The Isle of Wight can come out of lockdown with an opportunity to improve air quality for the long term, according to Southern Vectis’ Andrew Wickham.
On World Environment Day – Friday 5th June – the bus operator’s managing director is urging people living and working on the Island to embrace green and efficient public transport over the coming months and years.
Andrew Wickham, Managing Director for Southern Vectis, says:
“Recent months have been hugely challenging for everyone, and key workers across the Isle of Wight have worked tirelessly to save lives and keep us all going.
“We have been playing our part by providing transport for essential travel since lockdown began in March, and have recently increased our services – following the Government’s decision to ease restrictions.
“One positive result of lockdown, is the effect it has had on our environment. People have been travelling far less by car and, although we have yet to receive official figures, we have seen with our own eyes the reduction in congestion across the island – and this can only have a positive impact on our air quality.
“Wwe want to help keep this momentum going. The nation is beginning to emerge from this very difficult period, but it will take some time for us to return to any kind of normal. In the meantime, our team is ready to provide transport to the people of the Isle of Wight – albeit with social distancing measures in place.
“Looking more towards the future, we at Southern Vectis want to build on our past efforts. As managing director of a bus company, you would expect me to encourage people to use sustainable transport – but travelling by bus, rather than by car, really does help reduce congestion and pollution.
Article continues below this advertisement “The world is a very different place than it was just a few months ago but this is our chance to embrace one of the more positive outcomes of lockdown, and try to create a cleaner and better environment for all.”
For more information about World Environment Day visit worldenvironmentday.global.
I wouldn’t get to work on time if I was to use public transport and wouldn’t get home until late so not sure on it working.
What a lot of poppy cock! The liars ( government) are saying use public transport only if really have to, and this twit hear, saying people are using their cars less and should be using the buses more! Well that’s not going to happen now, because you are going to in force mask wearing. Only the sheep that will obey, will do this. I will rather walk.
Bloody buses break the speed limit past my house all day long rattling my Windows.
What does WWE have to do with this?
How do I get to Havenstreet by bus to visit the steam railway? If he wants us not to use our cars but use his buses instead he needs to provide them for us to travel on.
Could we start by getting rid of the smelly diesel buses we have now and change to an electric fleet of smaller ones that run to a more frequent service…..yep I do live in cloud cuckoo land!!
Why on earth would I use a bus service with one of the highest fares structure in the country! The only thing that’s green about this island is it’s occupants putting up with it!
He’s just thinking about the share holders!
Sustainable transport?? What utter rubbish.
More than half the seats are empty now and with unclear, muddled, rubbish guidence those who would still try to find a seat don’t bother as they don’t know if the buses will even be running or to what random schedule.
The only thing green about Southern Vectis is the paint colour and the the naivety of those who think they are environmentally friendly.
Use it or lose it, and the latter will.apply.
Terrible attitude towards a sustainable transport infrastructure Islanders have.
All diesels apart from eu cat6 need to be banned and that needs doing now.
30 year old chip fat and red diesel burning junk heaps like their antiquated thinking owners need to be scrapped.
Dislike it but London, Southampton and many other city areas are going green banning smoke machine vehicles and the Island is missing a prime opportunity. – take it from 1960 to 2020 and be proud.
Talk about using a bad situation to try and further the profits of the company.
yes – southern vectis bus is only peddling his own wares – bus company boss, encourages customers to use bus!!
What should he do then recommend you float along on fairy dust?
Doh! That’s what he is paid to do – he’s not a saucepan salesman!
Gungadin…nob
No mention of hybrid or electric busses.
That would freak out the bus hating.public even more
The bus service on rural routes is shocking and the prices they charge are ridiculous sod Southern Vectis
Use the alternative service then?