For many decades this country ruled a great part of planet Earth. How did we let it happen then that we now have such a lamentable transport system ?
The basic problem has been that we have never decided logically what it was we needed and everything has proceeded in a higgledy- piggledy fashion. We invented the railways and our Victorian ancestors gave us a vast network of lines which would have been very useful today - but in a penny wise but pound foolish exercise, goaded on by the motoring and road building lobby, we let Dr. Beeching slash them to the bone. In many places moves are afoot to rebuild some of those lost lines - any one of which will cost far more than Beeching ever saved by his false economy.
The steel wheel on a steel rail is almost 600% more efficient as a means of moving goods and people than is a rubber tyred wheel on a tarmac surfaced road and a darned site safer to boot! What a wonderful tram system we used to have -what on earth were we thinking when we let ourselves be duped into scrapping it and put all our eggs into petrol and diesel engined private cars? Did no one do their sums and realise that we could never ever build enough roads to allow us all to be on the roads at the same time? Now the Government is planning to persuade us NOT to use our cars by road pricing. You have to tax your car even to let it sit out on the road and now they are going to charge you for every mile you use it -what a mess!
We are slowly realising our mistake but is anyone taking any notice? China is building cars as fast as it can - they may end up with 200 million cars and think of the kinds of problems they are making for themselves. Why are they not deciding to build the world's greatest transport network instead? It all comes down to our individual selfish and lazy natures urged on by the Car Manufacturers. Have you noticed that in all the tv and magazine adverts for new cars they are almost always shown on a completely empty road? Why? So that we become subliminally brain washed into believing their codswallop- that a car gives us the complete freedom of the empty open road.
But our private motor vehicles are far more hazardous than just causing traffic jams!
Each year, world wide, over 1 million human beings die in traffic accidents - think about it! 3 million and more are seriously injured and often crippled for life. The obnoxious and poisonous fumes that cars emit probably kill a further 2 million from respiratory diseases and perhaps a further 10 million a year die from obesity and lack of exercise.
If you think I exaggerate try a day out in Teheran -22,000 a year die in traffic accidents alone in Iran and it is hard to breathe in any part of its Capital city.
When we see a car emitting clouds of blue oil burning smoke we all turn up our noses. But actually every car is giving off clouds of gas from its exhaust but because they are largely invisible we become oblivious to the facts. If the fumes were say coloured black we would very soon abandon using cars because we would not be able to see where we were going and life in our towns and cities would be almost impossible.
So far I have made no mention of global warming - when we factor that awesome prospect into the equation then fossil fuel burning cars, buses, trucks , trains and airplanes are killing our planet.
The Government keeps mentioning global warming and its dangers but offers little in the way of really practical solutions. Governments last less than 5 years so to get them to spend money on anything really long term is enormously difficult -if not politically unacceptable. Some scientists say that our profligate use of fossil fuels might just shut down the Gulf Stream. We would then have regular winters like that nasty one in 1962/63. Hotter summers and colder winters? Are we willing to face that? Our ports iced up in Winter? Crops frozen into the ground? Ground too hard to dig graves even?
Roads and railways shut for days on end?
If we had a magic wand which could instantly give us the ideal form of transport
what would it give us? Well, the most important factor is the common good - we have to stop being selfish and lazy. Have you ever seen how the Penguins survive those Antarctic blizzards by gathering into a circle with their backs to the wind and taking turns at being on the outside? Rather humbling to see don't you think?
Well, since there is'nt room for ALL of us to have our own individual motorised transport, ideally we need to have a collective system. For it to work we would have to design our towns and cities to suit it. In them we would have trams in all the main streets and connecting them, a fast electrified system of double decked trains.
Can you imagine being able to breathe clean fresh unpolluted air? Imagine tree lined, flower bedded streets with no traffic -what a wonderful world! The trams and trains would run 24 hours. Food would be distributed to the Supermarkets by rail and trams would take you almost from your door directly to them - you could choose what you want and it would be delivered by special goods trams later. High Speed trains would connect the major cities.
A pipe dream? A train spotter's fantasy?
Well, ok if we can't just wave a magic wand and we are stuck in the porridge of inertia what can we do? Can any of us do anything at all to reduce our use of fossil fuels?
Well an idea which came to me was that we could all reduce our consumption of fossil fuels. But will we change our habits and take the bus or train instead of the car?
When it comes down to it we are not as noble as the penguins!
How about a way of saving trillions of litres of petrol or diesel annually without spending a fortune on new more fuel efficient cars or even using our present cars less!
Is there a way?
Yes ! All we have to do is all agree to slow down! 55 mph is a much more economical
speed than is 70 mph. I commute 29 miles each way to work and if I travel at a maximum of 55 mph my fuel consumption is over 10% less than if I travel at a maximum of 70mph - where allowed by law of course! My journey is 9 minutes longer on a mix of different types of roads but it is far more relaxing and far safer.
My chances of a serious accident are much reduced and my car will last a great deal longer.
Try it and see! Prove it for yourselves! On a motorway you can sit all alone in the inside lane listening to some lovely music while all the world whizzes by at gas guzzling speeds and they have to do all the overtaking - you don't!
Convinced? Any chance the government will reduce the speed limit? Pigs will fly first!
Every little helps as Tesco are so fond of boasting. If enough of us do it maybe the message will get across and maybe then the government might be moved to make it official - not just policed by those dreadful yellow roadside cameras but with fair and proper average speed cameras to catch those madmen you see every day exceeding 100 mph on our motorways. If the message gets under the thick skins of the Motor Manufacturers perhaps they will stop producing cars that do 200 mph (320 kph) and make practical cars that can regularly do 100 mpg! (3 ltrs.per 100 kms.)
To encourage you I am starting a club called the 55 mph club - or 88 kph club if you live in a country which uses kilometres instead of miles.
Its motto will be " Driving at 55 helps keep me and the planet alive!! "
It will cost you nothing - I guarantee that - and can only save you money. If enough of you join up I will be able to get you reductions on your insurance premiums, roadside assistance etc I will send you a free monthly news sheet. I will lobby Members of Parliament and try and get our aims and purposes mentioned in the media. I will try to find a way to get us all car window or bumper stickers.
You know it makes sense - so join today- help yourself and the planet by having safer and more economical journeys! Just complete the attached membership application form and email it to me. I will acknowledge each one.
You have my absolute promis and guarantee that none of your individual details will be disclosed to anyone and will always remain private and confidential. I might however use statistical information to try and get you discounts etc.
Amongst the other things I would like to achieve are fully lit motorways and central barriers high enough to prevent dazzle from oncoming traffic for mile after endless mile. I'd also like to see heavy trucks limited to the inside lane during rush hours and let them pay no road duty if they agree to travel only between say 2100 and 0600 -but paint them in yellow stripes so they can't cheat!
Incidentally I came up with the idea for what is now the Red Route scheme after seeing the appalling delays to traffic in London on the main routes in and out. I set it all out on paper -including the motorised traffic wardens et al - called it Green Routes and sent it to Mrs. Thatcher. A year later it appeared as Red Routes - well I guess you can't have everything your own way!
Here is to happier, safer, greener and more economical motoring !
