Government's plan to tackle traffic congestion was last night attacked by Shadow Transport Minister Senator Bob Richards.

Sen. Richards accused Premier and Transport Minister Ewart Brown of making "political scapegoats" out of guest workers in his attempt to clamp down on Bermuda's increasingly clogged roads.

Earlier this week, the Premier announced a bill was forthcoming to limit the number of cars available to expatriates in companies holding more than ten work permits.

Responding yesterday, Sen. Richards said: "Making political scapegoats out of expatriate workers who cannot vote is the politically cynical path to solving a problem that must address the whole population.

"The Premier is playing with fire by placing the burden of traffic reform on the expatriate workers. It is discriminatory and sends the wrong signals to a community that is vitally important to our economic well-being.

"It says they are less important, second-level citizens and not really that welcome.

"It must be remembered that expatriate workers have been invited to Bermuda to be the heart of our international business, construction and hotel sectors — sectors that provide Government with huge tax revenues and Bermudians incomes that are the envy of the world."

Sen. Richards said he believed Government policies were alienating international businesses.

"Targeting expatriate workers will only feed their disaffection and further erode Bermuda's attractiveness as an international business location," he warned.

He called for Government Ministers to lead by example by forfeiting their use of GP cars and getting by with one vehicle per household.

Government has stated it proposes clamping down on the second hand car market, which it blames for growing numbers of vehicles as people upgrade and cash in their old car.

On this point, Sen. Richards said: "Such action would arbitrarily discriminate against lower income, working class families who cannot afford to buy a new car but still need its convenience."

The Shadow Minister called for Government to come up with a plan that will get children to school in fewer vehicles by encouraging schools to introduce their own bus schemes.

However, Sen. Richards was supportive of Dr. Brown's suggestion that he would like to introduce free public transport.

"We call on the Government to investigate making all public transportation in Bermuda free," he said.