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Rail, not road

It is Green Party policy to re-nationalise the railways and to build new freight lines. An example would be from the new Outer Harbour at Yarmouth running inland. Where inadequate rail infrastructure exists, adequate infrastructure should be created. If we want to stop monster 60 tonne trucks coming to this country, we are going to have to invest in alternatives. Rail is the most crucial of these.
Ruth Kelly recently announced plans for spending £10billion on enhancing rail capacity in July's rail white paper. However, only £200 million was for freight. Whilst capacity enhancement for passengers is absolutely essential, freight must be given a higher priority than it is currently getting. In total, rail investment should be much greater, at least £20-30billion for the next 5 years. This investment could be made by halting the government's climate-dangerous road-building programme.
It is worth adding that the monster trucks that they want to bring here [see my post on this below] COULD include longer vehicles as well as heavier ones - by the use of trailers. Let's create jobs in expanding rail -- not in getting huger trucks than ever before trundling by our windows.

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