Rishi Sunak’s green credentials have come under fire as has been busy signing off deals for new oil exploration in the North Sea.
If that wasn’t enough he also waded into a row over car users.
He told the Telegraph “I am on motorists’ side, says Sunak as he orders review of anti-car schemes.”
His comments followed Sadiq Khan winning a court case after five Tory councils tried to block his plans to expand Ulez across all of London.
Sunak’s green credentials
Lior Steinberg Co-Founder & Urban Planner @ HumankindCo-Founder & Urban Planner @ Humankind posted this on LinkedIn and it has gone wildly viral….
What Rishi Sunak doesn’t understand? The anti-motorist and anti-car schemes don’t exist. There are only pro-people, pro-livability, pro-sustainability, and pro-environment schemes.
Designing our streets and cities around the car is indeed an ‘anti’ policy. It’s:
👦🏾 Anti-children: Cars rule the streets, depriving our children of safe spaces to play and explore. Every child should have the freedom to move around their neighborhood safely, but our car-centric design restricts this, leaving them confined to indoor spaces or heavily supervised environments.
👵🏻 Anti-elderly: For many of our elderly citizens, driving isn’t an option. Public transportation and walkable communities are essential for their mobility, independence, and quality of life. However, when cars dominate, we leave our older generation stranded.
💰 Anti-poor: Car ownership, maintenance, insurance, and fuel are costly. By prioritizing automobiles, we create a system that is inherently classist and excludes those who can’t afford a car. Better public transportation and safe bike and walking infrastructure are not just ‘nice to have’; they’re a social justice issue.
🌎 Anti-planet: The impacts of car emissions on our environment and public health are well-known. Reducing our dependence on cars is a critical step towards a sustainable future. Being pro-car dominance is being anti-our planet.
👨🏽🦽 Anti-people with disabilities: The ability to drive is not universal. Persons with certain disabilities are often left with limited options in a car-centric society. Accessibility should be at the heart of our urban policy, not an afterthought.
😷 Anti-health: A city built for cars promotes sedentary behavior, which is linked to numerous health issues including obesity, heart disease, and mental health problems. Moreover, car emissions deteriorate the air quality, leading to respiratory diseases among other health issues.
☢️ Anti-safety: Prioritizing cars and efficiency often translates to faster speed. This leads to more traffic accidents and fatalities each year. Pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users get injured and killed because of it.
The Prime Minister of the UK is against a livable, equitable, and sustainable society. Let’s remember: the goal is to move people, not cars.
Rethinking our car-dominant policies isn’t anti-motorist; it’s pro-people.
Related: Backlash as Sunak signs oil deal as family business link raises eyebrows
