[sustran] Re: The Seven Simple Truths of Sustainable Mobility (Come argue with me)

[Ian Perry]

Hi All,

Truth 1.             *You can't have a sustainable planet without
sustainable cities - perhaps it is society rather than the planet that needs
sustainable cities?*  Sustainable cities also need sustainable rural areas
to "feed" them...

Truth 3. Perhaps it should be added that happy citizens are not spending
time travelling, therefore rather than talk of distances (trains can cover
distances quickly), we should be talking about travel time (in all
conditions)?

Truth 6.             *We know all we need to know about both (a) the
sticks (economic, regulatory and other instruments to reduce, sequester and
control traffic, etc.) and (b) the carrots (all those other ways of getting
around which need in each case to be woven into a mobility system of
affordability, enhanced life quality and choice).*
I'm very vary of sticks - because the car lobby always seems to have bigger
sticks...  In the UK we hear about "The War on Motorists", yet the reality
is that motoring is more subsidised and accessible than ever..  The more
motorists are fined, the more entrenched they become.  Do they set off to
park illegally or to access a destination?  The illegally parked motorist
found illegally parking (and the risk of a fine) met their requirements
(wants/needs) better than the alternatives...  So why are the alternative
systems/transport modes failing to meet needs?

*I'm with Todd on removing the "green" arguments from new mobility.  It is a
losing argument, there are parallels and these show us that 40 years from
now, if we continue to talk climate change, we will not have progressed...
*
*
*
*The only truth we need to concentrate on is that we need to think of a new,
complete system that meets the needs and wants of all citizens better than
the present, dangerous, dirty, inconvenient systems we have - and how to
implement it so it runs along the existing system, until eventually
replacing it.*

Ian


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