THE new Integrated Transport Commission has promised to hold the Government to account every two months on its progress towards improving the UK's transport system. Professor David Begg, chairman of the ITC, promised the commission would not pull its punches in appraising the Government's performance.

And he said that if the ITC did not occasionally receive some harsh words from Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott it would not be doing its job properly. 'This is an independent commission and our role is to give the Government independent advice on transport and, the more important part of our remit, is to hold the Government to account on the delivery of the objectives in the white paper,' said Begg.

He insisted the ITC was not anti-car, citing the presence on the commission of Sir Trevor Chinn, chairman of Lex Service, and Nick Reilly, chairman and managing director of Vauxhall, but said widespread consensus was building that measures must be taken to combat congestion. The ITC accepts that the vast majority of people will continue to use their cars, but believes that if travellers can be persuaded to use public transport as a viable alternative to the car, then major progress can be made.