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++ “Up to a point, cars are fantastic inventions making it easy to get to far-flung places, and to new places to live, work or play” says Andy Boenau. “But there’s a King Midas-like tipping point when the built environment and our lives are arranged around motor vehicles and the benefits start to come undone”.
++ Expanding on the theme of motor-vehicles having severely impacted both our built environment and our lives, Christian Wolmar argues that “Potholes are not the problem – it’s our obsession with cars”.
++ The government’s response to its consultation held five years ago on pavement parking is‘deeply disappointing’ according to Transport Action Network.
++ Living Streets, who have campaigned for action on pavement parking for over 50 years, reached the same conclusion: “It’s disappointing not to see a nationwide prohibition, instead handing the power to local leaders.” This behaviour prevents 41% of people from leaving their homes as often as they would like.
++ “There may have been a silent majority in favour of windfarms and higher petrol taxes, but if there was, these people were mighty quiet … all I ever heard from was people objecting”. New rearch shows that UK MPs underestimate the quiet majority in favour of positive change. Now where have we heard this before!
++ Possible remind us that there are at least 356 casualties on UK roads every day. They recommend that we need to invest in affordable and accessible public transport and making walking, wheeling and cycling safe and easier; and have a template email letter you can send to your MP.
++ A message echoed by Adam Tranter as he notes that a shift in sales of (on-)road bikes to off-road bikes used also for indoor training is a code for: ‘I don’t like being near cars as I don’t feel safe’. “..the basic fact is ”you can’t reach the potential of cycling without making it much more safe and hospitable to cycle”.
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