THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY'S
POLICY REVIEW OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Submission to the Environment, Transport & Planning Committee by
Environment Agency Wales
Role of Environment Agency Wales- Environment Agency Wales (EA Wales) welcomes the opportunity to contribute to this review. We believe we have an important role to play in the transport debate because of our statutory duty to contribute to sustainable development. We were an active member of the Wales Transport Advisory Group, and are now involved in its successor body, the Welsh Transport Forum.
- EA Wales also has conservation and pollution prevention duties and our ability to undertake these successfully is significantly affected in a variety of ways by transport (see the Wales Transport Advisory Group's (WTAG) 'key paper’ on Environmental Sustainability of Transport in Wales 1999).1
- EA Wales has responsibility, with others, for air quality in Wales and is a member of the Welsh Air Quality Forum. The Environment Agency has considerable expertise in air quality issues and has direct access to specialised resources e.g. our Air Quality Modelling and Assessment Unit (AQMAU) based in St. Mellons, Cardiff. Predictive modelling may prove to be a valuable technique to allow examination of the air quality improvements that might be expected from changes in transport usage, such as greater use of public transport.
- Our state of the Environment Report 'A Working Environment for Wales’2 identified a number of key environmental issues in which transport is implicated:
- Climate change
- Urban air quality
- Rural air pollution
- One area of particular concern is the relationships between transport, air quality and health. It has been estimated that 24,000 premature deaths occur each year across the UK as a result of poor air quality.3 There is also a body of evidence linking increases in childhood asthma with air pollution.4
- Of all the contributors to air pollution, transport is the most important sector where the position is deteriorating rather than improving.5 Some improvement in the contribution of transport to poor air quality may be delivered by the introduction of new automotive technologies, but this will not help significantly in the short or medium terms.
- The total distance driven by all vehicles in Wales in 1996 was 14.8 billion kilometres, an increase of 36% in 10 years. Since then the increase in this statistic has accelerated and is predicted to increase even more rapidly in the future, leading to greater environmental impacts, which will result in a significant deterioration in the quality of life of people in Wales.6
- One of the ten actions identified in Environment Agency Wales's State of the Environment Report for Wales is:
'Invest in an integrated transport system to cut pollution and service social and economic needs.’An efficient and effective public transport system must be the cornerstone of any integrated transport system.
- Some reduction in the need to travel may be achievable, for example, through better integration of transport with land use planning. Information and Communications Technology (ICT) also presents numerous opportunities to reduce the need to travel. Home-working and video-conferencing are two obvious examples. However, the single most valuable contribution to achieving sustainability of transport is likely to be a reduction in the number of miles travelled in private cars by people switching to public transport.
- The development of an efficient, effective and integrated public transport system for Wales must be central to the National Assembly's Sustainable Development Scheme. If sustainable development is to become a reality, social, environmental and economic objectives must be integrated in all development decisions. Transport is one of the key policy areas that currently fails to uphold the principles of sustainable development.
- Where transport-related projects are funded with European Structural Fund monies, care must be taken to ensure that the projects are compatible with the National Assembly’s Sustainable Development Scheme. This would lead to the promotion of investment in public transport projects rather than projects which encourage the use of the private car.
- There
are two headline environmental targets included in the Single Programming Document for the West Wales and the Valleys Objective 1 programme, which was approved by the European Commission:
- Reduce CO2 emissions by 20% compared to 1990 figures
- Zero traffic growth over the duration of the programme.
- Transport will be a litmus test for achieving a more sustainable future. The statutory requirement for the National Assembly to promote a Sustainable Development Scheme should be the catalyst for developing an effective, efficient and integrated public transport system, which would have major benefits for the quality of life of people in Wales.
- Significance of transport to environmental problems in Wales
- Environment Agency's sustainability checklist for Local Transport Plans
- References
- Climate change
- Increased risk of flooding
- Reduction of water resources
- Disruption of natural habitats and species
- Changed conditions for agriculture and forestry.
