Two professors in Scotland have outlined how they believe encouraging more people to cycle, walk and use public transport can dramatically improve the lives of people in cities through reducing air pollution and promoting healthier lifestyles.
Adrian Davis, professor of transport and health at the Transport Research Institute, Edinburgh Napier University and Professor Chris Oliver, a retired surgeon who was chair in Scotland for Cycling UK from 2012-14, shared their thoughts in a column for The Scotsman today following Edinburgh’s first car-free day last Sunday.
“With the declaration by Nicola Sturgeon of a ‘climate emergency’, we outline here why sustainable transport must be understood as critical in any strategy for Scotland to go ‘further and faster’ in tackling climate change,” they wrote, going on to describe transport as an “Achilles’ heel” in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
They cited a Sport England study that found that “town and city-wide active travel interventions are the most effective at increasing walking, cycling and overall physical activity,” as witnessed for example by the uptake of travelling by bike in three former Sustainable Towns, Peterborough, Darlington and Worcester/Redditch, which benefited from increased investment from 2004-09, with cycling and walking levels maintained in the ensuing years.
“The major mode share for sustainable travel across much of continental Europe is not culturally driven,” they continued. “It is because decade in, decade out funding has been at over £10 per head of population.
“In urban areas cycling could be a normal, everyday activity by 2040. The latest Sustrans Bike Life report predicts in Edinburgh alone, with adequate funding, that by 2040 just by more cycling, 47,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions would be saved annually, equivalent to the carbon footprint of 10,000 people,” they added.
You can read the full article here.
O'taking on a junction - tick...
the Madrid challenge also
How is brexcrement going thus far? Fishing for example. Discuss
"charity donation" ... or attempting to pervert the course of Justice. Was the offer recorded?
Of all the potential sentences the English language offers us ... "It's the only safe way to carry a chicken" is not one I expected to see on this...
This is kind of on point.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbxWGjQ2szQ
Which means they probably weren't concentrating on the road
There's a £20,000/wk cash cow waiting to be milked by speed cameras. That should pay for some public services. 5724 penalty points too
If you want a more permanent solution with similar look and coverage to these then I'd recommend the SKS Velocross guards. I had the Velocross 55...
Thanks for adding the link....