Shrewsbury: No we can’t
Wednesday 18th March 2009, 1:40PM GMT.
Whether you heard it first from Bob the Builder or Barack Obama, the phrase of the moment is “Yes, we can”, writes David Burrows
Putting aside the fact that we’re in the midst of a recession and no-one can afford to do anything, the phrase coined by the new President of the USA swept us along on a feel-good wave.
But not in Shrewsbury, it appears.
Can we have live music? No we can’t … I’ve already moaned in this blog about the death of live music in the town.
Can people drive? No they can’t … as I think I proved catagorically in a recent blog. Those who disagreed with me are, simply put, wrong.
And now the latest “no we can’t”. And yes, it’s about drivers again.
Can I sit in a carpark with my engine ticking over to keep me warm on a cold night while waiting to pick someone up.
Well, if the soon-to-be-defunct Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council has its way … no, I can’t.
The council is looking at plans to hit drivers who leave their engines running with £60 fines under new plans to improve air quality in the town.
Now, I have several problems with this. The first is … £60. Are you pulling my plo… leg? Other areas are trialling this plan as well. Their fine? £20.
I know Shrewsbury has ideas above its station – look at house prices for an example – but three times as much? Stick that in your (exhaust) pipe and smoke it!
And another thing. When everyone was talking about switching off engines to save fuel when petrol reached £57-a-litre or whatever it was, several motoring organisations (and you’ll pardon me if I think of them as the experts on these matters) said, actually, no, don’t do that because it uses up more fuel.
It is true that a car engine is at its most inefficient when it is idling, but in terms of emissions, the catalytic converter only works properly when it’s hot. Switching off the engine cools it down and therefore means more harmful emissions are pumped out when you do set off again.
And a burst of fuel is needed to start an engine, so switching it off and then on again seconds later actually uses more fuel than idling and produces more emissions.
So, before hitting the almost-taxed-off-the-road motorists with yet another pointless money-spinner to line the pockets of the council, how about thinking outside the box a bit?
Invest in electric buses, plant more trees – but leave us drivers alone.
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David Burrows, you’re a Daily Mail-pandering petrolhead. That much is obvious. And it’s more than a little sad.
When will people like you realise that owning and running a car is a privilege, not a right? This mooted emissions plan by the council is back-achingly NOT designed as draconian, and to be honest will probably have little effect in itself. However the publicity surrounding it will, hopefully highlight the ridiculousness of sitting around stationary in idling cars.
Who knows, the good people of Shrewsbury may well realise that they’re better off on their bike or on foot…. not holding my breath though.
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“Invest in electric buses, plant more trees – but leave us drivers alone.”
Good idea, you could then write another Daily Mail wannabe column moaning about council tax rising to pay for it.
“Now, I have several problems with this. The first is … £60. Are you pulling my plo… leg? Other areas are trialling this plan as well. Their fine? £20.”
The point of fines is to make you think before doing it again, if you think £60 is too much, then stick to the bloody rules, or is that to simple for a brave crusader like you.
It’s also amusing to note that had S&A been a Labour controlled council it would have been mentioned several times throughout the article, and lines such as “So, before hitting the almost-taxed-off-the-road motorists” are clearly a dig at the Government, who correct me if I’m wrong aren’t involved in this decision. Maybe for balance someone should edit the article to reflect the current political hue of the council, providing of course that doesnt’ impinge on your oh so subtle agenda.
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This whole country is getting stupid.
Some people need to wake up and smell the morning glory sunshine of the real world.
Next we’ll be told to turn our engines off at a roundabout!!!!!!
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Bobbyc, I take it you are a guardian reading, sack cloth wearing, tree hugging person.
Surely stopping and starting cars will create more emissions and delay traffic from moving as people start their cars, and what will the emission patrols travelling around in !!!
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NH – in what way is it “amusing to note that had S&A been a Labour controlled council it would have been mentioned several times throughout the article”? (please also note the use of a question mark at the end of a question)
I don’t think there was any political party mentioned at all, unless i missed something.
As you point out, SABC is Tory-controlled, but it’s a Labour government, and David Burrows rails against both.
I think you’re looking to find faults that simply aren’t there.
Get a grip and take the piece as I do – a bit of fair comment about a ludicrous idea (although, if, as bobbyc mentions, it encourages at least some people to get on their bike, then I’m all for it).
One final quick question – why are both of you so obsessed with the Daily Mail?
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Why not just ban car’s from Shrewsbury completely? I can think of no good reason why anyone in Shrewsbury should use a car for going about day to day business when a perfectly good bus network, cycle lanes and a train station is in existence! How many other similar size population centre’s in Shropshire can say the same?
Bridgnorth – ditto to all three
Much Wenlock – ditto to all three
Highley – ditto to all three
Ironbridge – ditto to all three
Dawley, Donnington, Madeley, Trench etc need I go on.
If you live in Shrewsbury you should no longer require a car for your day to day business.
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Moaning git.
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what an ill informed and utterly idoitic article the auther obviously doesnt care about the town hes in or the environment i think its time for the star to stop printing this sort of rubbish.
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No sightings of Tory Boy.
Oh wait SABC is a Tory run council so it must be a great idea and not loony or leaning to the left.
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Dave … I don’t sit with my car idling as my Corsa needs to keep the rev’s up or the amp, subwoofer, woofer, equalizer, PS2, LCD TV and plasma screen will drain the battery!
I have to keep reving the nuts off the engine at traffic lights and it don’t half sound good under the brighe by the county court in Shrewsbury and watching the faces of the mum and kids in the car behind as I fume them up is ace!
Keep up the good work Dave!
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what is wrong with horse drawn buses around shrewsbury. they will come again, why not now
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i agree we should never allow the greenies to run the council with these silly socialist ideas anit motorists must be ousted, we must not obey the EU rules
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Tory Boy sounds increasingly more like Nazi Boy. When you walk the streets that are heavily used by traffic in Shrewsbury like Smithfield Road you can really smell the fumes. Anything to reduce that is a good idea in my book, its not pleasant.
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