Forum Topic

cause of climate change finally discovered

Apparently it's just been proven that it's actually bicycles, scooters and walking that cause climate change, and cars, contrary to what you might have heard, actually absorb Co2 from the atmosphere and the engine turns it into a harmless but pleasant fragrance.

Simon Pedley ● 2013d11 Comments

Yep, and the lycra outfits often contains large amounts of petroleum based ingredients and palm oil. 

Rob Reynolds ● 2013d

Whaever amuses you Simon. Its funny how most of the cycling posters do not want to engage or find common ground, just mock and virtue signal. Grow up.If Boris was serious about climate change he would be hugely stepping up investment in local public trasnsport, including restoring the TFL subsidy. Instead we have real terms increases across all public transport in the UK, already the most expensive in Europe, whilst cost of motoring is effectively frozen. Step free access to tubes in W4 would be a major step forward.

Paul Green ● 2013d

Hi Paul,I've struggled with a pram + child up Turnham Green and Gunnersbury Stations - step free access would be brilliant for anyone with young kids and babies - as well as being fair for those with mobility issues and disabilities.In the spirit of finding common ground among all transport users, I'd support any campaign to persuade TFL to invest or even to raise money locally from residents and businesses to get it off the ground.

Ed Saper ● 2013d

Ed, with respect, you're a bit late to this party.Access to Turnham Green has been on and off the TFL and local agenda more times than one can count. It got a green light and then it was cut from the TfL roster about two years ago I think. About when they cancelled two other projects in Acton. Ones that would've connected the massive developments to the city and then some.I've often thought there should be a lottery. A bit like the  NHS lottery only dedicated to green infrastructure. At long last lobbyists could put their money (sorry, THEIR) money where their mouths are as opposed to whinging when they can't access the wallets of others to get the job done. Or worse, boycott those they demand pay for their choice.

David Lesniak ● 2013d

PG: "If Boris was serious about climate change he would be hugely stepping up investment in local public trasnsport, including restoring the TFL subsidy.... Step free access to tubes in W4 would be a major step forward."I think you'll find that cyclists are all for better/cheaper/more accessible public transport, since that would lead to fewer cars on the road.Which in turn should lead to fewer emissions, and quicker progress towards halting climnate change.

Richard Cathcart ● 2012d

Precisely it’s both. And the money for both should come from cars. Remove the freeze on fuel duty and increase it at above inflation rates year on year instead. Road pricing and much higher costs for driving big polluting private vehicles in urban environments. It needs to be much more expensive to drive than to take public transport, walk or cycle in London. Much more expensive to the point where even Chiswickians find it prohibitive. With exemptions for people who are genuinely car dependent of course. Plus diversion of road building funds and cancellation of projects like Silvertown. There is £2bn right there that will go a lot further for PT and active travel than a single road tunnel (did somebody mention Hammersmith Bridge?)I expect much of this will happen in the next couple of years. Boris is the biggest zealot of them all and COP 26 is his world stage. He isn’t going to miss his chance to showboat.

Paul Campbell ● 2012d

Yeah Simon!

Simon Temple ● 2012d

The toll from local, national and international aircraft movements is enormous compared to that of cars etc. Happy to cite figures if necessary but I suspect the LTN fanatics are burying them silently in the basement. If the government decided not to expand airports or open new coalmines (they are planning both) then on a national scale, car use would be a very, very minor issue in terms of pollution.  As regards West London, the pollution of (a) roads that were not impacted before from pollution but now seriously are and (b) expansion of Heathrow are the real issues to be addressed.

Claire Moran ● 2012d

Claire,I guess the pollution might be interpreted in different ways. But in terms of greenhouse gases, cars are much more of a problem than planes, and are a big part of the overall problem, not at all 'minor'.I googled "CO2 emissions by sector".What I learnt is that CO2 emissions from road transport are about 5x that from aviation.Have a look at:ourworldindata.org.And to quote wikipedia:"Transport in the United Kingdom is the biggest emitter, being responsible for over a quarter of GhG.[1] This is mainly due to road vehicles, especially cars."

Simon Pedley ● 2012d

Let’s accelerate the fusion project.“Fusion has huge potential to supply electricity that is carbon-free and inherently safe, with abundant and widespread fuel resources (the raw materials are found in seawater and the Earth’s crust).https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukaeas-completes-pilot-project-with-industry-to-accelerate-fusion-development

Russell Pearson ● 2012d

“ If the government decided not to expand airports or open new coalmines (they are planning both) then on a national scale, car use would be a very, very minor issue in terms of pollution.”I think the point of your argument is that you can’t even think about tackling car pollution (the scale of which you’ve got wildly incorrect) until you’ve sorted out aviation and coal mines. You could throw in gas boilers, cows and volcanoes into your  “whataboutism” argument of things that must be fixed first before you can do anything to tackle air pollution. There is nothing to stop us doing more than one thing at a time or setting priorities of what to do first.

Ed Saper ● 2012d