Sunderland Echo readers' thumbs down to giving up their car to fight climate change

Sunderland Echo readers say they would have to see big improvements to public transport before giving up their cars.
Would you give up your car to fight climate change?Would you give up your car to fight climate change?
Would you give up your car to fight climate change?

Our poll asked if you be would be willing to go without personal transport as part of the fight against climate change.

And a whopping 88 per cent said they were NOT ready to make the sacrifice.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Just 12 per cent said they were prepared to give up their wheels.

Lack of reliable public transport was the overwhelming reason.

John Wild said: "I start work any time from 6am at least five days a week, sometimes more, and would have to get three buses from where I live to where I work.

"Public transport is incapable of getting me to work on time so therefore I have to drive."On top of this it would cost me an absolute fortune to use buses every day."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Hayley Ann Jenkins was in the same boat: "I can’t get to my main work via public transport as I travel Darlington to Sunderland (unless I want to increase my journey considerably) as there is only one or two trains a day, at times that would mean I would be late for work," she said.

Several people thought public and private sectors could be doing more to help.

Gary Conlon write: "Big business should put private travel for employees with government aid bus scheme's etc for shift changes," while William Vincent Wynd said: "The Government should have an exchange scheme, give up your petrol/diesel for an all electric vehicle of the same size at no cost, it would be a lot cheaper than HS2."

Andrew Paul Williams highlighted the north/south divide in funding: "Give the North East the same public transport investment per person as London and it might be possible," and Julie Ellwood blamed out-of-two development of the rise in car use: "They build factories and new office buildings in the middle of no-where for people to work unsociable hours, say it has great transport links to the A19, then preach on about people using their cars!

"Do they expect people to teleport there and back?"