JSO Press March 10, 2022
The Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP
The Prime Minister
10 Downing Street
London SW1A 2AA
Dear Prime Minister
Thank you for the reply to our letter written by BEIS on your behalf (which we enclose below).
In the letter you have sought to justify investment in new fossil fuel supply projects, but have done so without reference to the expert advice from the International Energy Agency, the United Nations and the entire scientific community that such investment is inconsistent with keeping 1.5˚C alive.
It would appear that you know, investment in new fossil fuel supply projects jeopardises the future of humanity, but you propose to encourage it anyway.
While the BEIS response refers to the “independent Climate Change Committee” (which is funded by central government), it omits to mention the CCC’s letter to the Business Minister of 24 February 2022, which says:
Campaigners call for action over UK’s ‘shameful’ lung health – theguardian.com
Andrew Gregory
The UK has the highest death rate for lung conditions in western Europe, research reveals, prompting calls from health leaders for urgent action to tackle the “national scandal”.
More than 100,000 people in the UK die from conditions including asthma attacks, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pneumonia every year, according to data analysis by the charity Asthma and Lung UK.
Across Europe, only Turkey has a higher respiratory death rate than the UK, analysis of data up to 2018 shows, the latest comparable data available from across the continent. The death rate is 162.7 per 100,000 people in Turkey and 134.5 in the UK.
In Germany, the rate is 76.8 while in France it is 59.1 – half the UK rate. People in the UK are three times more likely to die from lung conditions than people in Finland, which has the lowest respiratory death rate (38.4) in Europe, Asthma and Lung UK said.
It described the UK figures as “shameful”, and said that lung conditions had for too long been treated like the “poor relation compared with other major illnesses like cancer and heart disease”.
Cardiff plans intelligent transport network Technology – Transport Xtra
Rhodri Clark 14 March 2022
The expected opening of Cardiff’s central bus station next year has prompted Cardiff Council to prepare plans to integrate transport technology systems. The draft plans acknowledge that improvements to pedestrian crossings and pavements are among the measures needed.
The new bus station, on the ground floor of a tower block, will have significantly lower capacity than its predecessor, which the council closed in 2015 to make way for property development.
Dame Sarah Storey replaces Chris Boardman as Greater Manchester active travel commissioner – road.cc
Boardman left the role in January to head newly-launched government body Active Travel England
by Dan Alexander
Britain’s most successful Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey has been appointed Greater Manchester’s new active travel commissioner.
Last week, the 17-time Paralympic gold medallist announced she would be stepping down as Sheffield’s active travel commissioner in May, and today it was revealed she will be taking the Manchester role over from Chris Boardman.
Boardman left the role in January to head the newly-launched government body Active Travel England.
An update on Mexico City, an overlooked sustainable transportation innovator – chi.streetsblog.org
By Ruth Rosas
Often we hear people talking about great walking, biking, and transit infrastructure and culture in European countries as being the best in the world. Famous bicycle boulevards and crowds of people on bikes all over the streets are what these countries are known for. Very few non-European cities, especially in Latin America, ever make the Most Bike-Friendly Cities on the Planet lists. More often than not, the images of cities in the Global South that come up in movies and TV are dirty, poorly maintained, unsafe, polluted, and overcrowded places.
Tyre Extinguishers – Jeremy Vine – bbc.co.uk/sounds
Released On: 09 Mar 2022
Available for 27 days
Jeremy and guests discuss the news headlines and talk to the people making them.
Drivers support more camera enforcement – transportxtra.com
Speed cameras could be used to check tax, insurance and MOT, IAM RoadSmart reports
04 March 2022
The overwhelming majority of UK motorists support the use of safety camera technology to check for insurance, MOT and road tax offences.
Research conducted by the charity IAM RoadSmart revealed that 89% of over 2,000 motorists surveyed supported the idea of safety cameras being used to spot those who decide to flout the rules and drive illegally on public roads without the required documentation.
Glasgow aims to reduce car vehicle kilometres by 30% – transportxtra
External interventions from national governments will be required to achieve these ambitious targets – road charging schemes and measures to increase the cost of car use for short or unnecessary journeys
Glasgow has announced plans to reduce the number of car vehicle kilometres by 30 percent within this decade.
A council meeting this month updated members on the progress of the Glasgow Transport Strategy (GTS) Final Policy Framework, including the outcomes of a period of consultation and discussion around issues such as Workplace Parking, Mobility as a Service and Bus Governance.
Climate activists have deflated hundreds of SUV tyres in affluent areas across the UK – bigissue.com
Sarah Wilson
A group calling themselves The Tyre Extinguishers targeted “well-to-do” neighbourhoods and say their aim is to make it “impossible” to own a 4×4 in urban areas.
A climate activism group calling themselves The Tyre Extinguishers deflated hundreds of SUV tyres across the UK on Monday night in a protest against the polluting “killer vehicles”.
The stunt, which the group said was the “first in a new wave of protest”, was taken to discourage the use of 4×4 cars in urban areas with the ultimate aim of making it “impossible” to own one.
Lifetime cost of a small car is about £500,000 of which society pays 41%. – Jon Owen – Twitter
Jon Owen@anotherJon
“Motorists underestimate the full private costs of car ownership, while policymakers & planners underestimate social costs.” New research from
@StefanGossling , J. Kees & @LitmanVTPI
has calculated that the lifetime cost of a small car is about £500,000 of which society pays 41%.
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