- Urban air quality
- Rural air pollution
| QUESTION | YES | NO | COMMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Does the plan recognise the need to reduce travel? | |||
| 2. Does the plan make reference to Information and Communications Technology (ICT) alternatives to travel e.g. Video-conferencing? | |||
| 3. Is the concept of integrated transport central to the plan? | |||
| 4. Are 'greenhouse gas’ (GG) emissions discussed? | |||
| 5. Is reduction of GG emissions central to the plan? | |||
| 6. Does the plan address the problem of air pollution from traffic? | |||
| 7. Does the plan deal with the issue of Land Use Planning and its effect on transport behaviour? | |||
| 8. Is the issue of surface water pollution tackled? | |||
| 9. Is the issue of groundwater pollution tackled? | |||
| 10. Are issues of noise pollution addressed? | |||
| 11. Does the plan consider effects on wildlife? | |||
| 12. Does the plan consider fuel and resource use e.g. in vehicle? | |||
| 13. Does the plan consider issues of waste disposal e.g. scrapped cars? | |||
| 14. Does the plan consider issues of recycling related to transport? | |||
| 15. Is there evidence of co-operation with adjacent Local Authorities in producing the plan? | |||
| 16. Are alternative technologies e.g. fuel cells, hybrid vehicles, Liquified Petroleum Gas considered? | |||
| 17. Does the plan look at all relevant means of transport? | |||
| 18. Does the plan consider transport related accidental pollution e.g. Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs), Sea Empress? | |||
| 19. Does the plan consider reduction of transport distances for raw materials and products? | |||
| 20. Does the plan include targets for e.g. road traffic reduction? | |||
| 21. Does the plan consider air travel by residents of the plan area? | |||
| 22. Does the plan consider health effects via air pollution - PM10s, PM2.5s, Fuel Usage? | |||
| 23. Does the plan consider costs of RTAs to society? | |||
| 24. Are rural and urban areas separately considered, if relevant? | |||
| 25. Is the need for education on sustainable transport covered? | |||
| 26. If relevant, are issues of transport related to tourism covered? | |||
| 27. Are pipelines included? | |||
| 28. Does the plan promote 'Green Transport Plans’ to employers? | |||
| 29. Does the plan relate to other strategic plans? | |||
| 30. Does the plan mention EA Wales plans e.g. Local Environment Agency Plans (LEAPs)? | |||
| 31. Are effects of impacts of transport on Habitats and Birds Directive sites included? |
The LTP checklist is designed to identify whether a plan adequately addresses issues relevant to EA Wales. Many of these issues are directly or indirectly related to public transport, so that a response based on use of this checklist should lend support to an integrated transport system with efficient public transport at its centre.The purpose of this checklist is to draw attention to issues, which, ideally, from an EA Wales viewpoint, should be included. If these issues are not included then their omission should generate an appropriate comment to the Local Authority. In most cases the nature of such a comment should be obvious.
- Does the plan recognise the need to reduce the need to travel? - One of the ways by which society will move to more sustainable transport habits is by reducing the need to travel. This may be achieved by locating jobs close to homes, by use of Information & Communications Technology (ICT) etc.
- Does the plan make reference to ICT alternatives to travel e.g. Video-conferencing? - This is a more specific supplementary question to '1’ above.
- Is the concept of integrated transport central to the plan? - One of the key actions from EA Wales’s State of the Environment Report is the need for an integrated transport system and this is also the government’s central transport theme. The Local Transport Plan (LTP) should be based around this concept - it should be planning actions to reduce road traffic, to increase use of public transport, to facilitate trips using more than 1 transport mode etc.
- Are 'greenhouse gas’ emissions discussed? - One of the key issues identified in the SoE report is climate change and this is broadly accepted to result from greenhouse gas (GG) emissions. Does the plan recognise this problem and look for options that reduce such emissions?
- Is the reduction of GG emissions central to the plan? - Because the issue of climate change is of such importance to society and because of the UK’s signing of the Kyoto agreement, the plan should have reduction of GG emissions as one of its core themes.
