<
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240122-from-london-to-new-york-can-quitting-cars-be-popular>
'"There is a war against cars in America," a popular right-wing YouTube channel
declared in 2017. The short film argued that tighter emissions standards made
gas-powered cars more costly, and were part of a wider push to get people out
of their individual vehicles and onto public transportation. "So much for the
freedom of the open road," the video lamented.
The views raised in the video were not new, or limited to the US. Accusations
of a "war" had been circulating in the UK 15 years previously, as London
prepared to introduce what was then the world's largest congestion charge
scheme, requiring drivers to pay for city-centre journeys. More recently, the
city's expansion of its Ultra-Low Emission Zone (or Ulez), which also charges
cars that don't meet certain emissions standards, has seen "Blade Runner"
protesters tear down enforcement cameras. In the Belgian city Ghent, the deputy
mayor received death threats in the wake of a 2017 plan to discourage short
journeys by car.
Despite the ongoing pushback, cities around the world are continuing efforts to
reduce traffic and improve air quality by encouraging drivers to switch from
polluting cars to greener transport. Paris has a target to ban gas-powered cars
by 2030, citing the need to tackle climate change. And, later in 2024, New York
is set to conduct a first-in-nation car-reduction experiment : the launch of a
long-delayed congestion charge on journeys below Manhattan's 60th Street.
New York City's decision to finally go ahead with a congestion pricing plan
comes after decades of blocks, both at state and national level. The initiative
aims to reduce city-centre traffic by 15-20%, and to raise billions for its
struggling subway system in the process. But in America's land of the freeway –
where cars have long symbolised independence and the romance of the road is
part of the collective imagination – can schemes to tackle excessive car use
ever gain widespread support?'
Via
Future Crunch:
<
https://futurecrunch.com/good-news-obamacare-ocean-conservation-ireland-pandas/>
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
