(LD):...On transport,
the gracious Speech was a huge disappointment. It seems the
Government cannot manage to stop the boats but are determined to
stop the pedicabs—they are referred to as a “scourge”, which is a
slight overstatement. As a nation, we face the twin challenges of
a creaking transport infrastructure and rapidly changing
technology. On both, the Government’s response is inadequate.
Last year’s Speech promised a transport Bill to cover Great British
Railways This year, that Bill has been abandoned,
along with the second phase of HS2, and there has been a watering
down of the Government’s net-zero ambitions, and hence their
responsibilities to the rest of the world. These policy U-turns
were greeted with dismay by the automotive and rail industries
and particularly by foreign investors in the UK.
In post-Brexit Britain, we have lost a lot of what were our major
markets in the EU and must look to modern technology to adapt for
the future. I welcome the planned legislation on automated
vehicles but regret that there is still nothing to deal with
micromobility, such as electric scooters, and nothing to
encourage the use of sustainable aviation fuels or further
development of electric vehicle charging. Finally, since most
people in Britain still rely on public transport, why
has Great British
Railways gone from a major government plan to a
draft Bill? We are wasting vital time in sorting out our national
infrastructure. We cannot be an international player of great
power, strength and status unless we have a decent, modern
infrastructure.
