Public Transport Investment Has To Come Before Road-Pricing, Says Lib Dem Leader

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 11th May 2006

Councillor Mark Harris, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Leeds City Council, looks forward to working with the new Secretary of State for Transport, Douglas Alexander MP, in order to secure investment in high quality public transport for Leeds. In light of yesterday's announcement by Mr Alexander that he intends to press ahead with the development of road charging, Cllr Harris repeated the position of Liberal Democrats in the city - that we must have better public transport before even considering road charging for motorists.

Cllr Harris (Lib Dem, Moortown) said 'I'm pleased that Douglas Alexander has said in his first speech since he started his new role that the Government is 'ready and able' to invest in public transport in the cities. Metro and the Council have been working with the Department for Transport to secure funding for the transport infrastructure needed to support the rapid economic growth of Leeds, and I'm sure that we will continue to make progress with Mr Alexander as Secretary of State. Apparently he is a friend of Gordon Brown's, so I hope he's a little more generous with the money he has available to him!'

'One thing I will be making clear to him at the earliest opportunity is that nothing has changed - we desperately need an effective public transport system here in Leeds, and we will not even think about a road charging scheme before genuine progress has been made towards tackling congestion in the city.'

Notes to Editors

Douglas Alexander MP, speaking in London in the morning and York in the afternoon of Wednesday 10th May, promised more investment in public transport in Britain's cities, while also repeating the Government's intention to develop road pricing schemes across the country.

The views in this Press Release are those of the Liberal Democrat Council Group, and not necessarily those of Leeds City Council, its Officers or of the Liberal Democrat Party.