A Chance to Influence National Transport Policy and Secretary of State’s Proposed Change to East of England Plan

 

Deadline for objections is 5pm Friday 9 March.

 

Last year an independent Panel recommended that the 10 year regional plan for the East recommended that traffic should be reduced to tackle climate change. However Minister Ruth Kelly has rejected as “unrealistic” an absolute reduction in traffic for the purpose of cutting transport greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Instead, the Secretary of State advances a much weaker overarching transport strategy in her Proposed Changes to the Draft East of England Plan published in December, with the aim of “reducing the rate of road traffic growth and ensuring the transport sector makes an appropriate contribution to the required reduction in greenhouse gas emissions”

 

Overall, the various Changes represent a watering down of the Panel’s policies on cutting car use. The amended strategy instead focuses on reducing congestion and achieving a modal shift through improvements to sustainable modes.

 

If you would like to view the Proposed Changes Consultation Document go to:

http://www.go-east.gov.uk/goeast/planning/regional_planning/

The section on the regional transport strategy can be read at pages 131 – 151.

 

How you can help

 

Please object to Proposed Change to T1 by the 9th March deadline.

 

How to Respond

 

Fill in the on-line response form at:

http://esurveys.gos.gov.uk/phpESP/public/survey.php?name=goeastrpt

 

#1) Is this your first submission? Select Yes/No.
#2) Respondent number: Leave blank if you haven’t commented before. If you commented on the Consultation Draft from December 2004–March 2005 and were given a respondent number, please enter that here.
#3) I am completing this representation as: Select as appropriate.
#4–#13) Enter your name, the name of your organisation (if appropriate), address, postcode, and e-mail address.
#14) Which part of the Proposed Changes Document, Sustainability Appraisal or Habitats Directive Assessment do you wish to comment on?: Select "T1" from the list.
#15) Please select one of the following to describe your representation: Select "Object".

#16) Add comments: State that you object to deletion of the Panel recommendation for an absolute reduction in traffic as a means of cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Say that you would like this objective to be reinstated and the demand management measures in the Plan strengthened in support of the objective.

 

Then press "Submit Survey" to send the form.