Ford attacks First Minister over failure on sustainable transport

1.00.00pm GMT Tue 26th Feb 2008

Alliance Leader David Ford has launched a stinging attack on the Executive for its failure to deliver better public transport. In the Assembly today, Mr Ford asked the First Minister what he was doing to improve public transport instead of delivering meaningless platitudes on the issue. His comments came following a British-Irish Council Summit Statement from Mr Paisley.

David Ford said: "The Executive have done next to nothing to deliver on sustainable travel.

"All we had today were meaningless platitudes from Ian Paisley today. His statement included phrases like 'examining the potential', 'sharing campaign research', 'looking at', 'share information' and 'explore issues'.

"What we want is delivery, not empty words. Our public transport network is not up to scratch. We are lagging behind the rest of Europe on sustainable transport and the Executive must wake up to this.

"According too Mr Paisley, Northern Ireland is supposed to be leading on transport. We are not, and this fact is in no small part due to the lack of vision shown by this Executive.

"They must start spending more cash on buses and trains and allocate a higher proportion of transport funds to this area, by redirecting cash away from roads."