The Westminster Watcher's feature about Stephen Joseph was in many ways spot on [routeone/Westminster/28 February].
Stephen has been the public face of the Campaign for Better Transport and Transport 2000 before it. I am sure that most would agree that he punched well above his weight, was listened to by the Department for Transport, and was the national media's ‘go-to’ for independent quotes on public transport issues.
His effectiveness at shaping public and political opinion has only to be compared with the achievements of the much better resourced CPT, for example, to show just how good he was.
Where I disagree with the Westminster Watcher is the suggestion that Greener Journeys’ core message might also be rather repetitive. Persuading politicians that constraining the motorist's freedom is a pre-requisite for attractive, viable, and meaningful bus networks in urban areas has challenged the industry ever since the 1960s.
With a few notable local exceptions, neither operators nor CPT have won the arguments. However, Greener Journeys has recently made a very powerful case for the urban bus as both a congestion and a pollution buster.
The public's slow realisation that traffic pollution is harming its health, together with air quality legislation, are now putting the Greener Journeys message centre stage.
It may be repetitive, but it behoves everyone in the industry to keep spreading the word and to persuade our politicians, both national and local to provide highways which deliver congestion-free local bus services – and to do it now before our urban local bus services grind to a halt.
Tim Gibson, Leeds
