After some early teething troubles at the Treasury, the Coalition Government is now firmly in the driving seat. A formal Coalition Agreement has been published setting out the plans for this Government. The Transport section contains the following pledges relating to the roads:

• We will mandate a national recharging network for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
• We will reform the way decisions are made on which transport projects to prioritise, so that the benefits of low carbon proposals (including light rail schemes) are fully recognised.
• We will support sustainable travel initiatives, including the promotion of cycling and walking, and will encourage joint working between bus operators and local authorities.
• We will work towards the introduction of a new system of HGV road user charging to ensure a fairer arrangement for UK hauliers.
• We will stop central government funding for new fixed speed cameras and switch to more effective ways of making our roads safer, including authorising ‘drugalyser’ technology.
• We will tackle rogue private sector wheel clampers.

The Labour Party

Labour are contesting the 2010 Election under the slogan, “A Future Fair For All.” The full manifesto is available for download here from the Party’s website.

Key transport pledges include:-

RAIL:

• a new high-speed rail line, linking North and South. Built in stages, the initial line will link London to Birmingham, Manchester, the East Midlands, Sheffield and Leeds, and then to the North and Scotland.
• a major investment programme in existing rail services, improving commuter services into and through London, and electrifying new rail-lines including the Great Western Main Line from London to South Wales.
• an enforceable right to the cheapest rail fare, and a trebling in the number of secure cyclestorage spaces at rail stations.

ROAD: "Tackling road congestion is a  key Labour priority."

• We will extend hard-shoulder running on motorways, alongside targeted motorway widening including on the M25.
• Too much disruption is caused by local road works: we will increase tenfold the penalties on utilities who allow work to overrun.
• We rule out the introduction of national road pricing in the next Parliament.

 AIR:

• "We support a third runway at Heathrow, subject to strict conditions on environmental impact and flight numbers, but we will not allow additional runways to proceed at any other airport in the next Parliament."

The Conservative Party

The Conservative slogan is “Vote for Change.” The full manifesto is available for download here from the Party’s website.

According to the party’s website, “the hassle of getting around is bad for business, bad for families and bad for everyone’s quality of life," so a Conservative Government would:-

RAIL:

• create a high speed rail line connecting London and Heathrow with Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.
• longer, more flexible rail franchises
• support for Crossrail and the electrification of the Great Western line to South Wales

AIR:

• improve our airports and reduce the environmental impact of flying – no third runway at Heathrow, reform to Air Passenger Duty to encourage a switch to fuller and cleaner planes.

GREENER TRANSPORT:

• incentives for electricity network operators to establish a new national car recharging network
• support for sustainable travel initiatives that work best for local communities - giving the concerns of cyclists much  greater priority;  encouraging partnerships between bus operators and local authorities; and helping people cut down on work-related travel.

ROADS:

• stop central government funding for new fixed speed cameras,
• authorise ‘drugalyser’ technology for use in testing for drug-driving.
• make companies that dig up our roads accountable for the congestion they cause
• crack down on rogue clampers
• give councils more powers to get traffic flowing more smoothly. 
• consult on the introduction of a ‘Fair Fuel Stabiliser’. This would cut fuel duty when oil prices rise, and vice versa. It would ensure families, businesses and the whole British economy are less exposed to volatile oil markets, and that there is a more stable environment for low carbon investment.

The Liberal Democrat Party

“Change that works for you: building a fairer Britain” is the chosen theme of the Lib Dems. The full manifesto is available for download here from the Party’s website.

Recognising that “in many places there will always be a need for car travel” the party promises to:-

• Work through the EU for a zero emissions target for all new cars by 2040 and extend targets to other vehicles.
• Undertake preparations for the introduction of a system of road pricing in a second parliament. Any such system would be revenueneutral for motorists, with revenue from cars used to abolish Vehicle Excise Duty and reduce fuel duty, helping those in rural areas who have no alternatives to road travel. Some of the revenue from lorries would be used to fund further extensions of high speed rail through the UK Infrastructure Bank.
• Introduce a rural fuel discount scheme which would allow a reduced rate of fuel duty to be paid in remote rural areas, as is allowed under EU law.

The party’s plans for re-opening closed rail lines and adding extra tracks will be paid for “ by cutting the major roads budget”

Who runs the road network?