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Tell the Government its national roads policy would be a national disaster

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The Government has published a draft National Policy Statement (NPS) aimed at building new roads for 40% more car, van and lorry trips by 2040. We need everyone who is concerned about transport, the countryside and especially climate change to tell them to abandon these dangerous plans.

“We’re announcing the largest programme of investment in our roads for half a century” – George Osborne.

Bulldozer

 

 

 

 

Space for 40% more traffic: the new policy would let massive road-building plans take precedence over damage to nature, the countryside and precious landscapes.

This would involve thousands of extra lanes of road capacity, increase car dependency and choke our towns and cities with traffic we could otherwise avoid. The Government’s own evidence shows people are already choosing better ways to travel where they can: traffic UK-wide is now lower than it was ten years ago.

Climate concerns gagged: most outrageously, climate pledges are brushed under the carpet with a clause that prevents campaigners objecting to road projects on the grounds of carbon emissions.

Saying that other policies will ‘offset’ the impact of more car travel, the draft policy tells planning examiners to ignore carbon emissions when making decisions.

“Increases in carbon emissions from a development should not therefore need to be considered” – draft National Policy Statement.

Please tell the Government this is wrong. An overwhelming public response to the consultation on the draft NPS – telling them to remove the climate gag, restore protection for wildlife and landscapes, and drop plans for 40% more cars – would force the Government to stop and think.

It’s very important they hear from as many people as possible before the deadline of 26 February, so please ask your friends and colleagues to write in too. 

The Campaign for Better Transport (which Friends of the Earth supports) website form  contains a short response that will be sent directly to the Department for Transport consultation. Please add your own words for more impact, or you can download a more detailed draft response here: NPS detailed response (word doc).

Please fill in the simple form to have your say before the consultation deadline of 26 February.

Please ask your friends and colleagues to have their say too. 

Thank you.

 

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