INTEGRATED TRANSPORT: EFFECT ON INDUSTRY

Speech to ICE south Wales, Abergavenny

Friday, 18 September 1998

Environmentalists often complain that the CBI sees road as the only transport method, which is why we're always banging on about increased investment and wanting the M4 relief road. That fails to take account of two important issues. Firstly, that we've long argued strongly - and in some despair - for greater investment in rail (for example, the railfreight terminal at Wentloog), and for expanded air and sea services. And secondly that, like it or not, road carries far and away the bulk of travellers and freight in Wales, and even the most far reaching integrated transport strategy is only going to make a small dent in the figures. As the Welsh Office itself admits, a doubling of public transport usage would reduce road traffic by only 8%.