Sustainable Development

Greening in the Home - Transport

A good transport system is required for the social and economic success of an area. The majority of us use transport at one time or another, whether it is our own car, the bus, train or aeroplane. We rely on transport not just to travel from place to place but for the transport of goods, food for the supermarket, paint in the D.I.Y, store. Transport is part of our everyday lives even delivering our mail!

A good transport system is required for the social and economic success of an area. In looking to improve the transport system we need to ensure that not only is it safe, efficient and meeting our needs but that it has minimal effect on the local and global environment.

In 2001 South Ayrshire Council produced the integrated Local Transport Strategy. This document sets out the proposals to solve the transport problems faced by residents businesses and visitors to South Ayrshire.

When you think of transport and pollution people have a tendency to think air pollution created by the use of transport; Carbon dioxide, Carbon monoxide, Nitrous oxide. Lead and Sulphur, Many of us will link transport pollution to breathing problems. However what about the other pollution problems? Pollution caused by the production of oil diesel and petrol, the building and the creation of new transport routes, the disposal of waste e.g. tyres.

We do need transport but we need to develop a system that is more sustainable. Car manufacturers have developed new technology to reduce pollution, such as cars that run on lead free petrol, catalytic converters; some have gone further and developed vehicles that run on alternative fuels such as electricity, gas, water or even cooking oil!

Sustainable Transport

Ensure that vehicles have a catalytic converter and are regularly serviced
Ensure that we use reputable garages to ensure that garage waste is disposed of in a responsible manner. e.g. tyres, oil etc.
Make a conscious effort to reduce the use of private vehicles and either use public transport, cycle or walk whenever possible
Instead of running the children to school by car consider walking, cycling or sharing the car run with other parents in the neighbourhood.
Walk or cycle to work; think how much more healthy you would be and the number of calories that you will have burned off. Alternatively car share to work and reduce the number of cars on the road at peak periods.
Consider the purchase of alternative fuelled vehicles such as LPG and Dual Fuel
Consider purchase of cleaner fuels e.g. low sulphur