EU wants no petrol or diesel cars in cities by 2050

[254575]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12879566

 

There should be no petrol or diesel cars in city centres by 2050, the European Commission has proposed.

 

Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas also set out plans to shift half of "middle distance journeys" from road to rail, and to cut shipping emissions by 40%.

 

He said: "Freedom to travel is a basic right for our citizens. Curbing mobility is not an option. Nor is business is usual."

 

The proposal would cut carbon emissions by 60% and reduce dependence on oil.

 

Outlining plans for a "Single European Transport Area", the Commission said there needed to be a "profound shift" in travel patterns to reduce reliance on oil and to lower emissions.

 

By 2050, it wants the majority of people taking a journey of more than approximately 186 miles to use the train, rather than a car.

 

Mr Kallas said this move, plus the phasing out of petrol or diesel cars in city centres, need not inconvenience people.

 

"The widely-held belief that you need to cut mobility to fight climate change is simply not true," he said.

 

"We can break the transport system's dependence on oil without sacrificing its efficiency and compromising mobility."

 

Thats a shame, i was hoping on owning a 2010 Bugatti Veyron in 2050, with 17 previous owners, no service history, no headlining.- shld ps MOT no probs

[garethj]

Planning for things 40 years in advance? I can’t think of too many times where that’s worked out as intended

[Guest]

Sounds like a proposal no one is getting behind, I'm not too worried. It is based around some pretty woolly predictions for the future, the 40 year timescale alone makes it absurd. You only have to look at what people in 1971 would have predicted life today to be like - having your dinner in little capsules, flying to work in a hover car, robot servants, holidays on the moon, being fired by Mr Spaceley on a regular basis. In reality, 2011 isn't that far-removed from 1971, other than the fact that you can't just smack women on the arse and go "alright love" anymore. The 21st century is balls, basically.

[AnthonyG]

I would just be happy I could still drive in 2050, even if is a Nissan Leaf Mk13

[Mike D]

Cities are shit anyways! We're all best off out of them

[dieselnutjob]

the problem is always the same

you drive to the big city, where the hell are you supposed to leave the car so that you can get on the public transport?

The London underground is ace, but a bit useless if you don't live near a tube station

[Richard]

the problem is always the same

you drive to the big city, where the hell are you supposed to leave the car so that you can get on the public transport?

 

See Mike D's answer above.

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

[Father Ted]

2050?

I'll be dead by then. So fuck it, I'll have another square port XUD please Bob...

[Mash]

Sounds like a proposal no one is getting behind, I'm not too worried. It is based around some pretty woolly predictions for the future, the 40 year timescale alone makes it absurd. You only have to look at what people in 1971 would have predicted life today to be like - having your dinner in little capsules, flying to work in a hover car, robot servants, holidays on the moon, being fired by Mr Spaceley on a regular basis. In reality, 2011 isn't that far-removed from 1971, other than the fact that you can't just smack women on the arse and go "alright love" anymore. The 21st century is balls, basically.

 

I hope by 2050 we WILL have hover cars and robots and shit like that or I'll be thoroughly disappointed. Actually I'll be 75 years old so I'll probably be complaining about stuff even more than now - "These fucking 3rd generation hologram generators are pants, i can't get them to load the Tagora driving simulator from the previous release"

[Justin Case]

We will not be banning cars from city centres anymore than we will be having rectangular bananas

 

I can see this all going rather pear-shaped

[worldofceri]

Sounds like a proposal no one is getting behind, I'm not too worried. It is based around some pretty woolly predictions for the future, the 40 year timescale alone makes it absurd. You only have to look at what people in 1971 would have predicted life today to be like - having your dinner in little capsules, flying to work in a hover car, robot servants, holidays on the moon, being fired by Mr Spaceley on a regular basis. In reality, 2011 isn't that far-removed from 1971, other than the fact that you can't just smack women on the arse and go "alright love" anymore. The 21st century is balls, basically.

 

It's funny how the biggest changes are the ones no-one predicted. Who would have dreamt of iPhones or pound coins or the internet or autoshite in 1971?

[scooters]

I doubt ill be driving by then!

[Formula Autos]

Predicting the future is pointless. Take UFO as a case in point. In that show, Gerry Anderson and his team tried to predict what 1980 would look like. It was made in 1969/70. So ten and a half years into the future was as far as their imaginations had to travel.

