Thus there is universal acceptance of the desirability of taking measures to improve opportunities for walking, cycling and the provision and use of public transport, and to promote integration within and between modes. There is however less clear consistency among local authorities about the need to reduce, or curb the growth in, road traffic. While authorities accept that there is a need to contain traffic growth in the major cities and larger towns there are varying commitments in relation to traffic restraint in smaller towns, with some authorities considering that to curb road traffic would be inappropriate and damaging to local economies. There is a general view that it is neither realistic nor desirable to reduce traffic in rural areas, given rural dependence on car travel. Nevertheless most local authorities acknowledge the need to develop rural public transport, particularly for the benefit of those without access to cars, and some are considering innovative ways of doing so.
Strategies are at various stages of development.
Some are clearly at a very preliminary stage, for example not going much beyond stating policy objectives and containing an initial review of current transport problems and opportunities, with an indication that the strategy is to be further developed. Others go further than this and develop a strategy with specific proposals for action but do not clearly assess priorities or set quantified targets. Relatively few strategies are developed to the extent of containing a comprehensive set of actions and targets. Some strategies appear more promising than others in terms of the extent to which coherent full strategies are likely to be forthcoming.