New head of RAC Foundation expected to call for road building strategy
Fri 02 May 2008
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Stephen Glaister has been named as the successor to Edmund King as head of the RAC Foundation. Prof Glaister, who will take up his new post on October 1st after resigning his full-time position at Imperial College, says he will urge the Government to focus on the importance of roads to the economy.
Professor Glaister told Local Transport Today that he expects the RAC Foundation to move slightly away from day-to-day commentary on transport matters towards being a think-tank on research and policy.
He said that one of his first priorities would be to provide evidence to inform the current debate on transport and climate change. Prof Glaister was reported to be distancing himself from people who say that large reductions in CO2 emissions should be sought from the road transport sector. He said that it was important to recognise that road users already paid higher fuel taxes than other economic sectors.
Speaking to New Civil Engineer, Professor Glaister said he had taken on the RAC role because he considered roads the most important infrastructure for the economy and intends to dedicate his time to lobbying the Government for a national roads strategy.
Prof Glaister was one of the authors of the RAC Foundation's report 'Motoring towards 2050: Roads and Reality' which argued the need for a substantial road building programme in Britain to relieve congestion.
The RAC Foundation's acting director and head of campaigns Sheila Ranger has been promoted to the role of deputy director.
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