Monday, February 08, 2010

The Highways Agency’s billion pound traffic gamble

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New roads (like the planned south Bristol 'link' as its now been rebranded) dont produce the claimed benefits and actually cause new problems according to research unearthed by the Campaign for Better Transport (see extract from report 'The Highways Agency’s billion pound traffic gamble' below). Little or no joined up (systems) thinking is what I consistently find when I ask questions at meetings about transport issues - many millions of pounds are ineffectively spent as a result.

The Highways Agency reviews its trunk road schemes, one year and five years after they open, to assess how accurate original forecasts were.

These reviews have shown that forecasts are wrong and forecasting is not being improved. The Agency’s forecasts underestimate the effect on traffic, air quality, noise and greenhouse gas emissions. They also fail to predict the economic impact and whether schemes will be good value
for money.

Until the Highways Agency makes some major changes, spending on new roads will remain a very expensive gamble.
Full details here:

Consultation on Nuclear National Policy - ends 22nd Feb

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Received from Stop Hinkley: To take part in the Government consultations [on nuclear power] go to: www.energynpsconsultation.decc.gov.uk/home/ where you can also order hard copies of the consultation documents. Or call 0870 600 5533. Ask for all documents related to the nuclear policy statement and ‘justification’. Or send in your response by email to: energynpsconsultation@opm.co.uk

On the Stop Hinkley website you will find two letters addressed to Government departments. You can use them to respond to the consultations. Simply add your name and address and post to the address at the top of the letters. Alternately you can adapt them with your own words.[Also see previous blog entries*] Note: the consultation ends on 22nd February

Please forward this to as many people as possible and if you have any queries contact Stop www.stophinkley.org/Contact.htm
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*You may find some of my previous blog entries, showing nuclear as fraught with technical and economic problems and sustainablitiy, waste and security issues useful.