The AA motoring has set out a 10-point action plan for the UK's new transport secretary - making calls for action on big issues such as road safety improvements.
Edmund King, the AA’s president (pictured), welcomed Anne-Marie Trevelyan into her new role and said that despite the financial pressures on the country there is still 'potential for revolutions in the switch to electric vehicles, road safety, competitive pricing, fair enforcement and a leap in car technology'.
The AA's 10 big asks:
- Make UK roads safer – promote vision zero road deaths and set targets. Improve rural roads, cycling, pedestrian safety.
- Surge in EV charging – improve charging infrastructure, cut VAT for on-street chargers to 5%.
- Boost for zero emission vehicles – incentives for lower-income drivers to go electric and set longer-term fiscal incentives for company car drivers.
- Reform smart motorways – full review and promote ‘controlled’ motorways with hard shoulder.
- Fix the roads – boost ring-fenced spending and funnel penalty charge income into filling potholes.
- Expand Park and Ride – cut congestion and pollution with cost-effective parking on city outskirts and help urban alternative transport.
- Increase traffic police – cops in cars reduce overall crime and improve road safety.
- Fuel price transparency – extend Northern Ireland’s Fuel Price Checker tool to reinvigorate competition* and consider EV charge rate transparency.
- Moving traffic violation enforcement protection – extend online transparency of London’s traffic offences tribunals.
- Speed up roll-out of assisted driving technology – mandate AEB, reduce collisions, cut casualties and improve road network efficiency.
Ms Trevelyan is the 13th transport secretary this century: John Prescott (1997-2001), Stephen Byers (2001-2002), Alistair Darling (2002-2006), Douglas Alexander (2006-2007), Ruth Kelly (2007-2008), Geoff Hoon (2008-2009), Lord Adonis (2009-2010), Philip Hammond (2010-2011), Justine Greening (2011-2012), Patrick McLoughlin (2012-2016), Chris Grayling (2016-2019), Grant Shapps (2019 to 2022)
Mr King added: 'Unfettered by covid lockdowns and with much of the groundwork already laid for transport innovation, the new Transport Secretary needs to be a plucky 13.'
