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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:
1 A moratorium on new road schemes pending a full economic and environmental review, and targets for traffic reduction  
2 An integrated public transport system  
3 A partnership with the private sector to expand rail, light rail and tram systems  
4 To double long-haul freight carried by rail  
5 More bus priority measures, safe cycle networks and provision for pedestrians  
6 To renationalise rail  
7 To outlaw private tolls  
8 To keep air traffic control (NATS) in the public sector  
9 To rebuild the merchant navy and protect working conditions on ships  
In fact under New Labour:
1 There was a return to a policy of road building and no progress on traffic reduction Left as under the Conservatives
2 Integrated transport remained government policy but progress was hard to see Left as under the Conservatives
3 Several tram schemes were rejected and significant expansion of the rail system was still a hope for the future Pledge partially carried out
4 Road 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
5 There were more, despite timidity in confronting motorists
6 Rail remained in private hands although Network Rail was non-profit making Left as under the Conservatives
7 The toll motorway was built and more toll systems were proposed Left as under the Conservatives
8 A controlling share of NATS was sold off Policy shift to right of old Conservatives
9 The merchant navy was left with no "blue water" ships and few British seamen, while few British employment rights applied to foreign seamen Left as under the Conservatives
In addition:
Bullet point The PPP for London Underground went ahead despite huge opposition  
Bullet point Other transport projects continued to be handed to PFI consortia  

 

 Bullet point 

Airport capacity was greatly expanded and even more runways were planned 

 

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