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Association of British Drivers Petition

As a change from Coronavirus - a friend has just sent me this Petition.  Am investigating further - sure there will be opposing views on here!Please consider signing and sharing the petition below started by ABD (Association of British Drivers) Environment Spokesman Paul Biggs. UK Net Zero CO2 by 2050 will have net zero effect on global CO2 emissions, weather or climate, but it will have a huge and costly effect on UK lifestyle requiring an end to eating meat, flying, gas central heating, even higher energy bills etc  and, of course, an end to private car ownership:https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49425402 The petition is here:https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/300316 The Alliance of British Drivers was formed in October 2012 by the merger of the Association of British Drivers and the Drivers' AlliancePress Enquiries: pressrelease@abd.org.uk 0870 4442535 General enquiries and membership: membership@abd.org.uk Support us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/allianceofbritishdrivers  Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/TheABD  Visit our website: http://www.abd.org.uk/The Alliance of British Drivers is run on a voluntary basis to lobby for the beleaguered British motorist.The ABD - The Independent Voice for Drivers The Alliance of British Drivers - the operating name of Pro-Motor. A non-profit making company limited by guarantee. Registered in England No.2945728.  4 King Square, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 3YF.

Jennifer Selig ● 2428d17 Comments

So here comes the rally against Net Zero,  a frenzy of climate deniers and right wing media has emerged over the past month with much of it driven from those delightful people in Tufton St.I look forward to being part of the opposition to this campaign of misinformation by Tufton St and all their affiliates.

Matthew Swain ● 2428d

Ah yes, the divine right to drive.

Ken Munn ● 2428d

The Petition has further information? or is it misinformation? to make one think:-The financial and freedom implications of Net Zero have not been explained, along with the fact that the UK produces less than 1% of global man-made CO2 emissions. Even reducing this to zero will have no impact on global man-made CO2 emissions, weather or climate as the big emitters like China (30%) and India have energy policies that will continue to increase global CO2 emissions to 2035 and beyond. A unilateral or limited net zero could just move UK emissions and jobs overseas.

Jennifer Selig ● 2428d

There is a call for free parking all over London so that people can self isolate in their cars and drive to work in comfort and not pick up all the germs of others on public transport. Sounds like a plan.The Government should now nationalise all private parking enterprises over London and make it free for all.

Steve Taylor ● 2428d

Very good Steve!I thought we were now at the point where it is cheaper to create renewable energy than to build more coal fired power stations.  So countries like China will change to doing that.

Philippa Bond ● 2427d

This from Public Health England:"Air pollution is the biggest environmental threat to health in the UK, with between 28,000 and 36,000 deaths a year attributed to long-term exposure. There is strong evidence that air pollution causes the development of coronary heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease and lung cancer, and exacerbates asthma."Compare that to the just over a thousand premature deaths in Italy so far from coronavirus. Pollution is having thirty times that effect here, not just once but every year.

Tom Pike ● 2427d

"There is strong evidence that air pollution causes the development of coronary heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease and lung cancer, and exacerbates asthma."Hence a good reason to self isolate in an airconditioned car to reduce the risk.

Steve Taylor ● 2427d

Sorry, won't be signing this.

Claire Moran ● 2427d

Except that there is more pollution inside a car than outside!https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/in-car-pollution-equivalent-to-passively-smoking/

Guy Lambert ● 2427d

Yes I've red that before.  What to do?  Suppose we all need to move about in individual "pod-suits" with a filtered air supply.  Does that mean we should ignore the lowly 1% our little country contributes to the World's pollution and go all out to ban everything not electric?  Can we truly provide sufficient electricity to cover every ones needs here?  I certainly cannot afford an electric car and anyway have no means of charging it from my home.  Can we make enough batteries to store the electricity?  Who will fund a change from my gas boiler to an electric one - there's all the making good to my home too???I'm all for a greener planet but Science must come up with the solutions.

Jennifer Selig ● 2426d

I must confess, I'd never heard of the ABD.A quick search reveals:"The Association of British Drivers (ABD) is a libertarian transport lobby group which claims to speak as "the voice of the driver" on a wide range of driving related issues such as opposition to road tolls and road tolls and congestion charging. On its website the ABD states that they advocate "environmental policies based upon sound science rather than politics and hysteria."Their environmental spokesman is Paul Biggs, a widely published climate change skeptic."(More here: https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Association_of_British_Drivers )So the "Voice of the Driver", is it?I'm a driver, but they don't speak for me. And when their petition is finally presented in hard copy, I hope for their sake it's been printed on soft paper for when they shove it where the sun doesn't shine*. * - I don't mean Scotland, btw.

Richard Cathcart ● 2426d

He's one man in a room somewhere

Ruth Mayorcas ● 2426d

45% of pollution in Hounslow is traffic (not incl Heathrow) so your answer is right there - less car use - wheelie trolleys are great for heavy shopping, I've used one since in my 30s - taking stuff to charity shops, duvets to Moran, buying plants from Wheelers - a cinch really.

Ruth Mayorcas ● 2426d

Fake news to claim pollution is higher in cars. It’s nonsense. The study was performed by clean air tech company Airlabs, who have a vested interest.

Steve Taylor ● 2426d

I've not signed this petition as still unsure of the viability of ABD and their claims.  It cannot be argued that Britain is a tiny drop in the ocean though.  Science has to come up with the solutions for provision of power or we go back to the club and cave!

Jennifer Selig ● 2425d

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jun/12/children-risk-air-pollution-cars-former-uk-chief-scientist-warns

Ruth Mayorcas ● 2425d

There is an increasing amount of wind and solar power being created.  Many homes need to be better insulated - some still don't have double let alone triple glazing and the amount of electricity being used for heating will reduce with more air heat and ground source pumps being installed.  This is moving forward not hanging onto out of date and polluting technology.

Philippa Bond ● 2425d