Liberal Democrats : Transport News Feed

]> Liberal Democrats : Transport News Feed http://www.libdems.org.uk/transport RSS News provided by Liberal Democrats en-gb Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:28:30 +0100 Copyright Liberal Democrats Liberal Democrats In house BAA should be forced to sell two London airports - Leech http://www.libdems.org.uk/transport/story.html?id=14955 Commenting ahead of tomorrow’s Competition Commission preliminary report, which is expected to recommend a break-up of BAA’s near monopoly on London airports, Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesperson, John Leech said: "Passengers who experienced the Terminal 5 chaos will understand why Heathrow has been called a ‘national embarrassment’. "The Competition Commission has an opportunity to end this near monopoly and create a better experience for passengers. "BAA should be forced to sell two of its London airports. Passenger interests are too often being pushed aside for profits and high retail rents. The current situation is helping no-one." Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Network Rail must be more accountable - Hunter http://www.libdems.org.uk/transport/story.html?id=14922 Commenting on today’s Office of Rail Regulation report, which recommends that big bonuses for Network Rail bosses be curbed, Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesman, Mark Hunter said: "After the chaos over the New Year, many passengers were shocked to hear about the obscene bonuses awarded to Network Rail bosses. "If passengers are going to have any confidence in the railways, Network Rail needs to become more accountable and decisions on bonuses must not be taken by its own board." Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Air fare price rise inevitable - Baker http://www.libdems.org.uk/transport/story.html?id=14889 Commenting on today’s warning from British Airways that air fares will have to rise, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said: "It is inevitable that air fares are going to increase. There are too many airlines, chasing too few passengers, at a time of rising oil prices and increasing environmental concerns. "In the last ten years, the average cost of a one-way ticket for an internal flight within the UK has fallen from £205 to £103. "It is unavoidable that this process will now be reversed." Fri, 1 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Absurd that rail fares continue to rise - Baker http://www.libdems.org.uk/transport/story.html?id=14887 Commenting on figures released by the Office of Rail Regulation, which show that rail fares have rocketed in price since the mid-1990s, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said: "It is absurd that rail fares continue to rise well above inflation. "Rail is the greenest form of mass transportation and the Government should be taking steps to make it more attractive. "At the moment it seems that the more carbon you emit, the cheaper it is to travel." Fri, 1 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Fine airlines for long check-in queues - Baker http://www.libdems.org.uk/transport/story.html?id=14883 Airlines that have long queues at check-ins should be fined, the Liberal Democrats today proposed. The measure is one of the proposals set out by the party in order to give air passengers a fairer deal and ensure that aviation pays its environmental cost. Other proposals in Fair for the Passenger, Fair for the Environment: A Down to Earth Approach to Aviation include: <UL> <LI>Information on carbon emissions to be printed on every air ticket </LI> <LI>Ruling out any expansion in airport capacity in London and the South East </LI> <LI>Ensuring that BAA sells two of its London airports </LI> <LI>Building a high speed rail network to reduce domestic flights</LI> <LI>Introducing a surcharge to Aviation Duty for domestic flights to fund high speed rail </LI></UL> Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said: "Both the passenger and the environment have lost out under the Government’s failed aviation strategy. "By refusing to support a high speed rail network the Government has failed to give travellers a real alternative to domestic flights. At the same time hidden airline subsidies are allowing carbon emissions to skyrocket as operating costs remain comparatively low. "Even now, ministers would rather push ahead with an ill-conceived proposal to expand Heathrow than plan for high speed rail. "Airlines and airport operators must be shown that they can’t have it all their own way and travellers must be given a fairer deal and clearer options. "Our proposals are fair for the passenger and fair for the environment." ENDS Fri, 1 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Road statistics reveal catalogue of failures - Baker http://www.libdems.org.uk/transport/story.html?id=14824 Commenting on today’s DfT annual road statistics, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said: "Eleven years of a Labour Government has led to a comprehensive catalogue of road policy failures. "Despite John Prescott’s claim in 1997 that a Labour Government would cut the number of cars on the roads, it has now given up on reducing traffic and has resorted to discredited 1980s road-building policies. "Just last year Ruth Kelly announced yet another £6bn to widen motorways. This is an abdication of responsibility." Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Road statistics reveal catalogue of failures - Baker http://www.libdems.org.uk/transport/story.html?id=14823 Commenting on today’s DfT annual road statistics, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said: "Eleven years of a Labour Government has led to a comprehensive catalogue of road policy failures. "Despite John Prescott’s claim in 1997 that a Labour Government would cut the number of cars on the roads, it has now given up on reducing traffic and has resorted to discredited 1980s road-building policies. "Just last year Ruth Kelly announced yet another £6bn to widen motorways. This is an abdication of responsibility." Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Brown's support for electric cars yet more greenwash - Baker http://www.libdems.org.uk/transport/story.html?id=14797 Commenting on Gordon Brown’s support for electric-powered cars, which he announced today at the British International Motor Show, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said: "This is yet more greenwash from Gordon Brown. Once again, he’s talking green but only last week the Government announced a further £6bn expenditure on widening roads at a time when traffic levels and carbon emissions continue to rise. "The Government’s bungled changes to Vehicle Excise Duty have given green taxes a bad name. "We have all had enough green hyperbole from the Prime Minister. It’s now time for some green action." Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Police in too many fatal accidents - Baker http://www.libdems.org.uk/transport/story.html?id=14788 Commenting on the IPCC’s annual report, which revealed that 23 people were killed in collisions involving police vehicles last year, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said: "The IPCC is right to be concerned. Police vehicles are involved in too many fatal accidents, but it is not just a problem for the police. "We need a thorough review of procedures for all emergency vehicles to ensure that other road users are not put in danger." Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Government freight policy is non-existent - Baker http://www.libdems.org.uk/transport/story.html?id=14782 Commenting on today’s Transport Select Committee report, which criticises the Government’s ‘hands-off’ approach to freight strategy, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said: "The Government’s freight policy is more than hands-off, it’s non-existent. "Scrapping lorry road user charging plans and failing to invest sufficiently in rail and water freight has condemned us to rising emissions and lorry jams on many of our major roads. <DIR> <DIR> <DIR> <DIR> <DIR> <DIR> </DIR></DIR></DIR></DIR></DIR></DIR> "Sensible investment in rail freight would save hundreds of millions of pounds in road widening schemes. "Yet again, this Government is content to throw good money after bad in the pursuit of road building rather than considering more effective and environmentally sustainable methods of transporting goods." Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Government failure condemns rail passengers to misery and overcrowding - Baker http://www.libdems.org.uk/transport/story.html?id=14775 Commenting on today’s Transport Select Committee report, which criticises the Government for having ‘dodged the decision on high speed rail’, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said: "The Government’s abject failure to plan for a high speed rail network has condemned passengers to years more misery and overcrowding. "Delays, slow trains, endless replacement bus services and out-dated working practices have created cattle-truck Britain while other countries have created modern, efficient railways. "Travellers should be encouraged to choose public transport, but they are being given little reason to ditch their polluting cars. "Momentum is clearly gathering for a high speed rail network but yet again the Government is being left behind on the platform." Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Ghost flights are disgraceful - Baker http://www.libdems.org.uk/transport/story.html?id=14741 Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker today challenged Gordon Brown to take action against airlines that run so-called ‘ghost flights’, in which they fly short-haul trips with near-empty aircraft in order to preserve their take-off and landing slots. Norman Baker said: "It is disgraceful that these environmentally damaging ghost flights are taking place. "I welcome Gordon Brown’s admission that these flights are unacceptable and his promise to look into the problem. "However, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating. Will he take action or will he continue to cave in to the aviation industry?" Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Road spending is carbon catastrophe - Baker http://www.libdems.org.uk/transport/story.html?id=14739 Commenting on Ruth Kelly’s announcement that £6bn will be spent on road improvements by 2014, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said: "This is a carbon catastrophe. Yet more funding is being channelled into increasing road capacity rather than expanding the railways and supporting public transport. "This Department has lazily fallen back on predict and provide and has chosen to ignore the fact that any attempts to build our way out of congestion are doomed to failure. "The Government has made no suggestions for tackling the carbon consequences of opening hard shoulders to traffic. Tackling climate change is clearly out of favour at the DfT." Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Heathrow delay could be chink of light - Baker http://www.libdems.org.uk/transport/story.html?id=14663 Commenting on Ruth Kelly’s announcement that a decision on Heathrow’s expansion has been delayed, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said: "Today’s delay could be a chink of light for those fighting against Heathrow’s expansion. "It looks like the Government has realised quite how unpopular its policy is and is now looking for a way out. "Alternatively it could be that BAA is away on holiday and Ruth Kelly is simply awaiting further instructions from the aviation industry." Tue, 8 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Passenger satisfaction skidding off the tracks - Baker http://www.libdems.org.uk/transport/story.html?id=14654 Commenting on today’s National Passenger Survey by Passenger Focus, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said: "The fact that passengers are so dissatisfied with long distance rail travel shows how little this Government has done to make the railways a viable alternative to roads and airports. "Ministers have failed to invest in the future of the railways and so are forcing long distance operators to pack more and more passengers into smaller spaces. "Passenger satisfaction is skidding off the tracks, and until train travel is reliable, comfortable and offers value for money travellers will continue to choose other options." Tue, 8 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100