Educate me. Struggling to grasp the concept.

Personally, my retirement plans are predicated on the notion of taking myself off to an island in the Adriatic and seeing out my twilight years in a quiet little spot where everything I need and want is within a 15-minute gentle stroll.

So I grasp that part.

But this is my choice. And from what I can make out, the conflict appears to be around the notion/belief/fallacy, even though I struggle to grasp the details, that the Left are seeking to effectively impose this on people?

Genuinely interested in what is happening on this one because I cannot seem to get any straightforward answers, from either side..

"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command." - 1984 - George Orwell.

Poking the bear maybe . He’s correct though, as to some degree the planet is being protected for what, our future generations ? That may well be the case but as you see with ULEZ the protection is going to affect only the poorest ( initially) as it’s all about money. Then when the poor are eating each other the rich will inherit the earth. To do what, work their own fields and machinery. Good luck to them. As the lower rich will become the poor and on it goes until there is a lovely blue planet floating in the universe with no one on it. Great !
A dramatic descriptor but it has started !

It's a nice idea and I would say it applies to me.

Within walking distance of my home:
Transport links 5 mins, supermarkets (plural) plus high street 5 mins, GP surgery 15 mins and central London by train 20 mins.

However the above makes Beckenham a very middle class area and so expensive to live here, not everybody can afford to live in an area like this. In fact the poor often live in areas which lack many of these services so have to use a car.

The outer parts of Bromley and many other outer boroughs are actually in the countryside e.g. buses 1 per hour, shops 15-30 min drive, hospital 30 min drive etc.

That is why Khan's ULEZ is such a a sledgehammer.

Edited by Badger11 (21 Feb 2023 8.07am)

One more point

In regards to the whole concept of a 15 minute city, on the surface this is a great idea. Everything within a short bike ride of your home to save the climate. Its the implimentation of the idea that is the problem.

The only way an idea like this will work is if you dramatically restrict the movement and ultimately the rights of people.

As I understand it, the schemes that are being proposed are more about keeping people in their district using fines and sanctions. You will be allowed to leave your area 100 times a year, for holidays family visits etc, anything over that results in a fine. It doesn't matter if you work 2 districts away, the advice is, drive around, which to me defeats the notion that this is about the enviroment.

Another issue is having different rules for different districts. Richer districts (Beckenham ) having one set of rules and poorer districts having another, with no doubt, restricted access to areas with better amenities, for those who can't afford it.

We have already had this idea in operation for centuries and govenments across the world have been pushing people out of villages and into cities for ages..

"You can lead a horse to water but a pencil must be lead"

Stan Laurel

OMG . . . remember it well, i developed a 'thing' for Jenny Agutter because of this film. Great performance by Peter Ustinov & Micheal York. . . [Link]

I'm a blind man, i'm a blind man, now my room is cold,
When a blind man cries, Lord, he feels it from his soul.
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Now Zaha's got a bit of green grass ahead of him here... and finds Ambrose... not a bad effort!!!!