Towards a sustainable transport system

The Secretary of State for Transport (Ruth Kelly): I am today publishing a Command Paper – ‘Towards a Sustainable Transport System: Supporting Economic Growth in a Low Carbon World’ (Cm 7226) - setting out the Government’s approach to transport policy in light of the Eddington Study and the Stern Review.  Copies of the Paper have been made available in the Vote Office, the Libraries of the House and are also available on the Department’s website.

The Paper first describes how the Government is responding to the recommendations made in the Eddington study to improve transport’s contribution to economic growth and productivity, and how it is ensuring that transport will play its part in delivering the overall level of reductions in carbon emissions recommended by the Stern Review of the Economics of Climate Change.

Second, it sets out the Department for Transport’s ambitious policy and investment plans for transport in the period to 2013-14.  Third, it proposes a new approach to longer term transport strategy, building on the model recommended by Sir Rod Eddington, and explains how we will engage with passengers, users, the transport industry and other stakeholders as we develop and implement that process.

Alongside the Paper, and as part of the response to Sir Rod’s study, I am also today publishing a consultation document - 'NATA Refresh: Reviewing the New Approach to Appraisal' – which seeks views on how improvements should be made to the Department’s transport appraisal framework. The consultation document is available on the Department's website and a paper copy will be placed in the Libraries of the House.