The vast amount of us enjoy our freedom to drive where we like when we like. Ok so these days it is a costly luxury what with vast amounts of tax, high fuel prices and stupid charges to drive on the roads we already pay to maintain. But hey, at least we are still motoring… Or so we thought. The EU has submitted a proposal to ban all petrol and diesel cars from city centers effectively bullying the population into alternative modes of transport. Now I can understand that we must reduce carbon emissions and that congestion is an issue, but what if I don’t want an electric car? Where is my freedom of choice?
I hate to get all “Daily Mail” about this but it is something that has really annoyed me. Is the message that governments are sending out “conform or else?” The plan is to reduce carbon emissions in Europe dramatically and I am all for that as marvels of engineering make engines more and more efficient. I am also not against the electric car and found in particular the Nissan Leaf an utter joy. But what does bother me is that we no longer get a choice! If I own a petrol car, regardless of sales of electric in 2050, I will not be allowed to enter London for without a) Buying a new car, b)Taking public transport, which is fine but if you have a lot of luggage or want to use the car you have had to pay the government so much money to simply drive in the first place? I accept that changes need to be made but banning us from roads we pay for is not the way to do it.
The European Union say “it is not an attack on public mobility.” Too bloody right! It’s an attack on peoples right to make up their own minds.
