Norwich Alliance against urban 4x4s’ targets their use on the school run22 January 2006 - This Monday, 23 January, members of the Norwich Alliance against urban 4x4s and environmental campaigners will dress up as teachers and lollipop ladies to target urban 4x4 drivers on the morning school run. Campaigners will be 'ticketing' 4x4s and SUVs on the school run and seeking to engage in a friendly and constructive dialogue with parents and children, including the majority who do not use 4x4s. The event will start at 8,20 am at Hillside Avenue School, Thorpe St Andrew. Jenn Parkhouse is Co-ordinator of Norwich Friends of the Earth, and a co-organiser of the campaign against urban 4x4s vehicles. She said: "We hope to persuade some parents and kids today that it is better to walk or to cycle to school than to use a ‘Chelsea tractor’. It’s better for the environment, it’s safer – and it’s healthier!" Jack Guest, a student at UEA, is the co-ordinator of UEA’s sizeable ‘Sustainable Transport Action Group’, which has recently affiliated to the Norwich Alliance against urban 4x4s. He commented: "We will be at the gates of a Norwich school today to raise awareness about the real social costs of 4x4s and SUVs. Increased CO2 emissions and increased risk of death or serious injury from being run over makes 4WD vehicles a worthy object of protest." Councillor Rupert Read of the Greens, a co-organiser of the Norwich Alliance against urban 4x4s, lived in the United States for seven years, and, based on that experience, he said: "We can’t afford to let the UK become like the USA, where huge numbers of 4x4s create a hostile environment around schools. In the US one person a week on average accidentally backs over and kills one of their own kids because of the poor design of these vehicles!" Councillor Read concluded, "Today we are giving hundreds of parents a D for environmental damage and an E for effort. Vehicles such as Range Rovers and Jeeps are built for heavy-duty off-road work but many see about as much off-road action as the average pram. In the New Year of 2006, isn’t it time that we all made a resolution, to travel to school by foot, or by bike, or by bus, or, if these are impracticable for you, then at least in an ordinary car, instead?" Further information: Pictures from the day: Back to top |
