I prefer carrots to sticks, minister tells delegates

Transport minister Andrew Jones gave the keynote speech this week at Landor LINKS’ Smarter Travel Live event in Milton Keynes.

The two-day event was being attended by 700 delegates. Discussions included the Government’s latest Budget decisions, and the framework between Government, local authorities and the private sector for delivering transport innovations and decision-making.

When challenged about the Government’s use of instruments to change travel behaviour the minister said he much-favoured carrots rather than sticks and it wasn’t the Government’s job to make travel choices for people.

Discussing the framework that government should provide for the transport sector, Graham Pendlebury, the DfT’s director of local transport, said the policy was one of “light-touch regulation”, which was particularly appropriate at a time of rapid technological change and emerging new business models.