"Labour pledge smashed with 30 Million cars on the road!" - Robinson

5.28.47pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 18th Apr 2005

Stephen Robinson, flanked by County Candidates Tom Smith-Hughes and Ian Gale. "We must offer people better public transport."

West Chelmsford Lib Dem candidate Stephen Robinson has highlighted a report from the Society of Motor Manufacturers that the number of cars on British roads has broken through the 30 million mark. He said, "There are 4.3 million more cars than when Labour came to power in 1997 despite a pledge to reduce people's dependence on private motoring."

He continued, "The Liberal Democrats are not 'anti-car', but committed to cutting the congestion we see daily in Chelmsford and getting more people onto public transport. While the number of cars has increased under Labour, bus use outside London has declined by nearly 8%. Under Labour cycling trips have fallen 22%, and walking trips by at least 10%. We would give free off-peak travel for all pensioners and disabled people, make the railways work again and promote walking and cycling."

"I understand that for many people, cars are a necessity and cannot be replaced by public transport. But they can be far less damaging to the environment when they use less fuel or alternative fuels. We will cut tax altogether on those cars that pollute the least, funded by increasing it on those that pollute more."

"Building more roads is not the answer to congestion. Virtually everyone - except the Tories - now accepts that it is impossible simply to build our way out of trouble with new roads. There must be a presumption against building new roads unless the cost benefit is overwhelming."

More about rail services: www.chelmsford-libdems.org.uk/pages/railways.html