Reacting to the Budget, Campaign for Better Transport slammed the cut in fuel duty and the lack of help for public transport users.
Chief executive, Stephen Joseph, said: “The Chancellor has chosen to give motorists a hand-out while leaving other transport users to face spiralling fares and service cuts. Rail users will see big fare rises year on year, while bus passengers are seeing services cut and fares increase as a result of a £133m cut in Government support. Instead of cutting fuel duty, the Government should have done more to reduce our dependence on uncertain and declining oil supplies.”
The group was also critical of the Chancellor’s announcement of planning deregulation.
Stephen Joseph said: “The planning system may sometimes be bureaucratic, but overall it helps protect the countryside and stops sprawling car-based developments. The resulting congestion will hurt rather than help the environment and the economy. The Chancellor’s measures are likely to be politically very unpopular when put into practice, since they will promote new unwanted developments in Southern England.”
However, the decision to tax private business jets was welcomed by the group as these journeys contribute 30 times more carbon dioxide per passenger than similar scheduled flights.
Stephen Joseph added: “This business jet tax and the extra regional rail investment are welcome, but are not enough to fulfil the Government’s ambition to be the greenest government ever when the bulk of the Budget runs counter to this.”
