SPT News
SPT joins partners to support Climate Change Declaration.
Signing up to save the planet
July 7, 2010 14:00 UKNewsAs a member of South Lanarkshire Community Planning Board, SPT joined representatives of other partner organisations by adding its support to the council's Climate Change Declaration.
Bruce Kiloh, Head of Transport Planning, represented SPT at a formal signing ceremony held recently at the South Lanarkshire College Hamilton campus.
The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 sets a carbon reduction target of 80% by 2050 and a figure of 45% to be achieved by 2020.
In a move to share their vision of improving the quality of life for all in its area, South Lanarkshire Council is breaking new ground. Section 44 of the Act creates a new duty on the public sector to act in a manner best calculated to deliver the Act's emissions reduction targets. This comes into force in 2011.
From now on, South Lanarkshire Council will produce a plan and targets to achieve a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from its own operations. This pledge takes in energy use, sourcing, travel and transportation, waste production, disposal among other measures.
Bruce Kiloh said:" I am delighted to be working in partnership with South Lanarkshire Council to promote a range of actions and policies that will reduce emissions into the earth's atmosphere.
"As an organisation that works to promote public transport, SPT has long believed that encouraging people to get out their cars, for at least part of their journey, is the way forward.
"One of our key policy objectives is creating more park and ride facilities across west central Scotland. This policy has delivered 5,500 car parking spaces to date.
"Carluke rail station is the latest new facility to open. It now has a much needed 330 space car park that makes commuting easier, promotes more use of public transport connections and offers more sustainable transport choices."
SPT is currently working in partnership with other member councils on extending park and ride provision. Improvements at nine key sites will deliver 2,000 extra car parking spaces by the end of the year.
Pictured outside South Lanarkshire College's iconic green house Aurora, built to demonstrate modern construction carbon technologies are: left to right: Councillor Hamish Stewart Chair of the South Lanarkshire Council Community Planning Board, Council Leader Councillor Eddie McAvoy and Bruce Kiloh, SPT's Head of Transport and Planning.
Pictured below are Members of the South Lanarkshire Community Planning Board at the signing ceremony.
