Environment to be at the heart of England’s Economic Heartland’s Transport Strategy
29th August 2019
CPRE Oxfordshire has called for a new regional transport strategy, launched on 16 July, to mark a step-change in the ‘business as usual’ approach and put the environment first.
The Outline Transport Strategy for the region will be launched by England’s Economic Heartland (EEH). EEH is a strategic partnership looking at development from Swindon to Cambridgeshire and from Northamptonshire to Hertfordshire, including the OxCam Arc.
CPRE welcomes the EEH acknowledgement that ‘economic growth should not be at the expense of the environment’ and on that basis CPRE would like to see a plan that:
• Addresses the co-location of jobs and housing to minimise commuting;
• Commits to public transport and integration between different modes of transport;
• Offers genuine public engagement;
• Provides solutions that address the Climate Emergency;
• Rejects the unnecessary and environmentally damaging OxCam Expressway.
CPRE supports East-West Rail in that it will close an important gap in the network and offer journey opportunities not at present available without travel via London, but we remain concerned that the connections with North-South rail links will encourage commuting and migration from London.
A new OxCam Expressway will act as an outer M25. CPRE opposes the Expressway in principle, the scale of development it is intended to facilitate and the long-distance commuting it would encourage.
Around half of our current carbon dioxide emissions are from housing and transport. We have an opportunity to outline ambitious proposals addressing the challenge of climate change. Enhanced public transport could reduce car use with substantial benefits for carbon emissions, air and noise pollution and the disruption of the countryside.