LIB DEM ACTION PLAN FOR A12 and ESSEX

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 22nd Apr 2008

As Essex County Council holds an inquiry into the A12, Liberal Democrats are looking for an improvement in interim safety & capacity measures. However, paramount is the need for a revised Local Transport Planning Strategy to provide and encourage the use of viable alternative modes of transport.

Giving evidence to the inquiry, Lib Dem Transport Spokesman Keith Francis said: "Essex's Transport Plans have been unsustainable, lacking a real grasp of our crisis situation and overly focused on the short-term. For Transport Plans to be sustainable, we must place much greater emphasis on providing viable alternative forms of transport - that means accelerated park & ride network provision, much improved bus & coach services, and quality, complete networks of walking and cycling routes. We would also like to see more investment into rail services and we are especially keen to look at measures to encourage rail use for freight to reduce the number of heavy lorries on the A12".

The Liberal Democrats believe that if the right policies and programmes were followed there would be less locally generated traffic pressure on the A12.

It is critically urgent that Essex County Council take this opportunity to correct its currently unsustainable Transport Planning for Essex, and play its part in a better transport future for us all.

ENDS