A new report which concludes that investment in roads infrastructure could help lower CO2 emissions, was welcomed today by SMMT. Roads and Reality, published by the RAC Foundation, suggests that national road pricing must be complemented by a road building programme to ensure efficient use of road space, keeping traffic moving and CO2 emissions to a minimum.
‘Congestion benefits no one, not the private motorist, not business and certainly not the environment,’ said SMMT chief executive Christopher Macgowan. ‘This report makes the point that transport policy designed to deliver freer-flowing traffic, as well as investment in cleaner cars, will drive down CO2 in the years to come.’
SMMT welcomes the call for a new approach to road transport planning and the challenge to what the RAC Foundation describes as lazy thinking and policy-making based on myth and prejudice. In addition, the report reinforces the point that road users are the only energy users currently paying the full cost of their carbon emissions through taxation like VED and fuel taxes.
Christopher Macgowan added, ‘Like nuclear power, investment in road infrastructure and road pricing might seem to be a taboo subject. But that would be entirely wrong. If, as part of an integrated strategy, will bring clear benefits like lower CO2 and better traffic flows, government should consider its merits carefully.’
