Bristol Diesel Ban

I've sympathy with all aspects of this debate. The fundamental truth is suddenly reversing generations of toxic human activity isn't easy, nor is it convenient.

And this is the nub. Humans generally prefer slow change. They prefer positive change and things that better their lives, don't worsen it.

We're in a political world where truth is rare as it loses votes. Tell someone Brexit is likely to negatively impact them, they don't want to hear it. Add an hour to someones day of extra travel or catching a bus, they don't want to do it. Add cost, even if its affordable, to do the right thing, and its likely not to be done.

I understand all of that, because I'm actually human too and have those very same sentiments.

However.... climate change will not wait for moderate changes. It wont be delayed by us waiting for the right technology. Oceans will rise. Ice will melt. Coral will bleach. Animal species will die. Polar bears will drown. Our lungs will fill with toxicity and plastic. The air will be less rich and plant species will have less nutrients, impacting our evolution. Earthquakes will rumble. Monsoons will cause floods. Soil will erode. Fires will burn. Mudslides will slide.

I've no doubt any true effort to try and slow, halt maybe even reverse any of this will be far far too late. Because we just don't have the will to work together in any meaningful way. Brexit is a microcosm of humanity. And that's just on a tiny little island. Nations, religions, races and creeds all in unity as a planet earth? Not before planet earth wins.

 

Global warming isn't the only issue here. The number of fatalities caused due to air pollution is staggering. It kills more than knife crime, drunk driving, etc by a country mile.

 

Electric cars are way off & too expensive & impractical for the likes of me. Hybrids & low emission cars are the way forward in the short term. The Tory government scrapped the lower road tax for low emission cars a bit back (mine is in the qualifying period). National policies like that are going to do more than draconian local rules. I suspect Bristol will row back a bit on this, but the general move has to be away from diesel & eventually unleaded vehicles too. We have so many things we tax & regulate against, like tobacco, alcohol, etc & anything that is a danger to public health must be tackled at some stage.

 

Electric cars are this generation's unleaded vehicles and diesels. Back in the 80s we were encouraged to go unleaded and then they realised they were having an impact on the atmosphere so then we were encouraged to go diesel because they were kinder to the environment. Now it's battery powered vehicles but, for the reason you've highlighted, they have serious flaws. We, as a species, really have to fall out of love with our personal means of transport.

 

You are right & implementation like that on a draconian level, won't win the argument.

 

What about disabled people who are unable to use public transport or afford a new car ?

 

Motability are already grasping the nettle, but I fully get your point.

It is a good thread this, and I don't disagree with any of the points made. Rule changes have to be fair & balanced, especially in terms of the vulnerable & small business people, but a change does have to be implemented, as it is generally the very young & the old that are mostly blighted by pollution, in terms of health.

 

I appreciate you might not give a ****. Some people do. We are not in control of what other people do only what we do. Electric vehicles exist. Improve electric charge point availability invest in alternative technologies

 

Out of order really . You keep talking about electric cars which is all well and good but its the larger vehicles that are ultimately restricted. Have you ever heard of an electric HGV ?
These vehicles still have to deliver to city centre shops with the goods that we the public want to buy.
A euro6 compliant coach costs approx 200k, second hand, it's just an investment most companies can't afford.
It's easy to take the moral high ground when it doesn't effect you or your livelihood.

 

There are many transport companies that are based within the C.A.Z boundary in Leeds that could easily be looking at £1,000 a day in penalty charges. Good money for the council .

 

Good point. How do you combat the mortality rates from pollution though, or are they not important?

Apologies for using a Torygraph link

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science...n-killing-nearly-many-people-smoking-britain/

 

A scrappage scheme with help from the government would be a start. We all want to run environmentally clean vehicles but the investment is impossible for small companies. It becomes survival of the richest.
I hope some if our dedicated away fans realise they are travelling on 30 year old coaches to away games, which reach a maximum of 8 miles to the gallon whilst kicking out more **** than Royston drift ever did.
It could be double standards, I don't know !

 

If councils were serious about the air quality in city centres there should be a total ban on heavy diesel vehicles, but no, we are welcome to cross the drawbridge as long as we pay the toll . It's double standards at its worst.

 

The planet will be fine long after the human race is gone.

 

Its a populist thing for me, jumping on the anti diesel thing.
They need to start at the bottom and work up for me, first get rid of the ridiculous amount old mucky diesel and petrol cars/vans/buses, I suspect that would improve air quality vastly , rather than also lumping the new 'cleaner' diesels in

 

The point is the government needs to do more. Large cities are death traps due to pollution, as they have been since the victorian era.

It is why free market economics on their own don't work for the good of the population in instances like this. If islamic terrorism, knife crime, etc were killing this many people it would be on the front page of the Daily Mail every day.

 

We all use transport, we all need transport, but nobody likes transport. We're all hypocrites really. I work in transport so I'm biased but the industry is on its knees because of regulations . It's like somebody saying to you Peachy, all your gear is too noisy now, its making people deaf, it wasnt before, but it is now and needs replacing .

 

the planet will be fine when the human race has gone. Fixed it for you.