Baker plans for a seat at the post-election transport table

The possibility of a hung Parliament means that in a few months time the Liberal Democrats could have unprecedented influence on transport policy. The party’s transport spokesman, Norman Baker, tells Rik Thomas what this would mean in practice

Rik Thomas

19 March 2010

Lib Dem transport spokesman Norman Baker is unequivocal that the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions must be at the heart of his party’s transport policies

Baker makes no bones about his enthusiasm for railways – describing them as both environmentally friendly and socially inclusive

The current bookmaker odds on no single party having overall control of Parliament following the upcoming General Election are 10/3 or 4/1 (depending on whether you think David Cameron or Gordon Brown will end up as Prime Minister of a minority administration). Which means that it is quite likely that the Liberal Democrats will be in a position to directly influence transport policy for the first time since the party’s formation in 1988. But what will this mean in practice?

“It...