Road planners able to ignore climate change, campaigners claim

Planners can effectively ignore climate change when they are deciding whether to grant permission for new road schemes, environmentalists have said.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has promised a review of £27bn highways policy which will be completed within two years.

But in the meantime, planners can use existing guidelines.

Campaigners say these ignore the cumulative effects of major road projects.

They say Mr. Shapps should be blocking new schemes until a new climate-friendly policy is developed.

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Many scientists say no new infrastructure should be built unless it is low-carbon.

The debate has been raised because government policies for infrastructure were devised before ministers committed to virtually abolishing the carbon
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