HC Deb 07 July 1998 vol 315 cc858-60
33. Mr. Jonathan Shaw (Chatham and Aylesford)

What steps he is taking to promote local integrated public transport schemes between different operators. [47655]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Ms Glenda Jackson)

We will soon publish our White Paper on integrated transport policy, which will set out new strategies for delivering integration at the local level. Integrated public transport will be a key element in generating new transport choices for people.

Mr. Shaw

Is my hon. Friend aware that, on average, the bus speed in towns and cities is approximately 10 mph, and getting slower? She recently launched the Medway railbus service, in which the local authority brought together the train operator and bus operator to provide through-ticketing facilities for my constituents travelling to London. Does not that service set the type of excellent example that we hope will be repeated in the integrated transport policy?

Ms Jackson

My hon. Friend is entirely right. I was particularly pleased to be able to support initiatives such as the Medway railbus scheme. We welcome similar integrated-ticket initiatives, which have been introduced in Brighton, Oxford, Luton, the west midlands and the western region.

Mr. Gerald Howarth (Aldershot)

Given the interminable delays in making concrete proposals to deal with those issues, why should we take the Government seriously in their wish to address them? Surely the truth is as stated by Mr. John Mendelsohn—of a company called Lawson, Lucas, Mendelsohn—who said of the Prime Minister: Tony is very anxious to be seen as green. Everything has to be couched in environmental language—even if it is slightly Orwellian". Surely it is a case not of the green welly brigade but of the new green Orwellian storm-troopers?

Ms Jackson

As our White Paper will be the first such document for 20 years, I do not believe that it is asking the House too much to wait for a couple more weeks. As for the comments on whether the Prime Minister or the Government are green, we require no readings from the hon. Gentleman of mere gossip and allegation. The Government have made it abundantly clear that we have to formulate all our policies based on sustainable development and protection of our environment.

Mr. Geraint Davies (Croydon, Central)

Will my hon. Friend join me in giving a cautious welcome to the City of London's proposals to charge a £3 levy for access to the square mile? Does she agree that it will provide a unique opportunity to try out road-pricing technologies, that it will ease congestion and provide the funding for better public transport, and therefore ensure quicker journeys for everyone while prioritising those journeys that make the most economic contribution to the community?

Ms Jackson

My hon. Friend will be aware that the idea of raising a dedicated income stream, to which my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport referred, from across the entire kingdom usually presented itself in two ways. One was congestion charging, and the other was a levy on private, non-residential parking, but always with the caveat that such moneys raised should be ring-fenced and directed to local authority transport schemes. As for what we have been reading in the newspapers about the alleged proposals by the City of London, it is my understanding that the introduction of any such scheme would require primary legislation.