Press Release

Budget 2010: The countryside needs buses not motorways

24 March 2010

In response to the Budget delivered today by Alistair Darling, Ben Stafford, head of campaigns at CPRE, comments on some of the issues affecting the countryside:

Transport

"The £100 million of funding to fill potholes and make other improvements to local roads will create jobs and improve safety for all road users. But the additional £285 million for improving the motorway network, while it might have Mr Toad rubbing his hands with glee, is not the right priority for either the government's carbon-cutting agenda or for rural communities across the country. Mr Darling could have stepped in more usefully to save threatened rural bus services that provide a lifeline to people living in the countryside."

Stamp Duty

Commenting on the announcement that the stamp duty limit will rise to £250,000:

"Moves that will help first-time buyers into housing are welcome, but do not remove the need for wider action by government to support delivery of appropriately located affordable housing, particularly in rural communities that have been especially hard hit by runaway prices."

"Access to affordable housing has been affected by declining rates of house-building which, contrary to the views of some in the house-building industry, owe more to the failures of the market than any problems with the planning system."

Green Investment Bank

"The confirmation of funding for a Green Investment Bank is positive, but it will need to invest in the right things in the right places.

"We are encouraged by the Chancellor's prioritisation of green transport and sustainable energy. We hope this will mean subsidies for low carbon car clubs, making the latest technologies available to hard-pressed households - in both town and country - that cannot afford to buy a new car, let alone a low carbon one."