Four ways to make York a greener city

York businessman Geoff Beacon loves the city but wants to make it a greener, more pleasant way to live. In the first of his articles, he sets out simple ways to make this happen

The Green Piece

I rather like York council leader James Alexander despite his support for the very ungreen Monks Cross 2. When I speak to him he seems to be considering new ideas. He tells me he is keen on projects that will have the green impact. The proof of the pudding…

Can we give him some new ideas, to test him, which help make the York a green and pleasant place to live? Send your ideas to me at YorkMix and I’ll catch him and get a reaction.

And tell me what you think of these ideas as starters…



1. Shut Lendal bridge to traffic

Except bikes, public transport and electric cars. Remember the peace, quiet and clean air when it was being mended?

2. Extend hours of pedestrianisation and tighten up on the car cheats

Stop big lorries cramming Coney Street until well into the morning.

3. Make York a star city for electric vehicles

Give them the VIP treatment with better access and easier parking. Let’s have open air electric car concerts and reserved parking by the inside rails of the racecourse to watch the horses thunder by.

4. Give a council-sponsored prize for retailers who cut the use of glass bottles in York

Unless they are returned and reused. Recycling – grinding bottles back to glass dust to feed furnaces to create new bottles – doesn’t save much.

What do you think? Any green ideas of your own? Email me here – or add your thoughts in the comments.