Government must stand up to fuel protesters, says FOE

8:32am Saturday 15th December 2007

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As fuel tax protesters threaten a new wave of fuel protests in Wales and across the UK starting at 10am today, Friends of the Earth Cymru called for more freight to be put on to rail and warned that the Government must not allow the cost of motoring to keep falling, if it genuinely wants to cut Britain's carbon dioxide emissions.

Friends of the Earth Cymru's Director, Gordon James, said: "The cost of motoring has fallen in real terms since Labour came to power, traffic levels and congestion have risen and its contribution to global warming has increased.

"If the Government is serious about tackling climate change it must not cave in to pressure to make road travel even cheaper. Instead it should force car manufacturers to make more fuel-efficient vehicles and invest in getting people and freight off our roads and onto cleaner alternatives instead.

"Climate change is the biggest threat the planet faces. Scientists warn that unless we take urgent action our children and grandchildren are likely to inherit a world blighted by catastrophic climate change. The UK says that it wants to play a leading role in tackling global warming. This must include tackling rising emissions from our transport sector."

Mr James claims that the cost of motoring has fallen in real terms by 10 % since Labour came to power in 1997, while the cost of public transport has risen by between six and 13%.

He also says traffic levels have gone up by more than 12.4% in the last decade.

"Between 1997 and 2005 carbon dioxide emissions from road transport rose by almost three per cent, and currently account for over a fifth of total UK emissions," said Mr James. "Emissions from road transport are forecast to rise by a further 18 % between 2005 and 2020, when they will represent over 26 per cent of total UK emissions.

"Friends of the Earth Cymru is calling for the Government to increase fuel duty every year and invest the additional revenue in sustainable transport alternatives (including better public transport, and measures to get freight off the roads and onto rail) and in cutting taxation on people and jobs.

"The organization is also calling on the Welsh Assembly Government to scrap plans to build the Gwent Levels motorway and to make a major switch in transport expenditure from roads to public transport."