There's not really any substance to what everyone is arguing about though really, is there? The article is just fearful speculation by the author, based on a quote from the transport minister where she espouses her vision, ie ditching the "20th-century thinking centred around private vehicle ownership and towards greater flexibility, with personal choice and low carbon shared transport."
They seem to have taken the minster saying "we should ditch the 20th-century thinking centred around private vehicle ownership" as "we should ditch private vehicle ownership". There's nothing there about actually banning private vehicle ownership, or that it's existence is even mutually exclusive with shared transport schemes, yet the rest of the article is just the author acting like that's the case. Christ, the TM even says "...toward greater flexibility, with personal choice." So presumably removing private car ownership as a choice is not part of what she's suggesting
I hoped the "source" might include the full transcript of what the minister had said, or a link to a recording of it. But instead, it's just an even vaguer Express article, with the same partial quote. Then the rest is just a regurgitation of comments from overly dramatic "Express readers", who've taken a minister essentially saying "we should modernise our approach to car ownership" as "BAN PRIVATE CARS!", and reacted accordingly. With, of course, the usual predictable smattering of whining about liberal elites and Communism. I mean:
Jesus, calm down.
They seem to have taken the minster saying "we should ditch the 20th-century thinking centred around private vehicle ownership" as "we should ditch private vehicle ownership". There's nothing there about actually banning private vehicle ownership, or that it's existence is even mutually exclusive with shared transport schemes, yet the rest of the article is just the author acting like that's the case. Christ, the TM even says "...toward greater flexibility, with personal choice." So presumably removing private car ownership as a choice is not part of what she's suggesting
I hoped the "source" might include the full transcript of what the minister had said, or a link to a recording of it. But instead, it's just an even vaguer Express article, with the same partial quote. Then the rest is just a regurgitation of comments from overly dramatic "Express readers", who've taken a minister essentially saying "we should modernise our approach to car ownership" as "BAN PRIVATE CARS!", and reacted accordingly. With, of course, the usual predictable smattering of whining about liberal elites and Communism. I mean:
A further Express reader, using the nickname Haroldsdad, said: “I had to pinch myself when I heard this to make sure it was only a dream.
“A dream of living in some eastern European communist state or North Korea.
“This Government has gone power mad."
Jesus, calm down.
Last edited: