Comment from Transport Action Network: Louise Haigh’s resignation and her rapid replacement with Heidi Alexander MP has shocked many today.
Louise Haigh’s drive and enthusiasm, essential to reforming transport in this country, will be a hard act to follow. We will have to wait and see whether Heidi Alexander’s appointment marks a shift in emphasis. She certainly has transport experience from her time working for Sadiq Khan in London, but that included supporting the contentious Silvertown Tunnel which increases traffic and air pollution in marginalised communities.
This month saw the sad news of the death of John Prescott, former deputy prime minister who led the way in integrating transport and planning and promoting sustainable transport in the late 90s and early 00s. He helped get the Kyoto Protocol on climate change agreed and in 2000 launched Transport 2010, his 10 year transport strategy to reduce car use and increase walking, cycling and public transport.
24 years later and the announcement of a vision for an Integrated National Transport Strategy (INTS) could deliver where John Prescott tried. However, for that to happen, Labour will need to shift funding and powers. In our latest blog we set out the 5 tests that will need to be passed to ensure the strategy is successful.
The government is now calling for ideas on how to improve transport in England. The consultation ends on 30 January 2025 and a strategy is promised for the summer.