A press Release from the Light Rail Transit Association – Rail for the Valley asks: What is more ‘Green’, a multi lane highway or the interurban?
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PRESS RELEASE FROM
TramForward – UK
Ai??Ai??2009
“But its provisions for improving urban transport are incomplete” said Geoff Lusher of “Although the document says much about new high speed rail routes, it does not make any mention of expanding suburban rail systems, including light rail, so that more commuters, shoppers and leisure travellers have the option of a high-quality public transport alternative to the car. To put it bluntly, we’re staggered. A word search of the entire document reveals not a single reference to “light rail” or “tram”. We believe that is simply not possible to write 117 pages on green transport strategy and yet not mention the one form of transport that has been shown to be most effective in getting people out of cars and so cutting their carbon footprints. Light rail is seen as a solution the world over to problems of traffic congestion and urban pollution, which is why the last decade has seen a huge investment in new light rail and modern tramway systems all around the world. In other European countries, including Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Portugal and The Netherlands the renaissance of the tram has already made a significant contribution to a better quality of life for millions of citizens. Modern tramways have proven to be just as successful in British cities, in the relatively few places where they have been implemented, and it is clear that they have a place in many more.
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1. TramForward is the campaigning arm of the Light Rail Transit AssociationTramForward is the campaigning arm of the Light Rail Transit Association.Ai??Ai??
3. The LRTA acts through its network of local branches, which campaign for better transport in their localities.
4. Membership of the LRTA costs under 12p a day. To join, visit www.lrta.org or write to the Membership Secretary, LRTA, 38 Wolseley Road, Sale, Greater Manchester, M33 7AU. Members of the LRTA receive the monthly magazine Tramways & Urban Transit – written and read by experts in the field – and gain other benefits including discounts on videos and books, tours of transport systems and cut-price admission to selected transport sites.
5. Press enquiries – please contact:
Brian S. Lomas, Development Officer, Light Rail Transit Association
7 Crofton Avenue, Horfield, Bristol BS7 0BP
Telephone: 0117 951 7785
E-mail:
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