British lawmakers hit transport prices

LONDON, July 18 (UPI) -- British lawmakers criticized government policies after statistics revealed that car travel in the country has become cheaper while mass transit prices soared.

The statistics revealed that car travel costs have fallen 10 percent in the past 30 years while bus and train ticket prices spiked 50 percent in the same time period, The Independent reported Wednesday.

Lawmakers said the monetary issue is leading more Britons to choose less Earth-friendly forms of transport and thereby harm the country's battle against climate change.

"When we're all concerned about climate change, government strategy that increases the cost of public transport while motoring costs fall is outrageous," Susan Kramer, transport spokeswoman for the Liberal Democrat party, said in The Independent's report.

Peter Ainsworth, the shadow Environment Secretary, agreed.

"This demonstrates how far off-beam the Government's policies are in delivering a low-carbon economy. They give serious cause for concern," he told the newspaper.

"We should be prepared to bite the bullet with putting up the costs of driving," Colin Challen, Labor chairman of the parliamentary all-party group on climate change, was quoted by The Independent as saying.