This is a terrible idea. I…

This is a terrible idea. I have recently committed to "stop making excuses" about riding my bike because I realised that I was part of the problem. The problem is that each car only has one person in it. This is because mass transportation methods are less convenient than driving. Adding lanes to roadways will only encourage more people to occupy roadways in private vehicles with a single occupant (induced demand, an effect that is widely understood and proven in practice, and runs completely counter to the government's plans).

My bike commute takes less than 52 min. Public transport from the same starting point is 53 min at best, but of course subject to many of the same delays as a private car.

The solution, to satisfy the government's economic objectives, is to reduce the number of private vehicles, especially those with a single occupant, leaving more space for transport trucks. The method of reducing private vehicles is to invest in public transit so that it becomes a competitive option to the private traveler.

The government's plan takes a short-term view. The pursuit of relatively immediate economic goals comes at the cost of the environment. The government is choosing to pass on the problems we create now to our children and grandchildren. It is morally bankrupt to commit our future generations to solve a problem that we have knowingly created.