§ Mr. EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to control the levels of road traffic resulting from summer tourism in the North West of England. [76358]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonThe road traffic problem caused by summer tourism in the North West is highly localised in nature and is primarily a matter for the local highway authorities concerned. Officials from my Department have been working with key partners in Cumbria to enhance and accelerate the existing Lake District Transport Package which has received TPP funding since 1998. The resultant Transport Strategy will act as a pilot for other National Parks.
The strategy, among other things, aims to reduce traffic and offer alternative modes of transport to the car while maintaining a sustainable tourist industry. We anticipate this strategy will be developed further and subsumed into Cumbria County Council's Local Transport Plan to be submitted later this year.