Governments £2.2 billion plan
to increase pollution.
Highways
England and Andrew
Jones MP today announced 24 major new road projects toting up to a staggering £2.2 billion - but wait a moment wasn't that money already announced by the chancellor in his spending review December 2014. See:
Included in
this plan for the South East are nearly 150 miles of extra lanes, new
junctions, and measures to tackle congestion. Also targeted is more than 18,716
metres of safety barrier and fencing that will be replaced or maintained. Nearly
7070 road lights and 91(out of 171) road signs will also be replaced.
Roads in our area to
receive some of this money, are the A27 and M27 but its not clear if the A27 is
to see the £360 million already earmarked, increased as a result of this announcement.
Not mentioned
is that road traffic is responsible of over 20, 000 deaths caused by toxic exhaust
emission and more than 3000 fatalities the result of collisions.
Today’s announcement refers
to the governments ‘Road Investment Strategy’
when if more money had been ‘Invested’ in
the past on rail, bus and cycle friendly modes of transport, less vehicles
would need less to be spent on roads. That saving could then be spent on things
that really matter like hospitals and doctors.
