Naah, we were told, that is conspiracy theory thinking. Next you will tell us that the elite wants us to "own nothing and be happy," just like the communists promised.
Well, sorry to tell you this, but we were right. Again.
Remember, as bad as this is, it is just the beginning. I've been watching the creeping destruction of mobility here in the US, where first there were bike lanes taking away parking, then taking entire lanes of traffic, then proposals to close throughways and make them two-lane "walkable" streets, and we even had a proposal to close down the Interstate connection between Minneapolis and St Paul (so far, that has yet to move forward after people screamed bloody murder)
Oxford, that happy little berg hosting the eponymous university, is rolling out its 15-minute city plan, and it sure is a nice start to the movement.
Labour has approved a rollout of “Stalinist” 15-minute cities across the UK, The Telegraph can reveal.
Ministers have said that they will allow councils to use driver licence databases to impose fines on drivers who fall foul of “traffic filters”, which restrict driving in certain areas.
The controls on motorists, which are to be implemented for the first time in Oxford city centre later this year, have been described as “perverse” by motor groups.
The 15-minute city is based on the idea that a person can access amenities within a quarter of an hour by walking or cycling. In some cases, this could result in traffic restrictions being brought in for drivers.
What sort of restrictions? After all, I thought this was about making it easier for people to get access to the goods and services they need without long drives.
Under the scheme, drivers would need a residents’ permit that allows 100 days of free travel per year through six traffic filters during operating hours.
Greg Smith, shadow transport minister, said: “This is the blueprint for a national rollout. Labour has given the green light for draconian councils like Oxfordshire to police how people live, move and drive, using cameras and fines backed by DVLA data.
“Oxford is the test case, but this is Labour’s blueprint for the country.”
Yes, you read that one right. One permit you must apply for is for "100 days free travel," and another for 25 days through another set of roads.
Break the rules to drive more, and you get punished.
"Stalinist" is a bit hyperbolic, for the moment, since the punishments are fines (although presumably failure to pay could land you in jail, I suppose), but this is just the opening bid. How long until the access will be gated? How long until complaining online will get you a visit from the police, as happens all day, every day for similar offenses?
Expanded areas? As few as 25 days a year. This isn’t a one-off. It’s a preview. Under C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group planning targets: • Meat: ~16 kg per person per year, with the long-term goal trending to zero • Flights by 2030: 0–1 short-haul flights per person per year • Cars: sharply reduced private vehicle use inside cities Officials call it sustainability. Critics call it managed movement and consumption becoming policy. At the same time: • Multiple U.S. cities are studying similar traffic-restriction models • A Gates-backed smart city is already building core infrastructure in Arizona (full build still years out) Climate progress… or hunger games?
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