ENVIRONMENTAL campaigners have hit out at criticism of a planned super tram scheme.

Gosport and Fareham Friends of the Earth ( FoE) welcome the idea of the light rapid transit network between the two towns.

Critics say the real need is for major improvements to the A32, a congested traffic bottleneck, while the tram could cause parking problems for residents and divert shoppers away from the high street to rival town centres.

Terry Harding, FoE branch transport spokesman, said the long-term solution to traffic congestion was not to merely widen roads because they would soon be full again.

A policy of building more roads was bad for pollution because it would encourage drivers to take their cars, rather than consider public transport.

The whole point of the LRT was to avoid car travel. Predicted problems with the tram system, such as parking congestion by passengers driving to tram stops, could be solved by setting up a fully integrated network including buses.

He said: "The roads on the Gosport/Fareham peninsular are already over subscribed and at peak periods almost grid-locked on all the main roads into both towns.

"Buses on their own operating the present long distance routes between both Gosport and Fareham are continually held up in the long traffic chaos that is prevalent at the moment. This will only get worse.

"This is why this area that includes surrounding towns and cities badly needs the LRT as part of a reliable public transit system that will keep to a time schedule even when the road traffic is in chaos.''

He said car and cycle parks would not be needed at tram stops with a proper integrated system including short local bus services.

"As part of this integrated public transit a system of circular and express routes should be introduced with ticket machines. So, it should be possible to buy a ticket on any public service vehicle or at a booking office facility to any destination in the UK.''

John Prescott, environment secretary, is expected to rule on a public planning inquiry into objections against the LRT early this year. The government must then decide whether the scheme should receive funding before it is built.