fear it will be ‘bulldozing as usual’ as the English regional bodies release their proposals to focus Government funding [2] on ‘high-carbon’ road building.  This comes as new data by CPRE reveals that motor traffic levels have increased by 40% in many areas over the last 15 years [3].  These increases in traffic have made transport the fastest growing source of domestic carbon emissions.

Advice published last summer by the Department for Transport [4] asked regions in vague terms to reflect on how their transport decisions would impact on carbon emissions.  Unsurprisingly, most regions have failed to work out whether individual schemes will increase or decrease carbon emissions. Disappointedly every single region is on course to increase its transport emissions.

Ralph Smyth, CPRE’s Senior Transport Campaigner, said:

‘With the Climate Change Act 2008’s legal targets to slash carbon emissions, it should not be “business as usual” for rural areas if the regions are to tackle growing car dependence effectively. 

‘It is clear that regional decision makers are reluctant to face up to the incompatibility of rising traffic levels and lower carbon emissions.  We need urgent investment in rail, bus, walking and cycle routes to give people in all areas real choices for low-carbon travel.’

Although there have been improvements in some areas, most regions have carried on before with transport priorities drawn up before the credit crunch and the Climate Change Act [5]. Spending on road building ranges from 45% of transport funding for major schemes in Yorkshire & Humber to over 80% in the South East. [6] 

Ralph Smyth concluded: ‘Transport Ministers should not accept the regions’ wish-lists unchanged. We need a dramatic increase in the proportion of sustainable transport schemes to make up for the regions’ failure to take carbon cuts seriously.’

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NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. CPRE, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, is a charity which promotes the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of rural England. We advocate positive solutions for the long-term future of the countryside. Founded in 1926, we have 60,000 supporters and a branch in every county. President: Bill Bryson. Patron: Her Majesty The Queen. www.cpre.org.uk

2. Through the Regional Funding Advice process, regional bodies (in most areas regional assemblies) draw up lists of transport schemes for approval for Government funding.  Lists were submitted by the end of February 2009 and are now being considered by civil servants.  These include controversial road schemes, see: http://www.cpre.org.uk/campaigns/transport/roads/road-building-threats

3. CPRE has used DfT estimates of annual motor vehicle kilometres in 1993 and 2007 to show how traffic levels have increased across the country.  Carbon emissions from road transport are closely related to these levels.  A statistical breakdown showing increases in traffic levels over the last 15 years, county by county, plus map are available on request from CPRE’s press office (020 7981 2880)
4. RFA Transport Advice – Supplementary Note, paragraphs 16-17: http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/strategy/rfa/rfaround2/RFAsupplementarynote1.pdf

5. The Climate Change Committee's draft Carbon budget (December 2008) stressed at page 106 ‘the importance of ensuring that investment over the next 12 years does not lock us into high-carbon capital assets which make achieving the 2050 target more difficult.’  With transport the fastest growing sector for carbon emissions, CPRE believes current investment plans represent not just an environmental disaster but also a very bad financial decision at a time of dwindling public finances. More information at: www.theccc.org.uk

6. It is not possible to calculate precise figures per region as: some schemes are packages of different types of transport and each region has bid for funding 20% more than it can afford to, since some schemes listed are unlikely to receive planning permission.  The following percentages relate to approximate proportions of road-building. Yorkshire & Humber 45%, West Midlands 50%, North West 60%, East of England 60%, South West 70%, North East 75%, East Midlands 80%, South East over 80%.  Carbon figures are not yet available.