 

They predicted this:

 

We actually got this:

 

They predicted this:

 

We actually got this:

 

They predicted this:

 

We actually got this:

 

They predicted this:

 

We actually got this:

[scooters]

Predicting the future is pointless. Take UFO as a case in point. In that show, Gerry Anderson and his team tried to predict what 1980 would look like. It was made in 1969/70. So ten and a half years into the future was as far as their imaginations had to travel.

 

They predicted this:

 

We actually got this:

 

They predicted this:

 

We actually got this:

 

 

 

 

 

They predicted this:

 

We actually got this:

 

They predicted this:

 

We actually got this:

 

Fuggin brilliant...well done!

[Justin Case]

 

So that isn't Autoshite Headquarters then? Pity.

[dieselnutjob]

looking at London, there are quite a few places where the London Underground is quite near to a major motorway.

They should build huge car parks with a dedicated motorway exit, and an underground station at the car park.

 

For example Piccadily/Metropolitan goes to Uxbridge which isn't far at all from the M25.

The other Met line branch actually crosses the M25 between Rickmansworth/Chorleywood.

The Northern Line stops within a mile of the M1

The Central line is about 1/2 a mile from the bottom of the M11

 

That's just north London. I don't know about south London because frankly I would rather shoot myself than go there.

 

I know quite a few people who live in central London who either don't have a car at all, or have one and hardly ever use it. But if you live outside of London it is simply making the swap from car to public transport that is totally impossible

[scruff]

I park in back roads at Bounds Green if I have to go into London, easy enough for me.

[Station]

I can see this happening to be honest. Government thinktanks/conspirators are usually accurate in their predictions. And if it doesn't, who cares, they'll since have retired/died.

 

[dollywobbler]

I park in back roads at Bounds Green if I have to go into London, easy enough for me.

 

I used to park in Huntingdon if I had to go to London. Worked very well!

[Volksy]

It I ever need to go there, I park at Luton Airport Parkway, about £8 for the day, and catch the train in, which including an all zones travelcard is about £17

 

Saves a huge amount of hassle, and about the same cost in fuel these days....

[Guest]

I just don't go to London. If they're going to have that attitude, they can keep the sodding place. Plus Seth lives there.

[seth]

Yeah. and you can keep your so called "North" too.

 

He started it Miss!

[scaryoldcortina]

Meh. I've got to go to that there lundun on thursday. I'll have been driving south for two hours by the time I pass Hirst's place. I know for some, "the north" starts at watford gap, but for me "the south" starts at scotch corner!

[scaryoldcortina]

^ I know, but I don't pretend to be scottish

[seth]

for some, "the north" starts at watford

[pogweasel]

Problem isn't with taking PEOPLE into cities, it's STUFF that's the tricky bit.

 

If going "into town", and it's for a big job or one that is going to run a bit, it means lots of STUFF to take, moar than I can carry on the train, even if I have a Herbert helping me. There's no alternative.

It IS better than is was a few years ago though, I'm guessing that LEZ + high pez costs + c-charge etc means that getting about once beyond the 'burbs is really easy.

 

The LEZ thing is a bit irritating, LDV'S VERBOTEN!

[garethj]

I'd have to drive south for 5 hours to reach you, Scarey.

I used to have a car like that

[seth]

It IS better than is was a few years ago though, I'm guessing that LEZ + high pez costs + c-charge etc means that getting about once beyond the 'burbs is really easy.

 

Several times recently I've got from mine to the dungeon in about 40 minutes. That's leaving a northern 'burb at about 11am on a regular weekday. It might not be that many actual miles but that's running down the edge (was on the free route through the middle) of the C zone and beyond the River.

 

As for stuff, I guess should we be about to care in 40 years, there'd be a business opportunity in sort of black cabs for stuff. Kinda like "people + stuff couriers".

 

I think DNJ has a good point though - which is essentially park and ride but on a really big scale. Oxford is perhaps the nearest equivalent at the moment as cars are pretty much banned from the middle by way of bus only routes. They're going to be completely redeveloping large pockets of land at Cricklewood soon - would be an ideal opportunity to incorporate something like this which is at the end of the M1 and on Tube/Rail routes.

[Guest]

EU allowed enough time, petrol/diesel cartels & companies will easily achieve their 'dirty' targets by 2050.