Rise of car inevitable, as services continue to close

4.28.02pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 29th Mar 2006

Welsh Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson, Kirsty Williams, has expressed concern at the increasing number of trips made by car in Wales.

Statistics out today also show that, despite increased publicity around environmental issues, 80 per cent of journeys to work are still made by car, while the number of children travelling to school by car is increasing.

Ms Williams said: "If the Government is serious about tackling congestion and pollution, it must make it easier for people to change their personal travel habits. Less than one in ten of those travelling to work in a car do so as a passenger, so by encouraging more car-sharing the number of car journeys, and resulting congestion, could be significantly reduced. It is also clear that bus and rail travel will have to be made a lot more attractive to people in order to tempt them out of their cars.

"Part of the problem, particularly in rural areas, is the increasing distances people have to travel to access services. Thanks to Labour's lack of support, we have seen a multitude of post office closures; the lack of business rate relief contributes to a climate where it is difficult for a local shop to survive. While the distance needed to travel to access local services continues to increase, I fear that the rise in car use is inevitable."