This just gets us back to the higher spending levels we had under the previous Conservative government. Mr Jenkin said that Labour had spent only 2.6bn on local transport since the last general election, while the last government had spent more than 4bn over a comparable period. This compares to 36bn that the government took in taxes from the motorist last year. The financial settlement was split between road schemes and other transport measures such as improved public transport, bus priority routes, safe routes to school, and traffic calming. But Liberal Democrat transport spokesman Don Foster said the plans would not lead to a reduction in road traffic.
Public transport remains underfunded.
We need serious investment if we are to develop a public transport system which is safe, reliable and affordable. She said many of the schemes would damage environmentally sensitive sites and result in more traffic. Communities and environmental groups will now take on the government over every inch of tarmac. Norman's hopes for Tory change Links to more UK Politics stories are at the foot of the page.