Increased public transport funding and road charging mechanisms form part of a future outlined by the Independent Transport Commission, in the search for ‘net zero’ carbon.
Authored by the ITC’s Sarah Kendall and Matthew Niblett, The Covid-19 Pandemic, Transport and Land Use in Britain: Key Strategic Issues for Policy Makers report argues: “The impacts of the pandemic have resulted in major shifts in behavioural patterns, as well as accelerating pre-existing travel and land use trends, requiring a major system reset.”
Although the ITC accepts that it is “difficult to predict future trends and timing”, the report suggests that making local neighbourhoods part of a ‘green future’ can help reduce the need for longer-distance travel.
It also argues that the home-delivery retail model needs to be managed, including “improved last mile delivery solutions in order to reduce congestion and harmful emissions, especially in urban areas”.
Kendall said the pandemic “has created an opportunity to improve our neighbourhoods and our transport networks as the economy recovers”.
However, she added: “Policy interventions are needed to avoid increased pollution and carbon emissions and declining public transport and accessibility.”
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David Hunt. - 23/10/2021 15:57
Past and present government,appear to be afraid of road users.Speed limits are a joke,the majority break them,mobile phone use is rampant by motorists.Every road law seems no longer to be properly enforced.There needs to be an immediate end to any road building,a new road just creates more traffic.The A303 is a prime example.(I am a motorist)
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Steve Colinese - 23/10/2021 19:08
People are reluctant to use public transport because of Covid. More ev's will reduce carbon emissions, and also give the govt an excuse to introduce road charging as they'll need to do something to replace the lost fuel duty!
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James - 28/10/2021 22:39
If public transport didn’t keep ramming hard left Marxist activism down your throat then it might be worth it, but right now it is frankly unbearable. I drive instead and fly where necessary. Though even BA talking of removing ‘Ladies & Gentlemen’ from announcements. The world has gone mentally ill, and it is an illness.
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Richard - 29/10/2021 09:46
Stop the activist politics on the public transport network. It is rammed down people’s throats and they’re sick of it. The car is much nicer environment now and far less stressful. Take railways back to the days of being politically neutral for the passenger. It isn’t fair to create a railway that only serves the left.
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