Tolling isn’t a realistic solution to the A14, says transport charity.

12th December 2011
 

Responding to today’s launch of the A14 Challenge, Campaign for Better Transport’s chief executive Stephen Joseph, said:

“We welcome the challenge initiative and the fact that all options are on the table now the previous scheme has been abandoned. There are solutions to reducing some of the traffic on the A14, including more railfreight and working with local employers to give employees alternatives to single occupancy car use. However, the challenge needs to look across the whole A14 corridor, not just the Cambridge to Huntingdon section, for example investing in new signaling at Leicester to enable more freight trains from Felixstowe to access the Midlands. Experience with the M6 Toll shows that tolling new road capacity isn’t a realistic solution to problems on the A14 or to financing those solutions.”

Philippa Edmunds, Freight on Rail manager, said: “Freight makes up to 40 per cent of the traffic on some sections of the A14, so moving this traffic onto the existing parallel rail line could be a big part of the congestion solution on the A14 corridor. Rail’s quarter market share out of Felixstowe could increase to 40 per cent with further capacity upgrades, which would result in the removal of 40 million long distance lorry miles from the A14 corridor each year.”

The Government has just launched the A14 Challenge, which aims to find ways to improve traffic conditions on the A14.
 

Notes to Editors

1. Campaign for Better Transport’s A Briefing on the Risks of Toll Road Investment in the UK is available from http://www.bettertransport.org.uk/system/files/toll-road-investment-briefing.pdf

2. Campaign for Better Transport is the UK's leading authority on sustainable transport. We champion transport solutions that improve people's lives and reduce environmental damage. Our campaigns push innovative, practical policies at local and national levels. Campaign for Better Transport Charitable Trust is a registered charity (1101929).

3. Freight on Rail is a partnership between the rail trade unions, the rail freight industry and Campaign for Better Transport. It works to promote the economic, social and environmental benefits of rail freight both nationally and locally.