Traffic filters to ban private cars.

This is all part of how we are having our behaviour (the way we live) changed by the Net Zero vision for the future.  Countries are racing to get there .  Neil Oliver provides one of thee best summaries of the world in which we now live 




World Economic Forum at Davos 18 Jan 2023

Swiss MP Bastien Girod talking at the WEF  Davos about the near future.  Cities will be divided in to districts where everything you need to buy will be nearby and you will not need a car.  He encourages the idea of punishing business that do not comply with ESG (Environmental Social and Governance) 

Bastien Girrod WEF
Swiss MP Bastien Girod

Here is another example of moves towards Agenda 21.

Oxford's Traffic Filters 

The stand out feature of the following policies is the Traffic filters to ban private cars.  It is you using your car which will be monitored by cameras and you will need a permit to travel in your own city.  But first let's start a bit nearer the beginning :

Oxfordshire's Local Transport Connectivity Plan (LTCP)

LCTP is part of Oxforshire's plan to :  

  • reduce 1 in 4 car trips by 2030
  • deliver a net-zero transport network by 2040
  • and have zero, or as close as possible, road fatalities or life-changing injuries by 2050.
COTP


Oxford County Council Traffic Filters

What is a traffic filter ?

It is a point on a road monitored by ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) beyond which certain vehicles cannot travel .  If they do they will be fined.  When the system is first set up, it will be privately owned cars that will not be allowed unless they have applied for a permit which will give them 100 days per year permission.  Vans, Taxis, motorcycles, HGV's etc will be allowed at all times.The filters will operate all year 7am to 7pm and there will be a £70 penalty for non-exempt vehicles. 

Oxfordshire County Council wants to reduce the journeys that  are made in a private car which it deems as unnecessary.  Who could disagree with that when it hits all the trendy buzzwords in one sentence  "affordable, sustainable and inclusive transport system that enables the county to thrive whilst protecting the environment "

Council approves traffic filters scheme 

The Council has an active travel strategy to change your behaviour so that walking cycling or bus becomes the cheaper obvious choice of getting around to school, work, or leisure.   An ETRO (experimental traffic regulation order) will be put in place for a trial to begin in summer 2023.  The council approved the ETRO scheme at extraordinary cabinet meeting on 29th November 2022. 


What is ESG? = Environmental Social and Governance 

Pros:  ESG is all about being fair in terms of social justice laws , and protection of the environment, and making investors think about those principals when they choose where to invest their funds.  

ESG


Cons: It is a set of authoritarian views that thinks it knows what is best for the benefit of the planet and humankind and will not tolerate any other view.  It is packed with words and phrases that can't be disagreed with eg inclusive, affordable , sustainable, diversity.  It seeks to change your behaviour and limit your choices whether you like it or not .  It is already well developed across the world and you will find examples of it eveywhere. 

Sri Lanka is a country which illustrates how wonderful sounding virtuous ESG socialist policies can destroy society.  At the time of it's economic collapse in July 2022 it had a near perfect ESG score of 98 out of 100. 

Forbes Sri Lanka

Suffolk County Council 

Suffolk has Transport and Strategy plans 2011 to 2031 .  These seem to take a more realistic account of the need for economic growth than Oxfordshire's vision of restricting private individual's liberty to go hither and thither at will in their cars.   However , the sustainability appraisal that accompanies that plan points out various weaknesses in the plan with regard to protecting harm to history & environment of Suffolk .  

Transport Strategy

Measures to address these matters are contained in the annual plan 2022-23 , and also with acknowledgement of the Environment Act 2021 and the recent COP27 meeting.  

Politically speaking , Oxfordshire County Council is Lib Dem Greens, whereas Suffolk County Council is Conservative. 


Scotland 

In Scotland they have The Second Strategic Transport Projects Review.  (SSTPR) . Once you start to understand the jargon, then the direction of travel becomes easy to see . If you are still in any doubt, then Michael Matheson (Scottish National Party Net Zero Minister ) will tell it to you straight:  " the era of catering for unconstrained growth in private car use is well  and truly over"



The line of thought is similar to that which is becoming apparent in other parts of the UK including Oxford with their traffic filters scheme.   Recommendations of the SSTPR come under headings:

  • Improving active travel infrastructure - When something is "active" it means you have to walk, cycle or maybe hire a council scooter.
  • Influencing travel choices and behaviours - "influencing" means making something so expensive and inconvenient that you won't choose to do it. 
  • Enhancing access to affordable public transport " Enhancing" means electronic digital payments and digital tickets are preferred
  • Decarbonising transport - means anything except using a car. 
  • Increasing safety and resilience on the strategic transport network - this means lowering speed limits to 20mph and subsidising train and bus transport
  • Strengthening strategic connections - making rail and bus the main method of transport between cities. 


Location: Oxford, UK