News
Better Transport in Dacorum
On Thursday 4th March, Transition Town Berkhamsted and the Tring and Berkhamsted Cycle Campaign hosted an evening talk at Victoria School by Stephen Joseph, OBE, the Chief Executive of the Campaign for Better Transport (previously known as Transport 2000). This is a national body that researches transport issues and promotes more effective and sustainable forms of travel.
Over 50 people came to the meeting and heard Stephen Joseph explain why we need to rely more on public forms of transport, as well as walking and cycling. The key argument, based on studies CBT has carried out and others worldwide, is that continued increased reliance on private car transport will not solve our problems. These are not just road congestion, but the impact of fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions. He said that several studies of road building have shown that we cannot build our way out of congestion: a new road simply encourages more people to drive more.
Stephen has spearheaded projects in St. Albans for more effective transport planning between bus and rail companies and improved resources for walkers and cyclists. Ideas that are being taken up there and elsewhere include teleworking, designated walking and cycling routes to schools, cash incentives to employees not to drive to work, road speed management and residential parking zones. All these he argued can help deal with the other problems associated with reliance on private road travel, such as noise, air quality, accidents, road surface deterioration (which means potholes!)’reduced physical exercise as well as less obvious effects like social exclusion and community severance.
Other towns he gave as examples where similar initiatives have been undertaken are Worcester, Peterborough and Aylesbury, which is a national ‘Cycle Demonstration Town’. In fact, the proportion of all journeys in the UK which are taken by bike is just 2% - one of the lowest rates in Europe. In Copenhagen, for example it is about 40%.
His final key point was that travel pricing is critical : the true cost to the economy and environment of car travel is not reflected in the cost our motorists pay, whereas the benefits of public transport are not recognised in the financing of major rail/bus investment projects. On that note, CBT is currently campaigning for the Government to cut train fares – to find out more go to www.bettertransport.org.uk/train-fares .