- Does the plan address the problem of air pollution from traffic? - A further key issue in the SoE report is that air quality standards are being exceeded at some locations in Wales. This has implications for Public Health. Does the plan recognise and address the issue?
- Does the plan deal with the issue of Land Use Planning (LUP) and its effect on transport behaviour? - Land Use Planning issues, such as development of out-of-town retail shopping centres are relevant because they encourage greater use of private cars. Does the plan recognise this and does it have proposals to ameliorate the situation?
- Is the issue of surface water pollution tackled? - Transport causes surface water pollution not only by accidental spillages, but also due to run off of oil, tyre and brake dust etc. Is this acknowledged and addressed in the plan?
- Is the issue of groundwater pollution addressed? - Similar to '8’ above but particularly relevant where aquifers are used for potable water abstraction.
- Are issues of noise pollution addressed? - EA Wales will become increasingly involved with noise issues as Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) comes in. Noise pollution from traffic has serious effects on peoples quality-of-life which is important to sustainable development (in which EA Wales has an interest).
- Does the plan consider the effects on wildlife? - Large numbers of animals are killed on roads in Wales, including otters etc., and although this may be considered to be an inevitable consequence of modern life it should be acknowledged and any practicable measures put forward in the plan.
- Does the plan consider fuel and resource use e.g. in vehicle? - Fuel use is directly related to GG emissions and also indirectly to incidents such as Sea Empress. Resource use for car manufacture is very large and recycling of non-metal parts in its infancy. Does the plan demonstrate an awareness of this issue and discuss possible solutions?
- Does the plan consider issues of waste disposal e.g. scrapped cars? - This is related to '12’ above but is more directed to issues such as burnt-out cars which have been stolen and set on fire as well as ensuring that all metal car parts are recycled.
- Does the plan consider issues of recycling related to transport? Related to '12’ and '13’, above, but with a greater emphasis on recycling of items such as tyres.
- Is there evidence of co-operation with adjacent LAs in producing the plan? - Many transport routes cross LA boundaries and cannot be dealt with in isolation. Is there evidence that this has been taken into account?
- Are alternative technologies e.g. fuel cells, hybrid vehicles, Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) considered? - These technologies are either with us now or are very close. Some of them require appropriate infrastructure such as methanol or LPG refuelling points. Is the plan forward looking enough to include such issues?
- Does the plan look at all relevant means of transport? - The plan is not just about road and rail transport but also about walking, cycling, air travel, shipping etc. Are all of these included?
- Does the plan consider transport related accidental pollution e.g. Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs), Sea Empress? Depending on the LA there may be particular concerns e.g. because of a road bridge near a potable water intake or an oil terminal near a candidate Special Area for Conservation under the Habitats Regulations (cSAC). Are these included in the plan?
- Does the plan consider reduction of transport distances for raw materials and products? Much road freight traffic is caused by raw materials being transported long distances and finished products also being transported in the opposite direction. This is clearly essential in some circumstances but not all. A particular instance in Wales is timber being transported north from South Wales and south from North Wales. Is this issue identified and are solutions considered?
- Does the plan include targets for e.g. road traffic reduction? - The way to achieve improvements is by setting targets and monitoring movement towards them. Road Traffic Reduction Targets are required under the appropriate Act of Parliament, but are any other targets put forward in the plan?
- Does the plan consider air travel by residents of the plan area? - This could easily be overlooked, is it included?
- Does the plan consider health effects via air pollution - PM10s, PM2.5s, Fuel Usage? Is there any discussion of health effects? Is the importance of particulates mentioned and is there any discussion therefore of diesel versus petrol fuels?
- Does the plan consider the costs of RTAs to society? Road Traffic Accidents result in approximately 10 deaths a day on average in the UK and many more serious injuries. This has a massive cost on the health service and other services. Is this included as an issue?
- Are rural and urban areas separately considered, if relevant? - Solutions to transport plans are often considered from an urban perspective alone. Problems in rural areas are different and need different solutions. Is this difference appreciated and addressed?
