Launch of new Hampshire Alliance

Saturday saw the launch of the new Hampshire Alliance Against Urban 4x4s on the grounds at Winchester Cathedral. Over 30 representatives from 15 local groups attended in spite of the heavy rains. 130 4x4s were 'ticketed' around the town centre. There was a very good media response, with several pre-records being played throughout the day, as well as a phone-in session on BBC Solent with Peter White.

Organiser Darren Shirley had this to say: "The Hampshire Alliance has been a long time coming. The inexplicable growth in 4x4 ownership across Hampshire has been evident for a while and the groups who formed the coalition have been working individually to tackle the rising level of local carbon emissions and other pollutants caused by vehicle emissions. It seemed sensible to combine our efforts and work together to stop big 4x4 (along with other gas guzzling cars) from choking our children and killing our planet. We don't want Winchester and the other towns and cities of Hampshire to end up like Chelsea! 4x4 sales are dropping and we aim to ensure this trend is continued across Hampshire and appropriate measures are brought in locally to curb the influx of 4x4s into the counties cities." Future events are already planned.

It's time to regulate the Auto Industry

Clearly it's time for the EU to regulate the automobile industry. The voluntary targets that the manufacturers set for themselves in 1989, to reduce their overall European fleet emmissions to 140gm CO2 / km by 2008, will not be met. Not by a longshot. So much for handshakes.

Instead, most car manufacturers have driven up sales of large 4x4s, which are cheaper to produce and allow a higher profit margin. Unfortunately most 4x4 models also emit higher levels of CO2 and NO2 than typical family sedans.

This summer, Ford UK was falling over itself with an anouncement that it would be devoting millions of pounds into researching technologies to reduce CO2 emmissions. However, that research may be looking in the wrong place. Using alternative 'bio-fuels' will not be a real solution, as the source of local biofuel would not be sustainable. The manufacturing of bio-fuels is dependent on harvesting large 'mono-crops' and encouraging corporate-run agribusiness just when we need our farmers to increase their localised production of diverse food crops to decrease food miles and provide food security.

More importantly, the rush for bio-fuel technologies does not increase the overall efficiency of the outdated combustion engine design, which is at best 20% efficient. Electric cars that run on batteries are about 90% - 95% efficient.

What we need is new innovative designers to think outside the box. Ideas such as the new all-electric Tesla sports car (that accelerates 0-60 in 4 seconds) are a step in the right direction. We also need new transport plans for cities that decrease our dependency on motorised transport. We can look to Portland, Oregon in the US for example.

It's time for getting down to real innovation. And accepting responsibility for the future, which depends on all of us.

Are 4x4 drivers Public Enemy Number 1?

 
A report released in the Independent by the British Medical Journal concludes that the drivers of 4x4s are 4 times more likely to be using their mobile phone while driving, and more likely to be driving without a seatbelt. Read the full report here. 

the Alliance joins the World Naked Bike Ride

 
Members of the Alliance joined up with the World Naked Bike Ride in London on 10th July to help protest about oil dependency and car use. We wore white M&S pants with slogans like '4x4s are full or arse' and 'bullocks to 4x4s'. The day was a complete success with almost 1,000 people attending the event. 

4x4s Cause Damage at the Carwash

Mark Collins writes: "You may want to add that you might be turned away from a carwash if you own a 4x4. I work for the UK's biggest carwash supplier and I can confirm that the biggest petrol stations are beginning to ban 4x4's from their washes, as a result of damage to their equipment. I can name one site that had over £6500 damage caused in 6 weeks from various 4x4's. Most carwashes cannot effectively 'see' the spare wheels and bull bars, and as a result try to wash the car as if its not there. Net result? smashed and bashed machinery.
Oh, and the most common damage caused by 4x4's? Customers driving into the carwash, because they cannot judge the width of the car correctly. The funniest accidents are caused by the owners of crewcab pick-ups. The roofbrush gets stuck in the loadbed, leaving owners trapped for ages.....what a shame."