Press Releases for 2005

HEALTH THROUGH BETTER PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN FOLKESTONE

14th April 2005

The National Health Service's Health Development Agency latest report stresses the need for a reduction in ill-health caused by private transport (1). The report emphasises the need for patient and health staff travel plans including more cycling and walking. It emphasises the need for employer and school travel plans as part of general health promotion strategies. However, the government is obstructing such plans by insisting that local councils include the loss of revenue from fuel duty and VAT to the Treasury as part of cost of the transport plans thereby making most of them too expensive to be authorised. More than 60 green tranport plans were submitted to Government last year by local authorities but only 8 were approved(2). Dr Hazel Dawe, Green Party Candidate for Folkestone and Hythe comments:

"This is a clear indication that the Labour Government penalizes public sector bodies for adopting Green Travel Plans. No such penalties exist for the private sector. This suggests a deep antagonism towards local authority promotion of traffic management and reduction schemes. How on earth is Shepway District Council to encourage environmentally-friendly forms of transport use, if the Government intends to kick their legs out from under them for doing so through financial penalties?"

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FURTHER INFORMATION: Dr Hazel Dawe on 01233 645167 or 07747 014487. Contact address as above. Dr Dawe teaches Contract and European Law at London Metropolitan University.

Notes:
1. NHS Health Development Agency Making the Case: improving health through transport, 2005
2. The Times 21.02.05 - "Green road plans blocked by greed for car tax cash". The article explains how the government is obstructing public transport alternatives by insisting that local councils include the loss of revenue from fuel duty and VAT to the Treasury as part of cost of public transport plans thereby making most of them too expensive to be authorised. More than 60 Green tranport plans were submitted last year by local authorities only 8 were approved.

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14th April 2005