Wales Green Party has today responded to growing concerns about fuel cost rises by calling for investment in public transport to provide an affordable and convenient alternative to the car.

Jake Griffiths, who is set to become the first Green Assembly Member according to recent polls (1), said:

“Continued car dependency just to get around is simply unfair at a time when people are feeling the pinch from spending cuts, job losses and the VAT rise. Increasing demand for oil from developing countries such as India and China means that fuel prices are only going to go one way in the future.

“It’s therefore vital that people are given the choice of affordable and convenient public transport. The Welsh Government needs to shift spending from building new roads to stopping train and bus fare rises, to grow the rail network and regulate bus services to ensure they go where people need them to.”

Griffiths is bidding to become Wales’ first Green Assembly Member in May, he concluded:

“This May just 7% of the regional vote would send me to the Assembly, where I would fight for decent public transport as an alternative to increasingly expensive car-dependency. Labour has never elected any regional AMs in South Wales Central so I would urge people considering them to lend the Greens your second vote.”