Campaigning for green transport

We know that our individual actions and decisions have an impact on everyone, and transport is no different.

How we move from place to place, how often and how fast can affect our climate, our health and our local environment.

How we travel today so often damages our climate, our health and our well-being. It need not be like this.

We have the means to provide a superb quality of living for all people whilst, at the same time, having a positive influence on our environment.

All we need is the vision, the ambition and the will to reach our goals .

Vision

Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned environmentalist we can help you make the next step on the journey to travelling whilst minimising the impact on the environment.

The ETA’s campaigning mission is to reduce the impact transport has on the environment by raising public awareness of sustainable transport issues, influencing individuals, companies and transport policy decision makers, and working jointly with a wide range of organisations to provide educational material.

The ETA became a charitable trust in 1995 and a charity limited by guarantee in 2002.

The key objective of the ETA

To ensure Britain has an environmentally sustainable transport system. In essence that means that the way we travel and deliver goods does not damage our chances of a peaceful, healthy life over the long term. We are centred on the needs of ourselves as people and we recognise that we cannot live healthy lives if the biosphere is being damaged. Our health is based on the health of nature – They are inseparable.

What does that mean in practice?

We want Britain to be a place where:

• the transport network is safe, of high quality and its traffic flows freely.
• the streets enable children to walk and cycle without fear of being run down by cars.
• access to everyday facilities – shops, schools and workspaces – is easy without having to use a car.
• there are zero pollutants from transport: this includes climate change gases; noxious gases; noise; and, run-off.
• zero taxes on motoring per se and no need for national government expenditure on the transport network.
• Upmost consideration of the built environment and animal and plant life.

Talking to you

You hear so many different views about what to do. We at the ETA believe that diversity is the spice of life and that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. That is why we give you information about any particular issue so that you may make up your own mind – whether it be climate change, speed limits, tyre noise or walking to school.

Talking to government

The ETA discusses key policies issues with governments of all levels on a regular basis and submits its views to all crucial policy initiatives.

Spreading the word

The ETA broadcasts on television and radio and appears regularly in the press to talk about its many projects:

• ‘The Real Cost of Motoring’ – analysis of the full costs of motoring as can safely be quantified in monetary terms.
• The ETA Car Buyers’ Guide -an annual survey of the environmental impacts of cars available in British showrooms. It considers factors such as noise, emissions, engine size and power.
• Green Transport Week, an awareness-raising exercise which is designed to engage as many people as possible in doing their bit to reduce transports effect on the environment.
• ETA’s Safer Car Campaign
• The ETA launched the world’s first national car free day
• Taxation – persuaded the government to increase taxes on gas-guzzlers and reduce them on smaller cars.
• Noise – set up Britain’s new anti-noise campaign against increased air paths and noisy road traffic.
• Road danger – discussed with ministers the benefits of reducing speeds on our streets.
• Planning – promoted environmental issues into the planning process.
• The ETA open roads – safer streets campaign.

Gathering information

The ETA consults the public on environmental issues at both national and local levels: a survey of Oxford citizens showing them in being in favour of a 75% ban of traffic in the city centre, and more recently we conducted research in to the environmental awareness of British drivers.

With your support…more tomorrow

All this and more has been achieved over the last twenty years by the valuable contribution of all our supporters and members: through the purchases of our excellent products, gift aid donations and legacies.
You can help suppport our green campaigning with a donation of as little as £5

Please help support this vital work

Alternatively, you can simply use one of our services; when you sign up for our vehicle breakdown, cycle insurance, motor insurance or travel insurance, profits go towards our campaigning work.