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IHT 100 Question 25 Nov 2007

Do you welcome the greater use of hard shoulder running on motorways, as recently announced by the Transport Secretary?

IHT 100 Question 24 Oct 2007

Should demand for air travel be managed in the same manner as road space, by curbing runway building?

IHT 100 Question 24 Sep 2007

Is investment in recruiting and training school leaver’s money well spent?

IHT 100 Question 23 Jul/Aug 2007

Would raising the minimum legal driving age to 18 go far enough to help cut road deaths?

IHT 100 Question 22 June 2007

Should bicycles and motor vehicles be kept apart on busy urban roads?

IHT 100 Question 21 May 2007

Are national standards followed too closely when designing residential street schemes?

IHT 100 Question 20 Sep 2006

Government has scrapped plans for an extension to the M6 Toll north of Birmingham to Manchester, in favour of widening the existing M6. Is this the right decision?

IHT 100 Question 19 July/Aug 2006

"Is too much emphasis placed on developing transport infrastructure in the South East?"

IHT 100 Question 18 June 2006

The Conservative party is calling for more car parking

spaces for new residential developments. Do you agree?

Question 17 - May 2006

The UK Metric Association is calling for road signs to be converted from imperial measurement within 5 years. Should distance and speed be displayed in kilometres and km/h?

Question 16 - Apr 2006

Children under 12 may soon have to sit in booster seats when travelling by car. Should parents be forced to comply with any new law in the interests of safety?

Question 15 - Mar 2006

Should new tolled routes be built to relieve motorway congestion?

Question 14 - Jan/Feb 2006

Camden Council is cracking down on cyclists who ride on the footpaths. Should cyclists be allowed on footpaths if the local authority does not provide cycle lanes?

Question 13 – Dec 2005

The Government has refused to back the Leeds Supertram project for a second time due to “escalating costs”. Is the tram revival over?

Question 12 – Nov 2005

Should the Government continue to subsidise lesser used rail routes?

Question 11 - Oct 2005

Should airline passengers be made to pay additional taxation to cover the environmental cost of flying?

The majority (70%) favoured taxing the airline industry to make the polluter pay the full costs of their journey, one specifically noting that VAT was not levied on aviation fuel. Several comments registered the need for international collaboration – the UK alone could not do this without unacceptable damage to the economy generally and UK based airlines in particular.

Those voting no (30%) included some who thought that taxing passengers was the wrong approach; taxing the airlines (the polluter) would be better, for example thereby influencing aircraft and engine design. These respondents did recognise that airline passengers would bear the cost in the end, however the tax was levied. Others argued that any tax revenues raised would not be dedicated to environmental protection and hence the measure was unjustified. The additional taxation would simply be another “stealth tax”.

Question 10 - Sep 2005

Should hard shoulder running be adopted as a congestion busting measure on all UK motorways?

The result of this vote was the closest so far (42% in favour and 58% against) and many of the comments showed that panel members themselves were torn between the safety and traffic flow efficiency arguments.

On the one hand hard shoulder running could reduce congestion and delays, but several respondents wanted conditions placed on the times or places when this would be permitted – for example where “active traffic management” such as variable speed control were in force, or only at peak times or only on “main” motorways such as the M1, M4, M6 and M25.

The majority of respondents recognised potential traffic flow benefits but placed greater weight on the safety arguments, pointing out the importance for emergency vehicles to reach incidents quickly. Some noted that this could be interpreted as a “back door” method of increasing capacity, with attendant problems of additional induced demand. Others were concerned that if permitted in some places it would dilute the general prohibition and lead to confusion and abuse – creating further accident risks.

Only two respondents referred to the need for greater evidence – either from abroad or from the M42 trial – on which more information is very clearly needed!

Question 9 - Jul/Aug 2005

Should airport capacity be allowed to increase unchallenged in the interests of the UK economy?

The no votes won easily in a ratio of 4:1.  Several comments from respondents who answered no made reference to the need for air transport to cover the costs of its environmental (and other) impacts.  But rather more focussed on the word “unchallenged” and stressed that a balanced approach to development control did involve “challenge” and a necessary regard to the principles of sustainable development.  The comments from those who responded positively also referred to the need for appropriate infrastructure and noise protection measures.

Question 8 - Jun 2005

Following the acute congestion in popular towns over the recent May bank holiday weekend, should town centres be closed to all but residential and Park & Ride traffic?

The yes vote was almost three quarters of the responses and comments tended to stress that closures should only be on Bank Holidays or other special occasions, they should focus on historic town centres and that the needs of local residents required attention and consultation.
 
Amongst the smaller no vote (29%) many stressed the need for appropriate and proportionate traffic management measures at all times, not just at Bank Holidays, although some of these did favour harder access for “through” traffic and to reduce parking space-seeking “cruising”.  However several responses stressed the need for access to support trade and commerce – one advocating free town centre parking to encourage trade, reduce pollution and make town centres more popular to  compete with the out-of-town centres that are, through better access, depressing our towns and cities.  Practicalities, with deliveries, residents and tourist traffic also concerned several respondents.

Question 7 - May 2005

Is road user charging the most effective means of reducing congestion on the motorway and trunk road network?

Question 6 - Apr 2005

Question 5 - Mar 2005

Do you expect transport to be a core political issue in the run up to the forthcoming General Election?

Question 4 - Jan/Feb 2005

The Department for Transport recently announced the latest funding allocations for local transport and plans to establish Regional Transport Boards. Will this benefit the delivery of transport improvements?

Question 3 - Dec 2004

Do you believe that the new duties given to Local Authorities under the Traffic Management Act will result in reduced congestion on the road network?

Question 2 - Nov 2004

The Department for Transport has committed itself to setting up a national road user charging system in the long term, however, the technology to power it may not be available for another 10 years.

Should the UK be looking to establish a national road pricing scheme sooner rather than later?

Question 1 - Sep 2004

With the price of oil currently over $40 a barrel, the Chancellor is under pressure to reduce fuel tax. The Environmental Audit Committee advised Ministers that petrol prices should rise to reduce emissions from transport, and increases in fuel tax be used to fund public transport and alternatives to standard fuel.

Do you think that fuel tax should be increased?

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