- Is the need for education on sustainable transport covered? - In the long term society must change its transport habits and an important aspect of achieving this is by education of people of all ages. Society spent most of the last century promoting the use of the private car and we must make a start in educating people that it should be used in moderation where there are no alternatives.
- If relevant, are issues of transport related to tourism covered? - In Wales tourism is likely to be further developed, particularly in those areas where agriculture has traditionally been the main industry. If all additional tourism involves the use of the private car then there will be unacceptable environmental effects and so alternatives must be promoted e.g. carrying bikes on trains to cycling holiday areas.
- Are pipelines included? - Pipelines are a form of transport with considerable potential for pollution. Are major pipelines in the LTP plan area considered and are there plans of how to deal with major leaks?
- Does the plan promote 'Green Transport Plans’ to employers? - Having a relatively environmentally friendly means of getting to and from work is essential for sustainable development and this is the purpose of Green Transport Plans. Are such plans covered in the LTP and is there importance for both existing and new employers emphasised?
- Does the plan relate to other strategic plans? - The LTP should link to other strategic plans such as Unitary Development Plans (UDPs) and not simply be presented in isolation. Are these linkages made in the UDP?
- Does the plan mention EA Wales plans e.g. Local Environment Agency Plans (LEAPs)? - EA Wales has a number of relevant plans and these should receive some mention.
- Are the effects of impacts of transport on Habitats and Birds Directives sites included? - This question is to determine whether transport related activities and accidental spillages e.g. Sea Empress are taken into account in the LTP.
- Wales Transport Advisory Group, 'Environmental Sustainability of Transport in Wales’, 1999.
- Environment Agency Wales, 'A Working Environment for Wales’, 1999.
- Department of Health, Committee on Medical Effects of Air Pollution (COMEAP) Report, 1998.
- Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, 'Transport and the Environment’ 1994.
- DETR, 'Review of the United Kingdom National Air Quality Strategy’,1999.
- DETR, 'A New Deal for Transport : Better for Everyone’, 1999.
- Welsh Air Quality Forum, ’The Air Quality Monitoring Database for Wales’ 1998.
ADOLYGIAD POLISI’R CYNULLIAD CENEDLAETHOL
O GLUDIANT CYHOEDDUS
Cyflwyniad i Bwyllgor yr Amgylchedd, Cludiant a Chynllunio gan Asiantaeth yr Amgylchedd Cymru
R^ l Asiantaeth yr Amgylchedd Cymru1. Mae Asiantaeth yr Amgylchedd Cymru (AA Cymru) yn croesawu’r cyfle i gyfrannu at yr adolygiad hwn. Credwn fod gennym gyfraniad pwysig i’w wneud at y ddadl ar gludiant oherwydd ein dyletswydd statudol i hybu datblygiad cynaliadwy. Roeddem yn aelod gweithgar o Grwp Ymgynghorol Cludiant Cymru ac rydym yn cyfrannu yn awr at waith y corff a’i holynodd, Fforwm Cludiant Cymru.2. Mae gan AA Cymru hefyd ddyletswyddau cadwraeth ac atal llygredd ac mae cludiant yn effeithio’n fawr mewn amryfal ffyrdd ar ein gallu i gyflawni’r rhain (gweler 'papur allweddol’ Grwp Ymgynghorol Cludiant Cymru ar gynaliadwyedd amgylcheddol cludiant yng Nghymru 1999).13. Mae gan AA Cymru gyfrifoldeb, gydag eraill, dros ansawdd aer yng Nghymru ac mae’n aelod o Fforwm Ansawdd Aer Cymru. Mae gan Asiantaeth yr Amgylchedd gryn arbenigedd ym maes ansawdd aer a gall gyrchu’n uniongyrchol adnoddau arbenigol megis Yr Uned Modelu ac Asesu Ansawdd Aer (UMAAA) yn Llaneirwg yng Nghaerdydd. Efallai y bydd modelu daroganol yn dechneg gwerthfawr iawn er mwyn galluogi archwiliad o'r gwelliannau yn y safon aer a gellir eu disgwyl fel canlyniad i newidiadau yn y defnydd o drafnidiaeth, er enghraifft mwy o ddefnydd o drafnidiaeth cyhoeddus.Materion Amgylcheddol Allweddol4. Yn ein Hadroddiad ar Gyflwr yr Amgylchedd, 'Amgylchedd Gweithredol i Gymru’,2 tynnwyd sylw at nifer o faterion amgylcheddol allweddol lle mae cludiant yn cael effaith:- Newid yn yr hinsawdd
- Ansawdd aer trefol
- Ansawdd aer gwledig
'Buddsoddi mewn system gludiant integredig er mwyn cwtogi ar lygredd a gwasanaethu anghenion cymdeithasol ac economaidd.’Rhaid i system cludiant cyhoeddus effeithlon ac effeithiol fod yn gonglfaen unrhyw system gludiant integredig.9. Mae’n bosibl y gellir sicrhau peth gostyngiad yn yr angen i deithio drwy, er enghraifft, integreiddio cludiant yn well > chynllunio defnydd tir. Mae Technoleg Gwybodaeth a Chyfathrebu (TGC) hefyd yn cynnig llawer o gyfleoedd i leihau’r angen i deithio. Dwy enghraifft amlwg yw gweithio o’r cartref a fideogynadledda. Serch hynny, mae’n debyg mai’r cyfraniad mwyaf gwerthfawr at gyflawni system gludiant gynaliadwy fydd gostyngiad yn nifer y milltiroedd a deithir mewn ceir preifat gan bobl sy’n newid i gludiant cyhoeddus.Cludiant Cyhoeddus a Datblygiad Cynaliadwy10. Rhaid i ddatblygu system cludiant cyhoeddus integredig, effeithlon ac effeithiol fod yn ganolog i Gynllun Datblygiad Cynaliadwy y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol. Er mwyn i ddatblygiad cynaliadwy ddod yn realiti rhaid i nodau cymdeithasol, amgylcheddol ac economaidd gyfrannu at bob penderfyniad a wneir ar ddatblygiadau. Cludiant yw un o’r meysydd polisi allweddol lle nad yw egwyddorion datblygiad cynaliadwy yn cael eu cynnal ar hyn o bryd.Un mecanwaith pwysig iawn ar gyfer gweithredu systemau cludiant integredig yn lleol yw Cynlluniau Cludiant Lleol. Mae Asiantaeth yr Amgylchedd Cymru yn cynnig sylwadau ar y cynlluniau hyn o safbwynt cynaliadwyedd er mwyn sicrhau y gwneir penderfyniadau priodol i gynyddu i’r eithaf welliannau i ansawdd bywyd o ganlyniad i weithredu’r cynlluniau. Mae Atodiad 2 yn rhoi rhestr wirio cynaliadwyedd AA Cymru a’i sylwadau cysylltiedig. Cronfeydd Strwythurol Ewrop a Chludiant11. Lle mae projectau’n ymwneud > chludiant yn cael eu cyllido o Gronfeydd Strwythurol Ewrop, rhaid sicrhau bod y projectau’n gydnaws > Chynllun Datblygiad Cynaliadwy y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol. Byddai hyn yn arwain at hybu buddsoddiad mewn projectau cludiant cyhoeddus yn hytrach nag mewn projectau sy’n hybu defnydd o’r car preifat.12. Ceir dau darged amgylcheddol allweddol yn y Ddogfen Raglennu Sengl ar gyfer rhaglen Amcan 1 Gorllewin Cymru a’r Cymoedd, a gymeradwywyd gan y Comisiwn Ewropeaidd:
- Lleihad o 20% mewn allyriannau CO2 yn erbyn ffigurau 1990
- Dim twf mewn traffig yn ystod oes y rhaglen.
