Planning,
11 January 2008
The government does not always consider all the benefits when appraising transport schemes, Steer Davies Gleave (SDG) has argued.
The consultancy was charged by Buckinghamshire County Council and Friends of the Earth (FoE) with looking at alternatives for tackling congestion on the A418.
Using a range of criteria, SDG found that public transport improvements, travel plans and small infrastructure projects all outperform road building.
These alternatives would not be considered under the government's standard new approach to appraisal (NATA), SDG argued. "Our objectives reflect the priorities of the local community. NATA in contrast is designed to act as a universal framework," its report says.
South Bedfordshire FoE spokeswoman Victoria Harvey said: "Instead of being just about moving traffic, the report also covers quality of life and social inclusion."
The Campaign for Better Transport said NATA makes it harder for councils to fund alternatives to road building. Campaign to Protect Rural England head of rural policy Tom Oliver agreed that a change of approach is needed. NATA is under review by the Department for Transport.
Alternatives to the A418 Improvements is available at PlanningResource.co.uk/doc.
