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Sustainable transport

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Subject: Congestion charge, Cycle lanes
Date: April 2008
Comment: If  Portsmouth city council are serious about reducing pollution and congestion in the city, why have they not implemented a congestion charge for cars?  I understand the reason for not charging HGVs.

Also do you think that it is safe for a child to cycle on these ludicrous green-painted cycle lanes that are parked in and ignored by motorised traffic?

Response: All shades of political opinion in Portsmouth agree that congestion charging is a blunt instrument which would only be considered for Portsmouth if the following two conditions were satisfied :

• There were sufficiently attractive alternatives to car travel in place to ensure that people could reasonably reach their intended destinations at the times they wished to;
• It was introduced on at least a regional basis to ensure that Portsmouth economy was not put at a disadvantage.

Yes, cycling is generally safe and cycle lanes where provided increase safety.

Subject: No car , No choice
Date: April 2008
Comment:

I have three children and they all go to different schools. It would be nice if I didn’t have to use my car to get them there, but I have no choice!

Paula, St. Jude

Response: I appreciate that you are being pulled three ways – but could you reduce at least some of your journey time? Could you lift share with another parent, to save each other one part of the journey every other week?

Could your oldest child use public transport? Does the nearest school have a Walking Bus Scheme? Schools are putting travel plans in place to look at how they can get more children out of cars, so now is a good time to ask whether anything has been organised that will help you.