Alan Duncan MP, the new shadow Secretary of State for Transport, argues that building more bypasses can be the greener option...

Two days into this new job and I am already getting a feel for what people believe is wrong with our transport system.

Everyone has something to say about transport - it is an area which affects everyone's daily life.

Whether it is taking the children to school, battling through the early-morning congestion to get to work on time, waiting for the train that doesn't suit your needs, or travelling on a bus which is dirty and smelly - it is pretty obvious that the situation is far from perfect.

Sadly, despite having eight years to get things sorted, the Labour Government has not lived up to its promises.

Back in 1997, John Prescott said he would have failed in his job as transport supremo if fewer people weren't travelling by car in the future.

He did fail. Despite the Government's attempts to force us off the roads by their oppression of the motorist, car use and congestion has continued to rise.

Labour has had lots of grand plans to put things right - three major transport plans in just five years - but, in real terms, things have got worse.

Congestion is getting worse, train fares are complicated and expensive, and, for many of us, bus services remain sporadic and patchy.

Since Michael Howard asked me to take over this brief, I've been talking to people about their problems with our transport network.

It's clear that there are some pretty simple things that people find annoying when it comes to our roads - the principle method of transport for most of us.

The massive growth in speed cameras in recent years has led to the feeling that they are merely around to raise money and not save lives.

The police themselves have said that their over-use has damaged the reputation of officers with the travelling public, who feel they are being unreasonably victimised to help raise stealth taxes.

People want to see a proper balance between unnecessary interference and clutter on our roads and the safety of both pedestrians and road users.

And in many cases we need to realise that bypasses can be "environmentally friendly".

They remove congestion from town centres, and prevent the "stop-go" traffic patterns that contribute significantly to pollution and environmental damage.

There are many other issues which I am going to have to tackle. For example, the use of road pricing and the problems faced by hauliers.

What is the long-term future of low-cost flights and can the expansion of air travel be environmentally sustainable? Can it be right that there is no planning control over the growth of flights, especially at night?

How can we sustain rural bus routes when too few people actually use them?

Almost no one in the country is unaffected by the need to move around it.

A sensible and integrated balance between public and private transport efforts is essential for any efficient and creative economy.