Starting the Journey to Zero Carbon

Sevenoaks' Lib Dem Councillors have asked thousands of voters how they would start the journey to zero carbon - starting now. We know government is moving too slowly and will miss the targets it has set to avoid serious climate damage. So we need to make this happen locally.

Here are ideas so far - Will you support them? What else will make a difference?

Safer Streets

• * 20 mph zones around schools and in streets where people live, to encourage walking and cycling, and reduce the need to drive

• * no HGVs though town centres, like Sevenoaks Upper High Street, to cut pollution, improve air quality and make walking and cycling safer

• more pedestrian crossings on routes to schools, to parks and local shops, to make walking safer

• * action on Cycling Strategies to join up homes, schools, parks, shops, stations, workplaces with safe routes between places like Sevenoaks, Otford, Seal and Sundridge

Make Our Towns Greener

• * more trees in our parks and public spaces, supported by community groups and residents associations

• * more trees along our roads, so that green becomes the default in our streets, and especially round schools where they can help improve air quality

• * Link up our parks with 'green routes' so that they become much more prominent in the look and feel of towns - stealing the idea of the 'Green Chain' in south London

Changing Transport

• * Improve public transport with better links between trains / buses, and better information on live running to buses and trains to make them easier for all to use

• * Green public transport by supporting electric buses, and public and private service vehicles (Gatwick's fleet is already 50% electric)

• * Green private transport by better cycling provision, and more investment in electric charging points for electric vehicles

Energy efficient homes

• * Green new homes by encouraging high insulation standards, solar power to achieve zero carbon use

• * Green existing homes by allowing owners to insulate them to highest standards possible within conservation constraints; this will require changes to planning policies

Energy efficient business

• * Green public procurement by councils and other public bodies, investing in solar power and energy saving measures, purchasing green energy and recycled / recyclable supplies

• * Encourage local businesses to collaborate on low carbon initiatives, to save energy and improve the efficiency of recycling

Changing how we live

• * Initiatives to change travel behaviour - car free days and walk to work / school days

• * Initiatives to change the way we eat - at home and in local restaurants - and buy food in local shops - meat free days to reduce CO2 and methane from food production.

• Send us your ideas to action@sevenoakslibdems.org.uk