Leader – Politicians must be prepared to upset drivers

Being green is often easier in theory than in practice.

That is what the council found when it reviewed the various less-than-environmentally-friendly investments made with money from its pension fund.

There was an air of Yes Minister about the atmosphere in Town Hall offices as bureaucrats patiently explained how in a million small and convoluted ways, getting rid of investments in fossil fuel extraction and diverting money into eco-friendly projects was simply impossible.

Likewise, people want to do their bit, but when it comes down to everyday decisions, it’s hard. Many understandably choose the most convenient, cheapest options. Hence why, sometimes, the state must intervene to force or incentivise them to behave in a particular way.

Take motoring. If London’s filthy air is to be cleaned up and lives saved, drivers must be inconvenienced.

Sure, there will be howls of protest, but you can’t please all the people all the time. Controlled parking zones (CPZs) may get people’s goat, but, as suggested by the chaos in Clapton, where an island of free for all parking was left amid a sea of CPZs, blanket controls would be fair.

As for the closure of some roads in Stoke Newington to create a cycle superhighway, we need more of this, not less.

It’s not about bashing motorists; it’s about getting more of them to drive less or not at all – for the good of everyone.