Re: “Councillor tackles vehicle idling”, (Citizen, June 1).
Councillor Kate, I read the article which states that you are trying to raise awareness about the environmental impact and the high rate of respiratory illness partly due to unnecessary idling of vehicles.
The article also points out that it would be a difficult bylaw to enforce.
Let me suggest an alternative improvement to combating the detrimental environmental and health issues that is easily enforceable. In my area, there are no less than 13 large diesel B.C. Transit buses rumbling past my house per day which rarely carry more than one or two and often no passengers at all. The same situation is widespread all over the Cowichan Valley. The only exception is the commuter service to and from Victoria.
These buses have their engines running from approximately 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. every weekday and to a lesser amount on weekends.
Think about how much exhaust, particulate pollution and expense this amounts to just to shuttle a meagre ridership around.
Right sizing the transit system from its current state to a smaller and more appropriate system would go a long way towards addressing the environmental impact and respiratory illnesses that go along with it.
It’s time to put this “sacred cow” (the ineffective and under-utilized transit system) out to pasture.
Start lobbying your fellow councillors that status quo re: the transit system is undesirable for the community as a whole and needs to be addressed, the sooner the better.
I know there was a conscious decision by the CVRD, etc., that we need a transit system, but at what cost?
Swallow your pride, do the right thing and ask yourselves, is it really working effectively and what are the negative side effects?
Wolf Hufnagl
Cobble Hill