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Transport

Chapters

  1. Salaries and Taxation
  2. Pensions
  3. Benefits
  4. Health and Care
  5. Education
  6. Housing
  7. Employment
  8. Trades Unions and Labour Laws
  9. Trade and Industry
  10. Transport
  11. Energy
  12. Environment
  13. Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Rural Life
  14. Crime
  15. Legal System
  16. Immigration and Asylum
  17. Local Government
  18. Devolution and Regional Government
  19. Parliament and Democracy
  20. Media
  21. Freedom of Information and Privacy
  22. Northern Ireland
  23. European Union
  24. Foreign Policy
  25. Defence and Disarmament
  26. Conclusions
 Preamble

Chapters

  1. Salaries and Taxation
  2. Pensions
  3. Benefits
  4. Health and Care
  5. Education
  6. Housing
  7. Employment
  8. Trades Unions and Labour Laws
  9. Trade and Industry
  10. Transport
  11. Energy
  12. Environment
  13. Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Rural Life
  14. Crime
  15. Legal System
  16. Immigration and Asylum
  17. Local Government
  18. Devolution and Regional Government
  19. Parliament and Democracy
  20. Media
  21. Freedom of Information and Privacy
  22. Northern Ireland
  23. European Union
  24. Foreign Policy
  25. Defence and Disarmament
  26. Conclusions
Under the Tories, there was a big road building programme and a great increase in freight transport by road, but the emphasis later changed and fuel duties were raised automatically each year to discourage car use. Public transport was allowed to run down, and both buses and railways were privatised. Suggestions of tolls to use some roads had become a specific proposal for a toll motorway in the West Midlands. Maritime transport moved from the merchant navy to flags of convenience with poor working conditions.
Labour policy was:
1A moratorium on new road schemes pending a full economic and environmental review, and targets for traffic reduction 
2An integrated public transport system 
3A partnership with the private sector to expand rail, light rail and tram systems 
4To double long-haul freight carried by rail 
5More bus priority measures, safe cycle networks and provision for pedestrians 
6To renationalise rail 
7To outlaw private tolls 
8To keep air traffic control (NATS) in the public sector 
9To rebuild the merchant navy and protect working conditions on ships 
In fact under New Labour:
1There has been a return to a policy of road building and no progress on traffic reductionLeft as under the Conservatives
2Integrated transport remains government policy but progress is hard to seeLeft as under the Conservatives
3Tram systems are expanding but there are no(?) new rail linesPledge partially carried out
4Road transport was helped by allowing heavier lorries and not cutting their speeds and even the night-mail left rail [still true?]Policy shift to right of old Conservatives
5There are more, despite timidity in confronting motorists
6Rail remains in private hands although Network Rail is non-profit makingLeft as under the Conservatives
7The toll motorway was built and more toll roads are proposedLeft as under the Conservatives
8A controlling share of NATS has been sold offPolicy shift to right of old Conservatives
9The merchant navy now has no "blue water" ships and few British seamen, while few British employment rights apply to foreign seamenLeft as under the Conservatives
In addition:
Bullet pointThe PPP for London Underground went ahead despite huge opposition 
Bullet pointOther transport projects continue to be handed to PFI consortia 
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