Translink

Luton Translink Busway – Proofs of Evidence (cont'd)

Letter to Persona Associates from South Beds FoE members Peter Hatswell and Roger Pepworth, 2005

Freight, Energy & Traffic Pollution

The economy of Dunstable, Houghton Regis and Leighton Buzzard now largely depends on warehousing and freight logistics much of which could benefit from a heavy rail facility. Many of these sites are close to the existing rail alignment. The Translink proposals state that a strong economic case³ needs to be made for freight but give no details of any survey having been carried out with local companies. This would of course conflict with a busway proposal and it is a poor defence for LBC to claim that no businesses have approached them.

Attached are graphs of rail freight growth in the UK from 1994 to 2003. Rail freight can reduce CO₂ emissions by 80% compared with road transport for each tonne carried⁴. The Railway Forum in “Rail and the Environment” compared the energy use a of car passenger 1.4 – 2.8 MJ with a train passenger at 0.8 – 1.0 MJ, mostly due to the higher rolling friction of vehicles with pneumatic tyres and road traffic control measures.

An average freight train can remove 50 HGV journeys from the road⁵, the quantity of lorries being frequently blamed in this area for traffic congestion and accidents⁶. The cost to the local community and businesses⁷ from road traffic problems are rarely factored in to any new transport schemes although they are known to be substantial⁸. 

Pollution, particularly from the M1, local traffic and Luton Airport have led to Air Quality Management Areas⁹ being established both in Luton and Dunstable. In such areas it would be an advantage for Translink to have fewer stops, be electrically powered or at least use clean diesel technology to produce the least possible emissions. In the absence of sufficient local renewable energy sources, the latter is probably the most sustainable solution and should be enforced by restricting Translink to vehicles powered by the most up-to-date technology and preferably fitted with regenerative braking.

3. LBC letter to S Beds FoE – Anthony Aldridge – 25 Oct 2004 Ref OBJ/061 p1 para 2.

4. Oxford Economic Research Associates report on environmental & social cost of HGVs – Jan 1999

5. Railtrack Statement “How we are measuring up on social and environmental issues” 1999

6. Road Accidents – Great Britain – DETR 2000 & Transport 2000 research - 1995.

7. Confederation of British Industries estimate January 2000.

8. The Railway Forum “The wider Impacts of Rail and Road Investments”

9. Herts & Beds Pollution Monitoring Network –NO₂ diffusion tube results 2003 & 2004 at M1 bridge area near Pepperstock and Dunstable High Street North (both along proposed Translink bus route).

National

Friends of the Earth

back

next