Alternatives to the private vehicle in the de-escalation

We have heard a thousand recommendations regarding the coronavirus in recent months. Among them, sanitary distances, staying at home, not touching, washing hands with various products, etc.

We have also heard that the products purchased by the State to protect the fighters to save us, do not have the desirable quality or quantity. Not protecting those who help us is a serious contempt for necessary and selfless groups.

What a country… In the fall, an important part of Spain, and especially in Catalonia, spoke about the climate emergency. Some very good intentions, which we have barely heard in public appearances during this first half of the year. It’s health – but less – apparently.

One of the main recommendations, speaking of de-escalation, should be: Do not take the car again – the car kills, speed kills, pollution kills. We cannot move from a situation where the virus epidemic kills and leaves its mark, to another situation where the new mobility kills and once again overloads the emergency room with injuries.

Where is the common sense of politicians, specialists and experts? It seems that health experts only know something about viruses and not about serious injuries (more common, moreover).

At P(A)T – which advocates for fewer victims and fewer injuries – we are greatly concerned about this lightheartedness shown by the administrations. “Wheels in motion: we must recover the economy!”.

Is it not possible to explain that we do not want to fill the streets and highways with aggressive machines again? Is it not possible to achieve a change in mobility (at least) in cities? Our proposal is that public transport be declared a priority (with bus lanes, improvements at traffic lights, improvements at stops and some other actions) that can increase the commercial speed of buses and guarantee frequencies that are more appropriate to the serious situation that we live. A decree that obliges the municipalities to change the details of the traffic lights in favor of the bus would be an initiative praised by citizens who move with sustainable mobility.

We want to save lives in mobility now and in the future and not forget, as usual, citizens who do not travel by private vehicle.

Ole Thorson, P(A)T Board Member