Eastbourne needs a transport tsar!

The Prime Minister recently announced the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030.

But this begs the question about the knock on effect of such a policy? Are we all really going to be driving around Eastbourne in our electric vehicles (EVs)?

The RAC in a recent article suggested that about a third of all current drivers will actually be unable to afford an EV and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) estimates that drivers of EVs will need about £2,100 a year to run their vehicles.

Never mind the fact that there will need to be a huge investment on infrastructure in Eastbourne to charge the expected number of electric vehicles.

For those people with off road parking there is a possibility of charging overnight, but what about all the vehicles parked on the roadside?

For those people financially excluded from owning an EV there needs to be an affordable and reliable bus service which is not hindered by congestion on the roads.

It would seem to me that the only way we are likely to solve some of these transport issues is to appoint at ‘Transport Tsar’.

Someone who has a clear vision how manage the balance between private vehicles and public transport, to reduce our greenhouse gases emissions whilst also having the political will to engage with ESCC on this issue.

Eastbourne declared a climate emergency in 2019 but now is the time to take the vision forward.