Onwards to climate catastrophe

Some fab news for fossil-fuel addicts:

The government will "definitely not" proceed with a national road-user charging scheme if it wins the next election, the new transport secretary has said, in the most comprehensive renunciation so far of a policy adopted in 2004.

In his first big speech since his appointment in the cabinet reshuffle on June 5, he outlined a position likely to disappoint the many transport lobby groups that were already dismayed by the stance taken by Geoff Hoon , Lord Adonis's predecessor.

The 2006 Eddington report on transport policy said a national road-user charging system could provide benefits of £28bn a year by 2025.

The ubiquitous one is thrilled:

AA president Edmund King welcomed the climb down yesterday.