We would like transport to be more sustainable within and around Thornbury. We want to reduce the air pollution and noise from traffic, and use less fossil fuels. Air pollution in our cities is becoming a big problem, and petrol and diesel traffic is a major cause of that pollution. Traffic is also a major source of greenhouse gases, causing climate change.
We want to encourage walking and cycling, which are more sustainable, and the exercise should make us healthier. Public transport is also a good option; it causes some pollution and uses fossil fuels, but less than most private cars.
We are in favour of electric cars. More and more Thornbury people have electric cars. They look the same as other cars, but they are much quieter. They can produce less pollution in the streets, but the electricity has to be generated somehow. If you have solar panels then you can use them to charge up your electric car, so your driving is clean.
We are holding an Electric Car Day on 1 April 2017 to promote electric cars. We feel electric cars have come of age, and are a real, practical option for lots of people.
Electric cars are more sustainable than petrol or diesel, can be cheaper to run and maintain and produce hardly any pollution or noise in the street. They look like petrol cars, but have no exhaust pipe, gears, clutch or starter motor, and for shorter journeys they are much more fun.
See the Next Green Car website for reviews of electric and hybrid cars.
On the morning of Electric Car Day there will be a selection of electric cars and their local owners in Thornbury shopping precinct, so you can talk to owners about easy how they are to use and discuss the advantages and disadvantages.