Ministers were accused of downgrading the drive to cut carbon emissions from Britain's transport network after revealing a long-term strategy for increased road, rail and air travel.

Environmentalists said the strategy did too little to combat climate change, attacking the decision to allow further airport expansion and road building and widening.


A strategy document published yesterday by Ruth Kelly, the Secretary of State for Transport, proposed backing London-style congestion charge schemes in major cities, but said plans for wider road pricing schemes remained "a decision for the future". It said that schemes to smooth the flow of traffic, including using hard shoulders, could cut emissions but said Britain needed a "targeted increase" in road capacity.

Earlier this year, about 1.8 million people put their signatures to a Downing Street website petition opposing road charging.