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everybody in London is breathing toxic levels of PM2.5 particles. And the fact that the largest sources of PM2.5 particles are tires and brake dust suggests that electrification is at best only a partial answer.
We also have to drive a whole lot less.
Fortunately, London appears to be pursuing an all-of-the-above strategy when it comes to greener transportation, including electric buses to a massive investment in cycle infrastructure, the goal really does appear to be easing gridlock and rethinking how we get from one place to another.
London's cycle superhighways have already shown they can deliver 70% increases in cycling, and now Mayor Sadiq Kahn has announced an entirely new, fourth superhighway bringing segregated lanes to Southeast London for the first time.
Instead of car tire and brake dust, Londoners will be able to inhale healthier bike tire and brake dust.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 06 2017, @05:00AM (3 children)
Because this is NOTHING to do with health, environment, practicality, live quality, etc.
Its all about oneupmanship.
These people NEED to feel superior to others, and work hard to outdo each other in their particular flavour of virtue signaling.
Now, in the real world, why the HELL are cyclists not being taxed to pay for the huge infrastructure being thrown at a tiny tiny minority?
After all, drivers pay fuel taxes to support roads, road taxes, registration levies towards medical, etc, etc.
Cyclists once had the excuse that they contributed little to costs, however these days they are taking more and more of the capacity as dedicated lanes, as well as new contruction.
They also contribute significantly to transport related injury costs.
Why are they not paying their share? What happened to user pays here?
Time to register and tax cyclists - after all, they demand to be equal road users!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 06 2017, @06:07AM (1 child)
The car wash charges me extra when a cyclist fouls the grille of my car.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Friday October 06 2017, @10:43AM
(Score: 2) by bootsy on Friday October 06 2017, @09:28AM
At least in the UK a lot of cyclists are also car users so they do actually pay for the road infrastructure and cycling causes virtually no wear on roads whatsoever.
A lot of London's problems are due to a road layout occurring before the advent of mass motorised transport. There is no big multi-lane road going through London in any direction. A lot of the layout was "modernised" after the great fire of London and we still have pretty much the same road structure now, especially in central London. A lot of the roads still run along the Roman roads and walls of the City of London from 2000 years ago.
I think that London should actively look at airscrubbing and filtering technologies to help reduce pollution hot spots. When Cross rail ( rebranded the Elizabeth Line) comes on line that will help and they are talking about Crossrail 2 but London already has a hugely unfair amount spent per person by the state on transport infrastructure that no other UK region or city can get anywhere near. The UK dearly needs to get people out of London and living and working elsewhere.