Responding to Boris Johnson’s consultation on his transport document Way To Go, the Liberal Democrat group at the London Assembly have launched their own proposals under the title ‘A Better Way To Go’.

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat Transport Assembly spokesperson said:

“Above all else the Mayor needs to focus on reducing the need to travel. Many Londoners spend three hours a day getting to and from work in intolerably crowded conditions. It makes no sense for London’s economy to have a workforce which is often stressed and irritable before they get to their desks each day.

“Many people are also facing longer and longer journeys to use key public services or simply to go shopping. There has to be a better way.

“We should be developing a capital city where people need to travel less often and less far. This means keeping essential public services like health, police and post offices local, not consolidating them into larger and more distant centres.

“We also need inventive ideas for developing vibrant local economies in outer London towns. We urgently need fast-tracked express coaches linking our town centres – it shouldn’t be a requirement to always have to travel in and out of central London to simply move around outer London by public transport”.

The Better Way To Go document pushes strongly for “green” transport initiatives, pressing for zero-emission public transport – like the Cross River Tram, the use of sustainably generated electricity, and giving pedestrians priority on more of central London’s smaller streets.

The document Better Way To Go contains the following key points:

· Proposals to reduce the need to travel by better strategic planning promoting local economies in outer London towns and keeping essential public services local.

· Connecting outer London towns by fast coach services removing the need to travel through central London.

· A Mayoral initiative to promote flexi-time and working from home for office staff.

· Pedestrianising the smaller streets between Trafalgar Square and Oxford Street, and making Oxford Street itself a pedestrian precinct.

· Completing the London Cycle Network, backing the cycle hire scheme and creating much more secure cycle parking.

· Urgent moves to make public transport zero-emission: a Cross River Tram, more hybrid-engined buses and black cabs, Tube electricity sustainably generated.

· Determined opposition to a third runway at Heathrow, with strong backing for high-speed rail alternatives to internal and short-haul continental flights.