Get out of the cars
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So the new Government and John Prescott in particular has decided the UK needs an integrated transport policy—about time too. This is what the country has been crying out for for several years. Congestion has got slowly worse and worse so that it hasn't really been noticed. It has got to the point in the South-East where it is almost impossible to drive anywhere at peak times without sitting in a traffic jam.
Apart from the huge amount of wasted man-hours congestion accounts tor, the effect on the environment is horrendous. Now is the time to do something—at least the incoming Government is aware of the problem—the last pretended it would just go away. What we need is dramatic measures to encourage people out of their cars. There are 22-million cars and 420,000 trucks on the roads—you don't need to be a mathematician to work where the problem is.
So, Mr Prescott, don't be afraid to act against the car user but don't just use the usual trick of putting up fuel, which just hurts the haulier. C Reeves, London.