Road Rage

By Jess Price
Conservation Officer

Take action: use Transport Action Network’s guide to respond to the consultation here – deadline 12 September 2022

A major new consultation has been launched to determine the future of transport in the South East for the next 30 years – but it is far from sustainable.

Given the current climate and ecological emergencies and the UK’s global commitments to net zero carbon emissions, the last thing we should be doing is building new and bigger roads - yet the proposals put forward contain more than 90 road schemes, more than 50 of which are set to be delivered by 2030 - just eight years from now, and the same deadline by which the UK must meet its carbon reduction target.

We are already experiencing the stark impacts of climate change on the natural environment, as well as people. New and bigger roads will increase emissions, cause more pollution and accelerate climate change – taking us in the wrong direction completely.

Transport for the South East (TfSE), the body putting forward the consultation proposals to ‘decarbonise the transport system’, admits that their proposed road schemes will result in increased carbon emissions rather than helping the UK government to meet a 68% cut in emissions by 2030 – its international commitment under the Paris Agreement.

TfSE’s plan does contain positive ambition for much-needed sustainable public transport but this seems to take a back seat. The vast majority of these proposals are not planned for delivery until the 2030s and 40s, do not have a delivery plan and lack any clear funding mechanisms – so may never be built at all.

Roads have been given priority. This is despite TfSE acknowledging on page 115 of the consultation document (it is a long read!) that they should ensure ‘highway projects are not delivered before enhanced mass transit and electric vehicle charging networks are in place to avoid inducing additional private car ownership and or use of carbon intensive vehicles.’

Similarly, the proposed active travel measures (walking and cycling) will require a significant increase in central Government funding to make them happen, with uncertain delivery. This simply isn’t good enough.

And to top things off, the plan’s suggested performance indicators for achieving ‘environmental enhancements’ are substandard, only committing to ‘no net loss’ of biodiversity rather than acknowledging that any new infrastructure should be delivering a net gain, and contributing to the recovery of nature from its already very degraded state.

We will be responding to TfSE’s consultation to insist on drastic improvements to the current proposals. We’re asking you, our members and supporters to do the same.

Our friends at Transport Action Network have put together a guide to help you respond to this consultation, which will close on 12 September. Please do take a look and make your voice heard.