Disappointing Anti-LTN Rhetoric from High-Carbon Transport Secretary Harper
It is becoming increasingly clear that Prime Minister Sunak leads a government that is anti-active travel and uninterested in achieving the UK’s legally binding climate goals.
Harper’s Telegraph interview represents a dismal failure to apply logical reasoning to the issues he discussed. It was a desperate attempt to play to a particular gallery in the hope of currying favour with a segment of voters.
He made comments about LTNs introduced during the pandemic.
‘A number of them were implemented during the pandemic and there was, because of that, a lack of consultation. So I certainly think local authorities ought to reflect on whether the schemes that they implemented actually do have public support in their areas.’
transport secretary harper
There are several points to make about Harper’s choice words.
A Conscious Choice to Accentuate the Negative
It is a conscious choice to attempt to link LTNs and unpopularity.
If Harper had chosen to say ‘remove any unpopular LTNs, but keep the popular ones and put in lots more popular ones’, that would be completely different.
As it is, his comments about LTNs are entirely and deliberately negative.
Misleading Claim about Lack of Consultation
Harper claims there was a lack of consultation when some pandemic schemes were implemented, but this is highly misleading.
Yes, some may have gone in as experimental schemes for 18 months without consultation in advance, but consultation happened during the experimental period. They were then either confirmed or removed based on the consultation results. (Or not in the case of Beech Grove, which was removed despite 66% support in the consultation).
‘The schemes we have supported with money from the department are schemes that are about improving choices, not schemes that are about banning cars or making it difficult for motorists.’
transport secretary harper
One Person’s Freedom is Another Person’s Constraint
The key point that Harper and many other Conservatives refuse to understand is that one person’s freedom is another person’s constraint.
Adult A insists on using a residential street as a through route by car. Adult B and Child C are put off cycling there due to the danger caused by Adult A. Children D and E would like to play football in the street, but they can’t because it’s a rat run.
One person’s freedom to drive wherever they want imposes constraints on other people who can no longer carry on with the activities they would otherwise choose.
If we don’t analyse the problem honestly, we’ll never reach a workable solution.
‘One of the things that struck me with some of the ways those schemes were delivered is that they then set up a group of people that were then opposed to cycling and walking. It seems to me that that’s a slightly weird state of affairs, if you end up doing it in a way that you actually create people who don’t like cycling and walking. Setting up different groups of people against each other is a very unhelpful thing to do.’
transport secretary harper
Made-Up Nonsense from Transport Secretary Harper
The comments about creating people who don’t like cycling and walking are just drivel. Nothing more to say.
Change is Hard and Not Everyone Will Like It
Harper’s comments also reveal a total failure to understand that change is hard, especially where transport is concerned. There are so many interests that you can’t please everyone, initially at least. Once people see nicer streets and less traffic, most will support the changes afterwards.
It needs political courage to put forward necessary changes, and stick with them in the face of opposition. This Transport Secretary and this government simply don’t have that political courage.
They would rather pander to their core voters, who they assume to be people who see themselves primarily as motorists.
The Assumption that the Status Quo is Uncontroversial
Intrinsic to Harper’s comments is the assumption that the status quo is uncontroversial.
You have to put up with rat-running drivers on your residential street, that’s just the way of the world; it’s too dangerous for children to play in the street; if you choose to get about town by bike, you’ll be bullied and put in physical danger by drivers.
None of this is a natural state of affairs, it’s a choice. And just because it is the status quo, that does not mean that it is uncontroversial. In fact it is unacceptable.
An Irresponsible Government on Climate Change
We know that we can’t go on with a 100% car-centric society. Transport represents the biggest single source of emissions.
Unless we take measures to restrict traffic and cut car use, the UK will not achieve its legally-binding climate targets. It is recognised locally that Net Zero cannot be achieved without reductions in car use.
Harper and the government must know this, but they don’t admit it because they are populist politicians pandering to a particular sub-set of voters.
On the biggest challenge facing the country and the world, they are missing in action.
This is an irresponsible government, on transport and climate change.