Memorandum submitted by D Skrytek
This is in regards to the widening of the M1
motorway and the proposed completion of the inner ring road in
Derby and its "dualling" in some parts, to six lanes.
DERBY
At the moment the inner ring road road carries
approximately 34,000 vehicles daily and this is expected to increase
by approximately 10,000 daily in certain parts. Over 65% of the
traffic is not local and there has been a concerted campaign to
refocus attention on the outer ring road, to no avail.
Questions to Derby Councillors at an Area Panel
3 meeting revealed that congestion charging is to be put in place
if the inner ring road is completed. To date this has not been
made public. The closure of the central Bus Station and proposed
building of a new, smaller station will also result in extra congestion
as the Council has acknowledged that buses will not meet eight-minute
slots because of road and development induced congestion.
There are no figures available for the increase
in local carbon dioxide emissions, as the council has not made
this calculation but we do know that carbon emissions from United
Kingdom transport are expected to grow by about 10% from 2000
levels by 2010, while emissions from other sectors are due to
fall. Transport is currently responsible for about a quarter of
total UK carbon emissions—and this rises to more than a
third if all aviation emissions are included.
In 2004, the Department for Transport (DfT)
adopted a Public Service Agreement (PSA) committing itself "to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 12.5% below 1990 levels in
line with [the] Kyoto commitment and move towards a 20% reduction
in carbon dioxide emissions below 1990 levels by 2010".
As this road—and the widening of the M1,
amongst other road proposals—is to increase carbon dioxide
emissions, we do not believe that the United Kingdom Government
can hope to meet the above commitments.
£3 billion (which is the scheduled figure
for the M1 widening though increased construction costs mean that
the actual final figure will be significantly higher)—would
be much better spent in other ways if the Government is serious
about reducing CO2 emissions from the transport sector.
February 2006
| 
