Of course, that's not the way the left-leaning Guardian newspaper's spinning news that their country's populace relies on cars for 80 percent of their journeys. (That's four fifths of all movements hither and yon.) As far as the papers' editors are concerned (and rest assured they are), the UK Department for Transport's annual national travel survey is bad news. Hence the second paragraphs' statement that a quarter of all UK car trips were less than two miles. And this back asswards analysis: "The proportion of households in Britain without access to a motor vehicle fell to 25% last year, from 30% 10 years previously – the lowest figure ever." Consumer affairs correspondent Rebecca Smithers trots-out the Paul Watters of the AA (Automobile Association) to finish her report with the appropriate chastisement: "UK citizens know the transport system lags behind those in Europe. The UK's congested network would do better with a dose of European medicine, showing how to run a truly joined-up transport system."
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Nowhere does the article mention global warming, yet that’s the first thing I’m thinking as far as why the AA is upset at increased auto use. At what point does public condemnation of the automobile (or any other ‘forbidden’ engineered energy use) turn into Malthusian schemes to eliminate ‘excess’ people and their contributions to ‘destroying’ the world?
It’s beyond hubristic to think that we are going to destroy the world through our actions. I not sure that every nuke on earth launched simultaneously would destroy all life on earth; it would wipe out humans and most higher functioning animals, but some microbe or plant somewhere would adapt and thrive. The Earth’s a big girl, she can take one more for the team (said as I look over online auctions for a 300HP Marauder V8).
Morbo:
I think the guy from the AA was actually criticising uk.gov policy. We have a generally cr@p transport system in this country.
The bias in the article should not come as a surprise really. Most national newspaper journos in the UK are London based and have a London outlook on life, not just the Quiche-eating, eco-warriors on the Guardian. They assume that just like themselves everyone can just give up their cars and use public transport. For them its so easy and it “saves the planet”.
Unfortunately most of the government also believe this as they come from the leftie, Guardian reading, New Labour school. And where people are doing something they don’t agree with then they like to discourage it with taxation under the “two birds” rule.
London is the only UK city with a full transport system, a product of a single transport authority. However they are not integrated and joined up with facilities outside their control, no single ticket applies from trains to tibe or buses, and the timetables don’t merge anywhere. It is very difficult to get anywhere without a holdup, delay or the risk of missed connections – imagine the chaos of the US internal air travel system but applied to every level of movement. Other cities also have underground networks but not very big ones and no new ones for half a century or more.
Some cities are looking at alternatives. Manchester has a metrolink tram system which works as it extends right out to the satelite towns. Edinburgh is about to build trams which will be a waste of time as they don’t go very far, won’t carry many more people than buses and will no doubt overrun the original build estimate of £500m (the Scottish parliament – if ever there was a wasteful generator of useless hot air there it is – was originally estimated at £40m, it ended up costing £450m and costs an additional £100m a year to run it).
I would love to say that the right have some alternatives, but they don’t really as they would expect the commercial world to build and maintain any transport infrastructure – they messed up the railways by privatising them in the first place, something uk.gov has not fixed in 10 years of power.
uk.gov is refusing for the most part to improve our road system as that will just encourage people to drive, but at the same time local authorities and uk.gov are encouraging house building on green belt land (which will require cars) as well as large shopping centres all located out of town and all with huge car parks. Surely that is encouraging people to drive, no ?
Not to mention the fact that because they “contribute” a huge amount to political parties, companies like Tesco, Asda (aka Walmart) etc. get to build all their new stores on mostly green field sites also needing and encouraging car use. Not to mention the fact it takes an average of 3-5 trucks a day to keep each Asda going.
As I mentioned already our railways were privatised a while ago and can’t cope with the passengers they have now. Airports are going to expand despite all the CO2 it will apparently generate. But it also generates a lot of tax income and they like that more than saving the planet.
Britain’s rail system was pretty much screwed after it was privatized in 1993.
TaxedAndConfused:
It’s actually worse, transport policy is made by people who get driven in limos, often with police escorts, so they are totally insulated from transport policy failures. As far as I know the only major politician in London who uses public transportation for anything other than photo ops is Ken Livingstone.
Of course the pols in the US are no better, NY mayor Bloomberg’s famous subway journeys begin and end with a convoy of armored Chevy Suburban SUVs.
bfg9k:
I think its gone downhill since it was originally nationalised in the 50s.
Slow_Joe_Crow:
Funny you mention this, I was reminded earlier of my fave Margaret Thatcher story. Basically all the time she was “supreme being” she used to be whisked from place to place in a Jag XJ12. When she was removed/ deposed/ sacked and ended up being whisked without a police escort she was apparently shocked to realise just how bad traffic really was.
And of course lets not forget current Conservative “cycling” leader (Call me) “Dave” Cameron who is follwed by a Jaguar when he cycles to Parliament.
Blair’s position on Global Warming ? “The debate is over, we have to act…”. Er, no. I would like to have more of that debate please.
And yet coming from a US point of view, we could only hope for as good a public transportation/rail service as the UK.
Don’t worry Hank, from what I’ve read the Brits are also waiting for a good public transportation/rail service in the UK.