Tories examine levitating trains

Thursday, 31 August 2006 12:00 AM

The shadow chancellor is in Japan today to examine whether high-speed trains that levitate above the tracks could be used in the UK.

George Osborne will be looking at the results of a three-year test of MagLev trains to establish whether this system, where trains float on a magnetic field above the tracks and are propelled by changing the field's charge, could solve the UK's transport needs.

"Railways are the most environmentally friendly means of transport - except of course for the bicycle. And I hardly need to tell you, but trains are 20 times more carbon efficient than aeroplanes," he will tell business leaders in Tokyo.

"So a world-class, cutting edge, attractive railway network is a clear example of improving the economy and improving environmental standards at the same time."

Shadow transport secretary Chris Grayling is due to visit China next week to look at the world's first commercial MagLev trainline, which connects Pudang to downtown Shanghai and reaches its top speed of 267mph in under two minutes.

"I want us to look seriously at how an ultra-fast rail system could be introduced in Britain," Mr Osborne will say today.

The benefits of MagLev trains are their speed and their low maintenance costs, while many believe that the lack of friction - the trains do not actually touch the tracks - makes them more energy efficient. However, the costs of building them are very high.

During his visit, the shadow chancellor will also make clear that the Tories would seek to increase the burden of green taxes if they won the next election, to provide an incentive for people to cut down any environmentally-damaging behaviour.

"I want to move towards more effective and fair taxes on pollution. I want the proportion of tax revenue raised by green taxes to rise," Mr Osborne will argue.

He adds: "Conservatives should take a lead in making the changes that are needed to promote green growth. Sometimes the changes will be painful at first. But leadership means facing the great challenges, even if the decisions are difficult. "

Liberal Democrat environment Chris Huhne welcomed the Conservatives' call for more green taxes, saying it was "flattering" that they were moving towards a policy the Lib Dems had had for some time.

But he warned: "They still haven't proposed a single specific measure. Warm words are no substitute for hard plans.

"The key to changing behaviour is to raise green taxes, offset by cuts in income tax, whereas the Tories propose only to raise green taxes as a share of total taxes, which may be falling. That will not change behaviour at all."

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