Sunak should end 'war on motorists' rhetoric and deliver better public transport, think tank says

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Rishi Sunak and Westminster politicians should end their 'war on motorists' rhetoric and deliver better public transport to improve their chances in the next general elections, a leading think tank has said.

Exclusive poll shared with The Independent reveals Brits increasingly concerned about quality of bus, train and cycle routes after cost crisis of life has led to a change in travel. habits.

More than half of Brits – 53 per cent – ​​think having public transport to and from work is a necessity, while more than a third – 35 percent – ​​say the same thing about using public transportation. see family and friends. This compares to just one in five people who consider a car essential, or 20%.

Public transport to work is also considered more essential than having a phone ( 46%) and access to the Internet. (43%), reveals the poll conducted by More in Common and commissioned by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).

The Prime Minister has been accused of attempting to politicize transport issues, describing traffic projects such as low-traffic neighborhoods are called “wacky.” He also pledged to end what he sees as the "war on motorists."

But the poll found that 40% of those who drive regularly – defined as three to four times a week – would like to use public transport more often. Four in 10 people, or 38%, also want the option to walk or cycle more than they currently do.

Travelers at Liverpool Street station over the Easter weekend

(Lucy North/PA)

The survey also reveals the impact of the cost of living crisis on people's transportation habits, with seven in ten people – 71 percent – ​​changing the way they travel to reduce costs over the past two years.

And four in 10 – 42 percent – are concerned about people being able to afford to commute on a daily basis. lives.

Stephen Frost, co-author of the research and senior researcher at IPPR, said: “The Prime Minister’s rhetoric making...