The Prime Minister’s rhetoric ‘fabricating’ a war on motorists has been ‘incredibly unhelpful’ and does not reflect public opinion, according to a think-tank.
New polling commissioned by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) runs contrary to the ‘recent politicisation of transport issues’, including low-traffic neighbourhoods, the think-tank said.
The survey found that 40% of those who drive regularly would like to use public transport more often and 38% want the opportunity to walk or cycle more.
It also revealed that more than half (53%) of the British public think having public transport to work is a necessity, while 20% see a car as essential.
While just 13% of respondents most trust the Government to make decisions about transport in their area, 37% most trust their council. A third (33%) said they most trusted Labour.
Principal IPPR research fellow Stephen Frost said: ‘You’re not either a driver or a non-driver, in fact, most of us drive and use public transport as well as our legs.
‘So it is crucial those in Westminster stop treating transport as a culture war issue and start delivering on the people’s priorities.
‘This polling reveals those priorities as clear and simple; they want public transport that works for more people, and they want to make decisions on transport locally.’
This story first appeared on localgov.co.uk.
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