Reduced dependence on cars UK news 2009




 * Smart and integrated ticketing to be introduced in the 9 largest urban areas in England outside London - Greater Manchester, West Midlands, Tyne and Wear, Merseyside, South Yorkshire, and West Yorkshire, Nottingham, Leicester and Bristol. 15 December


 * Network Rail propose high-speed rail to link Glasgow and Edinburgh with London, and to also serve Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham, by 2030, August 26 The proposed new High Speed 2 line will still need to be approved by the government, which is conducting its own rail network review.


 * Government to announce plans for the first big electrification of the rail network since the late 1980s, involving the London to Swansea and Liverpool to Manchester lines. July 23 Work will start immediately and for Liverpool-Manchester will be completed within four years and for London-Swansea within eight years, although stages in between will be completed earlier. place, place


 * Roads programme - including those finished in the past 12 months, those under construction, and those in the planning stages - could be as much as £3.9 billion over budget, CBT, June 25


 * Opportunities for future rail connections serving a million people with 14 new lines and up to 40 new stations identified in new report by the Association of Train Operating Companies, June 15


 * England to get its first 'sustainable travel city', May 13 topic


 * Car use down in English Sustainable travel demonstration towns, May 1


 * Government announce strategy for low carbon transport, April 16 Consumer incentives will be introduced in 2011 to coincide with the expected mass introduction of electric and plug in hybrid cars to the market. Consumers will be able to receive help from the Government worth in the region of £2000 - £5000 to allow for the maximum choice of which car they buy.


 * Awards for local authorities giving walking, cycling and horse-riding a boost, March 19


 * CPRE fear it will be ‘bulldozing as usual’ as the English regional bodies release their proposals to focus Government funding on ‘high-carbon’ road building, March 18 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.’ CPRE say that motor traffic levels have increased by 40% in many areas over the last 15 years and that transport is the fastest growing source of domestic carbon emissions. CPRE have calculated the following percentages which relate to approximate proportions of spending on road-building. Yorkshire and the Humber 45%, West Midlands 50%, North West England 60%, East of England 60%, South West England 70%, North East England 75%, East Midlands 80%, South East England over 80%. Carbon figures are not yet available. "We need urgent investment in rail, bus, walking and cycle routes to give people in all areas real choices for low-carbon travel."


 * By comparison with some other European countries Britain’s railways are generally more expensive, especially in London and the South East, February 19


 * Government drops £5bn motorway widening plans, January 18

Related topics

 * Sustainable travel UK news

References