Bristol is Britain's greenest city
Bristol has been named as Britain's most sustainable city in a report published today.
Bristol knocked Brighton and Hove from first place in the second Sustainable Cities Index which ranks the 20 biggest British cities according to social, economic and environmental performance.
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Bristol's triumph was in part due to its rise in recycling and composting rates and its high scores on water quality, waste collection and green spaces.
But it came bottom in public transport – one of the criteria used by Forum for the Future which compiled the index.
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Forum spokeswoman Helen Clarkson, said: "Bristol has been very consistent across all the indicators we look at. Sustainability has been on the agenda long term for Bristol as people have been doing this stuff for years and all the benefits are beginning to fall into place."
"Transport was the one thing people we spoke to on the streets in Bristol complained most about," said Miss Clarkson.
"People said public transport was a joke and a lot would much rather cycle because of the price of bus fares and the congestion in the city."
Three league tables measured environmental impact, quality of life for residents and "future-proofing" – how well cities were addressing issues such as climate change, recycling and biodiversity.
Brighton and Hove, last year's overall winner, was rated highest for quality of life and future-proofing but emerged second because of its comparatively poor performance on the environment.
Plymouth, which came third, had the best environmental performance, while Newcastle jumped from eighth to fourth place, making it the only northern city in the top five.
Brighton and Hove, meanwhile, moved up the environmental rankings since last year but not enough to stop Bristol claiming the title of Britain's most sustainable city.
Plymouth's top ranking in the environmental table reflected its water and air quality and the limited impact of its services, housing, transport and consumables on the environment.
Newcastle's future-proofing activities improved its ranking, with green businesses and recycling rates.
But the report revealed a clear North-South divide.
Southern cities tended to perform better in the quality of life indicators and all featured in the top 10, while the industrial heritage of the Midlands and the North was reflected in lower life expectancy.
Liverpool, Birmingham and Hull remain in the bottom three.
Comments
by MusicalBristolBloke, Bristol
Tuesday, November 11 2008, 4:47PM
“So this accolade is proposed to be given to the city whose council still doesn't have a door to door recycling scheme for plastic, the most detrimental of landfill waste?”
by Glenn, Knowle, Bristol
Monday, November 10 2008, 11:12PM
“My view is that there are several other UK cities that are, relative to Bristol, less unsustainable (Norwich for example...??). The problem with these sort of exercises is that: a) the headlines may give people the impresssion that enough is being done to sort problems out and b) its very sensitive to the list of criteria used to make the judgements -change those a bit and you change the outcome and get a list of cities in a different order !! Conclusion: its not a very objective exercise conducted in this manner.”
by Alex, Bristol
Monday, November 10 2008, 8:26PM
“Glenn,
It is astonishing to think of Bristol as the most green in the UK...
The other cities must be truly abysmal. In which case, this does not a great achievement.
BUT, it's a start.”
by Alex, Glenn Vowles
Monday, November 10 2008, 8:24PM
“It is astonishing to think of Bristol as the most green in the UK...
The other cities must be truly abysmal. In which case, this does not a great achievement.
BUT, it's a start.”
by Glenn Vowles, Knowle, Bristol
Monday, November 10 2008, 7:40PM
“Poor public transport, plans to build houses and roads over many green spaces, poor air quality in several places, plans to mass incinerate waste, promotion of mass consumption of imported goods via the new Cabot Circus, a large and growing ecological footprint...hardly a green city is it!! Bristol is not a sustainable city by any fair measure, though may be less unsustainable than some others!!”
by colin, Bristol
Monday, November 10 2008, 11:51AM
“An URGENT message to Richard,watch out for flying pigs.”
by Richard, Bristol
Monday, November 10 2008, 11:07AM
“This is brillian news! Well done Bristol and I think it's fare to thank South Gloucestershire and Bath and North East Somerset Councils as we're all so heavily linked plus we work well together!
I have to agree that we all have transport issues and this argument is ongoing, we really do need to start looking at Bus to Train routes and a regional public transport strategy like London Overground with Oyster Cards.
Possible ideas:
-- At Coldharbour Road Bridge on the M32, make an express lane to the UWE for Buses and Taxi's only (easily implemented and will save up to 30 minutes), the same for leaving the UWE. I say UWE, with their new plans, the bus can pass through the grounds of what was HP and drop people off at the MOD as well, then back through the campus and return to town.
-- Make all existing out of town railway stations i.e. Stapleton Road accessibile again and have tickets from Bus to Train to speed up jouney times, also taking people directly to the new business district at temple meads/ temple way.
-- Build a 5000 car park and ride scheme in Almondsbury, express to the UWE link roads (if this could happen) and then to town, easing congestion and improving journey times considerably.
-- Build new railway stations where existing lines are already i.e. off Muller Road for 100's of people and easing college traffic.
The ideas from people have been great, I have faith that our Council and Councils surrounding us will now do something to make us all proud with transport!
Well done again!!”
by James S, Bristol
Monday, November 10 2008, 10:17AM
“"Modern cites build up not out"
We stopped the up not out nonsense a few years ago when people realised that as idealistic and visionary as "cities in the sky", "arial walkways" and such are, no-one wants to live in a tower block.
The only major tower blocks that get constructed in the UK these days are office blocks.
Not suprised we came bottom in the country for Public Transport though..”
by Steven, North Bristol
Monday, November 10 2008, 10:00AM
“Whoever came to this ludicrous conclusion has never visited Bristol during the rush hour to witness the chaos caused by the Council's intergrated transport policy.”
by Tom, Warmley
Monday, November 10 2008, 9:52AM
“This is one award we won't be keeping for long if we are going to build on our green belt and our parks. Modern cities build up not out.”