There needs to be radical change

I’ve attended many such meetings and I’ve always left with the words of the old song going round in my head “Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die”.

The fact is cars, vans and lorries play a major part in our economy, millions of pounds are collected in various taxes on these vehicles.

Thousands of jobs are reliant on the vehicle industry, from civil servants who administer and collect taxes to the support industries, garages, fuel, insurance etc.

I don’t remember one instance when Greens or environmentalists have offered explanations as to where these taxes would be levied if we had our car free world or where the alternative jobs would be, nor do they explain where the millions would come from to build a fully integrated public transport system.

It all seems to be based on the politics of Trumpton or Camberwick Green.

In my opinion council delegates have only ever attended in order to look for excuses to levy extra taxes on road uses.

But I wish they would explain how this prevents early deaths, because while taxation on vehicles has increased so has car ownership.

Lean burn engines and catalyst converters we were told were the answer but now it seems only councils dipping in to the public’s pocket can solve the climate problem.

In 1983 I was part of a campaign to get the Midland Main Line electrified, 34 years later nothing has been done.

Let’s get real there needs to be radical change if we are to achieve a pollution free utopia.

Mick N

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