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.’
