The Council have launched an “on line” survey which is apparently attempting to discover resident’s views on emission levels in the City. We think that residents should take very opportunity to make their views known on local issues, not least because the opportunities are very rarely offered these days and “silence may be taken as consent”.

The results of the survey are likely to be taken as an endorsement of the Council’s plan to exclude vehicles (of all sorts) from neighbourhoods that it has designated as low emission zones. The full impact of such a policy has never been explained (or thought through?) given that buses are currently some of the worst contributors to the levels of nitrogen dioxide in the City.

The Councils recent form is poor.

The low emission bus trial undertaken on 2010 has not been followed up and the Lord Mayor’s new Limo has a large conventional engine (another decision shrouded in secrecy).

Provision of electric charging points for plug in hybrids (and battery vehicles) are rarer than hens teeth.

The nearest hydrogen refuelling point is 200 miles way

The Council indicates some of the proposed methods which might be used in a low emission strategy include:
• Minimising the volume of vehicles and ensuring only the lowest emission buses, lorries and taxis available can access the areas of the city with the poorest air quality
• Promoting and incentivising the use of low emission vehicles, particularly those which run on electric, compressed natural gas (CNG), bio-methane and /or make use of hybrid technologies
• Investigating freight transhipment and electric vehicle deliveries for the city centre
• Promoting York as a centre of excellence for low emission technologies, attracting new businesses and industries

The supporting information fails the usual key test.

It does not reveal how much each change could cost and how could it be funded? This is particularly true of the concept of a transhipment depot to serve the City centre. It would be hugely expensive.

So we recommend that residents do complete the questionnaire but in doing so they retain a certain sense of scepticism about some of the statistics and health claims made in the supporting documents. In addition everyone should make the point that financial costings are essential if respondents are to make an informed judgement.

The survey can be found here http://tinyurl.com/York-Emission