Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
4
There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one's own safety
in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy
and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be
crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he
didn't, but if he was sane, he had to fly them. If he flew them, he was crazy and didn't have to; but
if he didn't want to he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute
simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle.
'That's some catch, that Catch-22,' he observed.
'It's the best there is,' Doc Daneeka agreed.
(Joseph Heller,
Catch-22
, 1961, p. 52)
Oxfordshire, a county in the southeast of England, provides an example of a relatively
sustainable central urban area (the city of Oxford), in urban mobility terms, but a car dependent
rural hinterland (the remainder of the county of Oxfordshire). This reflects many factors,
including high incomes and car ownership levels, the general poor provision and high cost of
public transport, a relatively dispersed urban structure beyond Oxford, and also individual
aspirations to own and use the private car. These issues combine to result in high transport
CO2 emissions, with growth projected. There is potential for developing a much greater
emphasis on walking, cycling and public transport in future years, and also to make major
progress in terms of using more low-emission vehicles. But there are major difficulties being
experienced in reducing transport CO2 emissions, of the Hellerian Catch-22 variety, particularly
in the suburban and rural areas beyond the central urban area of Oxford. The public policy
aspiration is to reduce emissions, and there is general agreement that much greater progress
needs to be made; but the investment levels required are not available, and the public aspire
to car usage. Even the more carbon efficient European cities - including the classic good
practice examples such as Freiburg, Strasbourg, Amsterdam and Zurich - tend to have
sustainable transport options in the central areas, but are often surrounded by relatively car
dependent suburban and rural areas. This is also the case in Oxford and the surrounding county,
and indeed in many other contexts.
This chapter considers these issues, assessing the potential policy measures and packages
available within Oxford, and wider throughout Oxfordshire, and develops scenarios for reduced
CO2 emissions. The context is thus very different to London as it involves finding solutions
for an affluent rural hinterland as well as a compact urban centre. People often choose to live
in the rural town and village centres of Oxfordshire because of the perceived higher quality
of life, of small and attractive local communities; and often large houses and open spaces;
