European Mobility Week 2008 - 16-22 September

Theme 2008:

Air Quality and Carbon Emissions

CEL encourages people to support National Car Free Day,

which is also European Car Free Day - Mon 22 Sept 2008


Should a church wish to organise their own Car Free Sunday, on some Sunday during the year, CEL has some material which you may like to use

Download CEL's Green Transport Leaflet .For large quantities of this as a printed leaflet send a large SAE and a donation to CEL Publications, 40 The Avenue, Roundhay, Leeds, LS8 1JG, UK

Even if your church cannot totally be Car Free for a Sunday - perhaps because cars are needed to transport disabled people to church, or because the vicar cannot physically get between two tightly scheduled services any other way - putting up posters or leaflets about CarFree Day is an excellent way to make people think, and to start discussions on this topic.

In Town Without My Car websites:

In town without my car
www.22september.org
www.mobilityweek.eu/

As Christians we should be concerned about the rightness of our actions and about the effect of these on the quality of life for other people. Our concerns must include those 30% of households in Britain which do not have access to a car for whatever reason.

Our decisions about transport ARE part of our Christian responsibility to simplify our lifestyles as good stewards of God’s creation, standing against

• the wasting of resources
• the dire effects of pollution, including aeroplane pollution
• the disruption of people’s lives

How, throughout the year, can we show our Christian responsibility in our travelling? Consider implementing as many of these suggestions as you can.

• Whenever you think of making a journey, ask yourself whether it is really necessary.



• Walk or cycle all journeys of less than a mile, if you can.
• For longer journeys, use the bus or train, and if you need a car, hire it at the other end.
• Organize a car-sharing scheme.
• Check if your church has a cycle-rack as well as a car park.
• Put pressure on your local Council to give priority to people rather than vehicles, through traffic calming schemes, cycle facilities, pedestrian crossings, and lorry restrictions.
• Continue to press the government to give higher priority to an integrated public transport system with simplified ticketing and easily accessible information, and to take firm measures to reduce car and lorry journeys.
• If purchasing a parish or community bus choose one which is fuel efficient. In the future it may be possible to consider buying a gas powered bus which is less polluting.
• If organizing a pilgrimage for a church group use public transport but try to avoid ecologically damaging jet travel.
• When organizing a local church outing also avoid ecologically damaging travel.
• Roll back a piece of asphalt from the church car park and let living trees and plants flourish.
• Find out whether in your denomination the church leader gets an allowance for cycle mileage as well as car mileage.