European advocates steamed at Light Rail exclusion from Environmental Strategy

The United Kingdom’s government blueprint for cutting carbon dioxide emissions from the transport sector has been blasted for failing to include light rail or tramways.

Follow up:

The UK Department for Transport’s low carbon strategy, published last month, has come under fire from TramForward, the campaigning arm of the Light Rail Transit Association. TramForward claims light rail is seen as a solution by other countries to traffic congestion and urban pollution, with significant investment in new light rail and tramway systems in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Portugal and the Netherlands.

TramForward chairman Geoff Lusher said that although the document says much about new high speed rail routes, it does not make any mention of expanding light rail. This would be an alternative so that suburban commuters, shoppers, and leisure travelers have the option of a high-quality public transport

Lusher added that a word search of the 117 page document reveals not a single reference to “light rail” or “tram”. TramForward believes it is impossible to write a green transport strategy and not mention light rail which has shown to be most effective in getting people out of cars; hence, cutting their carbon footprints.

Unfortunately, the Department does not have conclusive data that overall carbon levels are in fact reduced. The measurements are incumbent upon the power source generation and location. There are conditions and indications that in fact carbon factors are in all probability increased.