I WAS surprised to read your editorial which interprets the Supreme Court's ruling that the UK Government must take action to produce air quality plans by the end of 2015 as a blow to the bus industry ("It is long past time to clear the air on urban pollution, The Herald, April 30) Improving Scotland's air quality is vitally important but it is simply incorrect to lay blame at the door of the bus - 3.7 per cent of Scotland's transport emissions are attributable to the bus and coach; 40 per cent comes from the private car.
Rather than being the problem, passenger transport is very much part of the solution. One double-deck bus can take 75 cars off the road, giving a potential annual carbon saving of 67,200kg;
The Scottish Government's Low Emissions Strategy recently completed its consultation stage. The strategy advocates modal shift from car to bus and recognises the important role public transport can play. Of course, further improvements are always possible and to that end Scottish bus operators have invested more than £200m in new vehicles over the past five years. The Government's Green Bus Fund has also helped increase the number of low-carbon vehicles in Scotland's bus fleet.
Councillor Alastair Watson's call for re-regulation of the bus industry ignores the fact that Glasgow City Council already has the ability to influence the environmental standards of vehicles through the Glasgow Statutory Quality Partnership, the recent Fastlink scheme or through the introduction of a low emission zone. I am also unclear as to how further regulation would negate the need for bus passengers to traverse the city centre?
To properly address emissions hot spots in Glasgow would require improving the road infrastructure, limiting car access and introducing bus priority measures in key corridors such as Hope Street and Union Street - all actions that are open to Glasgow City Council.
Paul White,
Communications Manager,
Confederation of Passenger Transport UK - Scotland,
2 Walker Street,
Edinburgh/
AIR pollution from vehicles in our main towns and cities is well over EU limits ("Bus firms face crackdown after landmark ruling on air pollution in cities", The Herald, April 30). Where is the sense in making vehicles travel at 20mph?
The pollution can only increase dramatically, as most cars have to travel in lower gears to maintain such a low speed. As terrible as the death rate is due to accidents this will soon be greatly superseded by the effect that pollution has on people with chest problems and asthmatic sufferers. This idea should be abandoned.
John Macmillan,
40 Ferry Road,
Monifieth.
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