WPL document needs environmental figures
HAVING read through the Business Proposal document for the workplace parking levy (WPL), I am surprised to read the document fails to note any beneficial environmental figures in its 73 pages.
Contrast this with September 2021’s City Council Executive Summary document, titled Leicester Climate Emergency Strategy 20202023.
In its six chapters it offers figures for properties registered on Environmental Performance Certificate register, business related emissions, waste and production in the home and potential global temperatures during the century, but again fails to give any figures for transport and travel and its supposed detriment on the climate.
As we continue in the Covid pandemic, business needs support for growth; by continuing to propose this scheme the Labour-run city council appears to undermine financial confidence and discriminates against the employee, should the proposed costs extend to them.
This would include discriminating against the low paid, shift workers and all “key workers”.
If this scheme was to be truly for the environment, electric vehicles would be exempt – which currently as proposed won’t be the case.
If the city council seriously wants investment for its proposed new future buses for Leicester, then as a minimum it should publish its CO2 figures for travel in the main routes from 2011 by annum to date.
Further, the council should have a counter proposal in place to financially fund this ambitious programme.
We cannot deny modern life is affecting the planet, the scientific evidence is there for all to see.
However, for too long it has been easy prey, criticising car users for the ills of the local environment and to look to them to being the “cash cow” of future transport schemes without the full disclosure of evidence for the individual to make a respected judgement on one’s travelling source.
Scott Kennedy-Lount, Leicester