Bill to reduce traffic by 5% by 2005

The campaign to get a Road Traffic Reduction Bill into law began on April 25th '94 when Plaid Cymru/Green MP Cynog Dafis introduced the bill into Parliament.

The Road Traffic Reduction Bill is an all-party initiative launched by the Green Party and Friends of the Earth. The Secretary of State will be required to draw up a national road traffic reduction plan which will show the policies needed to achieve stabilisation of road traffic miles at 1990 levels by the year 2000; a 5% reduction by 2005; and a 10% reduction by 2010.

He will also have to review the plan at least once every three years and report to Parliament. Councils will have to draw up local road traffic reduction plans based on local needs, detailing appropriate measures to reduce traffic in their areas.

The reductions in traffic envisaged can be achieved by traffic calming; the promotion of public transport, cycling and walking; changes in the planning system to cut down the need to travel (eg the ending of car-dependent, out-of-town supermarket developments); and the scrapping of much of the current roads programme.

In addition to the Green Party and Friends of the Earth, the following organisations have already declared their support in principle for the Road traffic reduction bill: London Boroughs Association, Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council, Railway Development Society, Women's Environmental Network, Environmental Transport Association, Association for the Conservation of Energy, The Body Shop, Greenpeace, Pedestrians Association, Capital Transport Campaign, Plaid Cymru Parliamentary Party and Alarm UK.

The initial focal point has been for MPs to be asked to sign House of Commons resolution Early Day Motion number 839 (open for signatures until October '85). This was tabled by an all-party group of MPs (Cynog Dafis, Conservatives Sir Richard Body and Andrew Rowbotham, Labour members Alan Simpson and Frank Cook and Liberal Democrat Simon Hughes) in support of the bill.

- Write also as an individual constituent and ask your MP to sign Early Day Motion number 839. Even better, phone your MP as well and visit her/his 'surgery'. You can phone your MP at the House of Commons (0171 219 3000). If your MP is not available, ask to leave a message 'on the board' (stressing that you are a constituent) and request your MP to ring you back.
- Write to the Secretary of State for Transport, Sir George Young Bt; Roads Minister, John Watts MP; and London roads Minister, Steve Norris MP, at the Department of Transport, Marsham Street, London SW1A 2PZ.
- Info from Ron Bailey, 62 Bargery Road, London SE6 2LW (tel 0171 490 1555).