News from Elsewhere

Austrians will soon be able to travel huge train distances for next to nothing – and it’s all part of an effort to tackle the climate crisis

08.10.2021 06:00 AM

Just €3. That’s how much it’ll cost to travel the 692km from Bregenz to Vienna, or Salzburg to Kitzbuhel, or anywhere else in Austria on its trains or buses, including in cities. That’s thanks to the country’s new Klimaticket, or climate ticket, introduced to encourage people out of cars and onto public transport as part of carbon reduction efforts.
The pass isn’t daily but annual, so Austrians will have to shell out €1,095 in advance when Klimaticket is introduced later this month, though early takers will get a 15 per cent discount. “It makes commuting by train cheaper in most cases, especially for those with long distances, and is very easy to use,” says Ulla Rasmussen of Austrian mobility campaign group VCÖ. “Furthermore, we expect more people to choose public transport for their leisure activities and inland holidays since they then don’t have to buy additional tickets. Thus, the Klimaticket is not only cheaper, but also easy to use.”

1.8.2019

Not only are traffic filters an inexpensive and effective way that Councils can make streets cleaner and safer, but, as our new research shows, they are overwhelmingly popular among those who are most affected by them.*  Let’s make sure our Councils know this. Will you use our easy tool to write to your councillors with the evidence to ask them to take action?
We are really keen to hear of any responses you receive so that we can plan how to best engage with decision makers. Please forward any councillor responses you receive to cfc@wearepossible.org.
To see our draft email for your local Council, just fill out this short form.

Build now, pay (a lot) later: the hidden cost of car-centric development

Schemes such as Garden Towns require expensive off-site road infrastructure and a huge amount of on-site space for cars, says Martina Juvara. It’s time for cost effective alternatives that will help achieve net zero, she argues

Martina Juvara 05 October 2021


 
This is a decade of innovation: big change is awaiting us as technology continues to evolve and the response to climate change starts to gather momentum. Yet most housebuilding companies shy away from trumpeting innovation. They clearly rise to meet challenging government targets, but they do not make their customers aware of the innovation they are providing; energy efficient appliances are often disguised as chandeliers or Victorian-looking A-rated stoves, in developments reassuringly named like aristocratic parks or farmhouses.

Housebuilding companies will not be the ones fighting for change, proposing new ways to live and a different relationship with our cars. In doing so, they may be perpetuating a status quo where not enough questions are asked about the real costs of car-centric development. Unfortunately, they are not the only ones.

Chris Howell 27th July 2021 Cambridgeshire County Council Highways and Transport Committee met to decide the fate of the experimental bus gate on Mill Road in Cambridge, that had been introduced in June 2020 as part of emergency active travel funding by the then Conservative controlled Council.

Air pollution is one of the biggest environmental threats to human health, alongside climate change.

The Green and Complete Streets Ordinance is the second of its kind in New England to mandate road repairs for accessibility

Deniz Huseyin 05 October 2021

E-scooters should meet minimum safety standards both at the point of sale and while being ridden, says Centre for London 
Private and rental e-scooters should be legalised alongside measures to ensure they are safe, affordable, and accessible to all,

says a new report by think tank Centre for London.

Kea Wilson – Oct 8, 2021

XR Roads Rebellion
Electric Vehicles: the solution or part of the problem?
What should transport look like within the next five years – to meet the necessary