- Mwy o berygl o lifogydd
- Gostyngiad mewn adnoddau dwr
- Tarfu ar gynefinoedd naturiol a rhywogaethau
- Amodau gwahanol ar gyfer amaethyddiaeth a choedwigaeth.
| CWESTIWN | YDYW | NAC YDYW | SYLWADAU |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. A yw’r cynllun yn cydnabod yr angen i leihau teithio? | |||
| 2. A yw’r cynllun yn cyfeirio at ddefnyddio Technoleg Gwybodaeth a Chyfathrebu (TGC) i osgoi teithio e.e. fideogynadledda? | |||
| 3. A yw’r cysyniad o gludiant integredig yn ganolog i’r cynllun? | |||
| 4. A yw allyriannau 'nwy ty gwydr’ yn cael eu trafod? | |||
|
|||
| 6. A yw’r cynllun yn mynd i’r afael > ’r broblem o lygredd aer o draffig? | |||
| 7. A yw’r cynllun yn ymdrin > Chynllunio Defnydd Tir a’i effaith ar gludiant? | |||
| 8. A yw pwnc llygredd dwr arwyneb yn cael sylw? | |||
| 9. A yw pwnc llygredd dwr daear yn cael sylw? | |||
| 10. A yw pwnc llygredd swn yn cael sylw? | |||
| 11. A yw’r cynllun yn ystyried yr effeithiau ar fywyd gwyllt? | |||
| 12. A yw’r cynllun yn ystyried y defnydd o danwydd ac adnoddau e.e. mewn cerbydau? | |||
| 13. A yw’r cynllun yn ystyried gwaredu gwastraff e.e. ceir wedi’u sgrapio? | |||
| 14. A yw’r cynllun yn ystyried ailgylchu mewn perthynas > chludiant? | |||
| 15. A yw’r cynllun yn cynnwys tystiolaeth i Awdurdodau Lleol cyfagos gydweithredu i’w gynhyrchu? | |||
| 16. A yw technolegau amgen e.e. celloedd tanwydd, cerbydau hybrid, Nwy Petrolew Hylifedig yn cael eu hystyried? | |||
| 17. A yw’r cynllun yn edrych ar bob math perthnasol o gludiant? | |||
| 18. A yw’r cynllun yn ystyried llygredd damweiniol yn gysylltiedig > chludiant e.e. Damweiniau ar y Ffordd, y Sea Empress? | |||
| 19. A yw’r cynllun yn ystyried lleihau pellterau cludo defnyddiau crai a chynhyrchion? | |||
| 20. A yw’r cynllun yn cynnwys targedau ar gyfer e.e. lleihau traffig ar y ffyrdd? | |||
| 21. A yw’r cynllun yn rhoi ystyriaeth i deithiau awyren gan y bobl sy’n byw yn ardal y cynllun? | |||
| 22. A yw’r cynllun yn ystyried effeithiau llygredd aer ar iechyd - PM10, PM2.5, Defnydd o Danwydd? | |||
| 23. A yw’r cynllun yn ystyried cost Damweiniau ar y Ffordd I gymdeithas? | |||
| 24. A yw ardaloedd gwledig a threfol yn cael eu hystyried ar wah> n, os yn berthnasol? | |||
| 25. A yw’r angen am addysg ar gludiant cynaliadwy yn cael sylw yn y cynllun? | |||
| 26. Os yw’n berthnasol, a yw materion cludiant mewn perthynas > thwristiaeth yn cael sylw? | |||
| 27. A yw pibliniau tanwydd wedi’u cynnwys? | |||
| 28. A yw’r cynllun yn hybu 'Cynlluniau Cludiant Gwyrdd’ ymysg gweithwyr? | |||
| 29. A yw’r cynllun yn cyfeirio at gynlluniau strategol eraill? | |||
| 30. A yw’r cynllun yn crybwyll cynlluniau AA Cymru e.e. Cynlluniau Lleol Asiantaeth yr Amgylchedd? | |||
| 31. A yw effeithiau cludiant ar safleoedd a nodir yn y Gyfarwyddeb Cynefinoedd ac Adar wedi’u cynnwys? |
