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NEWS RELEASE

Sunday 5th September 2004

ANGER OVER FORTH ROAD BRIDGE 'HYPOCRISY'

Public transport users being 'unfairly penalised' say groups

Groups opposed to plans for a Second Forth Road Bridge have hit out at rules which mean buses using the current road bridge are being forced to pay more while cars and trucks get offered discounts. [1]

The recently reformed campaign coalition - the ForthRight Alliance - says this example highlights how the body responsible for the bridge, the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA), are failing public transport users and undermines the authority's case for building a Second Forth Road Bridge. [2]

Friends of the Earth’s Chief Executive, Duncan McLaren, said:

"Public transport users are being unfairly penalised. FETA should be providing incentives for public transport use and car-sharing not to long distance car commuting and environmentally damaging heavy lorries. FETA’s failure to provide discounts or exemptions for buses highlights the failings in their current policies and exposes the hypocrisy behind their vision for the future.

"FETA seem to have been hijacked by its road-building obsessed Fife members. Calling this a ‘multi-modal’ bridge is just a Trojan horse to get the new road bridge they’ve always wanted. Instead of wasting time and money on a new multi-million pound road bridge FETA should stick to the job in hand. That is, to deliver the long-promised public transport alternatives and take steps to reduce the level of single occupant car commuting across the current bridge. The introduction of a frequent user discount or exemption for buses would be a good starting point."

Convener of the ForthRight Alliance and Vice Chairman of the Cockburn Association, Bill Cantley said:

"Currently seventy percent of cars on the Forth Road Bridge at peak hours are single occupancy vehicles, this cannot continue. Public transport must become the cheapest and most luxurious alternative for commuters. Why would an Edinburgh bound commuter in Aberdour chose to wait for a late train on a dreich November morning and pay more for the privilege? Excellence and pricing are real issues for public transport in Scotland. Car-owners are asking for real qualitative and economic reasons for leaving their vehicles at home, something that can be achieved through road pricing and real investment in public transport."

ENDS

Contacts:
David McDonald, Cockburn Association, 0131 557 8686
Colin Howden, TRANSform Scotland, 0131 467 7714
Lang Banks, Friends of the Earth, 0131 557 9977 or (pager) 07654 200937

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] Forth bosses face wrath of bus firms over second road bridge, Sunday
Herald http://www.sundayherald.com/44542
Unlike cars and trucks, under the current rules, buses are not eligible for frequent user discounts.

*Note: Lorries cause 60,000 times more damage to road and bridge surfaces than cars.

[2] Campaign groups who successfully fought a second Forth road bridge proposal ten years ago have reformed to fight plans for a new crossing. The ForthRight Alliance have reassembled in response to the Forth Estuary Transport Authority's (FETA) decision to include a second Forth road bridge option in its transport strategy. The campaigners propose that instead of an additional road crossing FETA should be pursuing sustainable transport alternatives.

The groups back an alternative set of options ('Option 3') that would reduce traffic levels but not involve building a second Forth road bridge. Alliance members include the Cockburn Association, Friends of the Earth Scotland and TRANSform Scotland. A full list of members available at:
http://www.forthrightalliance.org

[3] A consultation on FETA's Local Transport Strategy ends on 30th
September. http://www.feta.gov.uk/