What will motorists expect from the Prime Minister’s new Transport Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan?
Updated: Sep 8, 2022
Conservative MP Anne-Marie Trevelyan was appointed as the new Transport Secretary in the first cabinet reshuffle of Liz Truss’s reign as Prime Minister.
In 2015 Trevelyan was first elected in the Berwick-upon-Tweed constituency and is a chartered accountant by trade.
After her appointment Anne-Marie Trevelyan said in a tweet: “I’m thrilled to have been appointed Transport Secretary.
“Transport is crucial to our lives - bringing people together, creating jobs & connecting the UK with the world.
“Looking forward to getting to work on the many challenges & opportunities transport brings.”
Interestingly, Trevelyan listed several modes of transport in her Twitter message using emojis. Included in the list was a train, car, boat, airplane, space rocket, bicycle and HGV. Missing from the list was a pedestrian and bus.
Trevelyan takes over from Grant Shapps who was shown the door after Boris Johnson’s exit. Shapps said: “It has been a privilege to serve as Transport Secretary; a job I loved. Now I look forward to being a strong, independent voice on the backbenches, developing policies that will further the Conservative cause and the interests of my constituents in Welwyn Hatfield."
Motoring groups will be hoping for a change in stance from the new Government after a huge surge in new cycle lanes, Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) and emission based road pricing schemes.
A spokesperson from the Alliance of British Drivers (ABD) said: “The Tory party have had a lamentable record of relentless attacks on drivers. They have two years to turn this around if they wish to regain the trust of the huge driver vote before the next election.”
The ABD urged the new Prime Minister and her Government to take the following measures as soon as possible:
Scrap rollout of new LTNs (Low Traffic Neighbourhoods)
Remove powers from local councils and mayors to block roads or restrict roads
Remove VAT from fuel
Stop the ban on sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles
Begin dismantling of ULEZ (Ultra Low Emissions Zone) schemes and congestion charges.
Suspend all new 20mph zones
Begin programme to increase motorway limits to 80MPH.
Scrap VED for vehicles over 12 years old.
Remove all underused bus and cycle lanes.
Restore science and expertise to speed limit setting with national rules based upon 85th percentile.
Announce plan to stop the self perpetuation of camera partnership empires where fine income perpetuates
empire building. 'No fines means no jobs' must end with a shift to payment only for success in casualty reduction.
Edmund King, the AA's president, listed his top ten priorities for motorists in the UK. King said: "Anne-Marie Trevelyan's appointment as the 13th Transport Secretary this century, despite the financial pressures on the country, still holds the potential for
revolutions in the switch to electric vehicles, road safety, competitive pricing, fair enforcement and a leap in car technology.”
The AA’s list included:
Make UK roads safer - promote vision zero road deaths and set targets. Improve rural roads, cycling, pedestrian safety.
Surge in EV charging - improve charging infrastructure, cut VAT for on-street chargers to 5%.
Boost for zero emission vehicles - incentives for lower-income drivers to go electric and set longer-term fiscal incentives for company car drivers.
Reform smart motorways - full review and promote "controlled' motorways with hard shoulder.
Fix the roads - boost ring-fenced spending and funnel penalty charge income into filling potholes.
Expand Park and Ride - cut congestion and pollution with cost-effective parking on city outskirts and help urban alternative transport
Increase traffic police - cops in cars reduce overall crime and improve road safety.
Fuel price transparency - extend Northern Ireland's Fuel Price Checker tool to reinvigorate competition and consider EV charge rate transparency.
Moving traffic violation enforcement protection extend online transparency of London's traffic offences tribunals
Speed up roll-out of assisted driving technology mandate AB, reduce collisions, cut casualties and improve road network efficiency.
