Possible campaign highlights a practical way for the British public to tackle climate change.
UK drivers who give up their cars next month could save around €150 and even win a prize. The initiative is run by the London-based charity Possible, whose “Going Car Free Challenge” in June aims to persuade drivers to leave their vehicles behind.
It might seem like a small step, but more than a quarter of the UK's carbon emissions come from transport, with private cars accounting for the largest share.
“The aim of the challenge is to show people across the country (or even the world) that it is possible to get by without a car in places that already have decent public transport, footpaths and cycle lanes,” Izzy Romilly, Possible's sustainable transport campaign manager, told Euronews Green.
Transport is the “problem child” right across Europe, according to a recent analysis by the EU campaign group Transport & Environment (T&E). Petrol and diesel cars account for 40% of transport emissions, which by 2030 will make up almost half of Europe's greenhouse gas emissions.
European cities are tackling the problem in various ways, making public transport more accessible while giving residents cleaner air and cleaner roads.
What does the UK's “car free” programme involve?
If you want to cut down on driving, the Possible challenge offers a supportive and motivating framework in which to do it.
What is more, you will not have to hand over your car keys at the end of May, because this is about opportunities to drive less, not to stop altogether. A month of climate-friendly travel might mean swapping the daily drive to work or school for a bus or bike journey, or committing to a day or a week without the car.
It is also meant to get people talking. Possible suggests speaking to friends and family about the importance of active travel, or writing to your local council about the need for people-friendly streets. Milestones like these are built into the “Going Car Free” initiative, which anyone interested can sign up to online. Sign up by 24 June and you will have the chance to win one of the (current) prizes from Possible, with winners announced at the end of July.
During a similar trial run by the charity in 2022, participants saved an average of up to £30 (€35) a week.
How hard is it to give up the car?
In March, in Oxford, England, 12 drivers took part in a local scheme, giving up their cars entirely for three weeks.
“The problem with cars, in terms of pollution and congestion, is becoming so big,” said Louise, a physiotherapist living in Oxford. “It was lovely to cycle to work rather than being on the road watching the traffic.” As a mother of three children under six, Louise found some aspects difficult, such as the planning and the longer bus journeys to get to swimming lessons. The children loved the experience, as they had never liked sitting in the car. The trial showed her where the city could do more for sustainable travel for children; in her view, policymakers should focus on improving access to public transport and building off-road cycle paths.
“I was surprised that I did not miss the car at all,” said Catherine, a 70-year-old artist and garden designer. “The cycle training session was very useful, because I never properly learned to ride a bike.”
By bravely taking to “two wheels”, and also using the bus and car sharing when she had bulkier things to carry, Catherine managed to cut the carbon emissions from her car journeys by 73%.
“It was easy, I really enjoyed it. Especially meeting people... If you walk and say good morning, you strike up a conversation,” recalled Elizabeth, a mental health nurse who spends £2,331 (€2,738) a year on her car.
Of the ten people who took part in the trial, all ten said they planned to cut down on using their cars.
Where in Europe are people experimenting with time without a car?
“Car-free time is nothing new. The UK need only look at our counterparts in Europe to see that it can be done,” says Romilly.
She points to a number of cities that have launched schemes to cut the cost of public transport, introduced bike and e-bike hire and extended cycle routes, as well as restricting car use in city centres.
“Pontevedra in Spain banned cars from the city centre in the early 2000s, while many German cities have traffic-calmed zones and 20 mph (32 km/h) streets,” she adds.
“Several European cities – Paris, Brussels, Copenhagen, Berlin and Amsterdam – mark a car-free day every year, letting pedestrians and cyclists move around freely without having to worry about cars.”
In line with mayor Anne Hidalgo's green vision, in 2016 Paris also introduced the Paris Respire (Paris Breathes) scheme, under which certain parts of the capital are closed to motor traffic one Sunday a month.
Romilly says the aim of Possible's car-free campaign is to “bridge the gap” between the UK and more progressive European countries, at least “until politicians do what needs to be done” and remove the existing barriers to reducing car use. She stresses that hundreds of people have signed up to the June challenge so far. It is not too late for UK residents to join them.