Cars in particular have revolutionised the way we live, bringing great flexibility and widening horizons. And we do not want to restrict car ownership-with our vision for a prosperous Britain where prosperity is shared by all we expect more people to be able to afford a car. But the way we are using our cars has a price - for our health, for the economy and for the environment 1 . Transport policies dominated by the short-term have reduced choice, for the public transport passenger and for motorists. The mood is for change.
Business is concerned about the costs of congestion.
People want the existing transport system to work better. They want more choice and a new emphasis on protecting the environment and their health. Predict and provide' didn't work. Privatisation and deregulation of public transport were key features of the last decade. But they failed the passenger because they fragmented public transport networks and ignored the public interest.