MORE needs to be done to convince people that reducing their carbon footprint will make their lives better - a Councillor has claimed.

During a recent discussion on the Climate Emergency in Bradford, it was claimed people would be more receptive to changing their lifestyles if they could see what the immediate benefits were - rather than just being told to go green by faceless bureaucrats.

Bradford Council’s Regeneration and Environment Scrutiny Committee were given an update on work being done to tackle the climate emergency at its last meeting.

The Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 - and was at that time the biggest local authority in the country to do so.

Since then there has been criticism that work to deal with the issue has not been moving at a fast enough pace.

191 killed by air pollution in Bradford in one year

The committee heard that the Council had expanded the number of electric vehicle charging points in the district, and sped up its process of electrifying its fleet of Council vehicles.

More renewable energy was bieng produced on the Council’s estate and in its buildings, and a programme to replace Bradford’s street lights with more energy efficient LED lights was planned.

A clean air zone, that would see the most pollution vehicles charged to enter the city centre, was planned for October 2021.

Tens of thousands of trees were being planted in the coming months, and the district’s peat bogs, which are effective at storing carbon, were being protected and restored.

Councillor Joanne Dodds (Lab, Great Horton) referred to the Council’s recently introduced “no idling” policy - intended to stop parents and drivers leaving their engines running outside schools - pumping toxic air into the atmosphere.

She said:” It is really difficult to enforce. How do we get that message across to people about the dangers of the emissions they are producing. People need to take some responsibility. The big worry is that people don’t realise what they are doing.”

Councillor Ralph Berry (Lab, Wibsey) questioned whether the authority needed to take a new approach on convincing people to go green. He said: “The fundamental challenge is taking people with us. It is about people’s day to day actions.

“We need to get across to people the choices they make and how they may have an impact on their health and other people’s health.

“We need people to know what the impact is of them choosing to drive a car to go somewhere 15 minutes walk away rather than leaving it at home.

“The game changer will be convincing people that those who are giving them advice are actually working in their best interests.

“I’m not convinced we’ve got that right yet.

“We have to get people thinking ‘what can I do to make it so the air quality on Mayo Avenue is safe enough for my kids to play outside in?’

“If every parent realises what we are doing is to protect the future wellbeing of their children then they may be more likely to trade in their car for a cleaner model.

“It will not just be enough convincing people they are doing the right thing.”

He told members he had used his car just once the previous week - but said more reliable and linked up public transport was needed before more people were able to permanently ditch their cars.