Minister says car's still a star for mid-length trips

The government has no plans to "coerce" motorists into ditching the car for complex cross-country journeys.

Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said yesterday there was no need for drivers to give up their vehicles, as low-carbon models are coming on to the market. Addressing a conference in London, Mr Hammond said the government was keen to make the train the transport mode of choice for long-distance, inter-urban journeys.

And for short-distance urban travel, the challenge was "to make public transport or low-impact modes such as walking and cycling the most attractive options".

He went on: "But for intermediate journeys involving complex routing across rural and suburban areas, there is no realistic prospect of displacing the private car through persuasion rather than coercion. I do not favour coercion as a solution."