EVs aren’t enough! The UK must slash drive-throughs to save the environment
Farewell, cheeseburgers
Story byThe Conversation
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Around the world, cities have begun to crack down on the drive-through, despiterenewed investmentfollowing the pandemic. Some regions inCanadaand theUnited Stateshave already banned or restricted new drive-throughs, while cities such asGlasgoware beginning to consider following suit. As the UK tries toreduce car ownershipand use, drive-throughs will also inevitably be discouraged.
Curbing the expansion of drive-throughs now will not severely affect UK restaurants’ revenue: especially given their relatively low market share when you consider that70%of fast food sales in the United States are made via drive-throughs. However, the negative implications of “drive-through culture” have deeper roots.
Car-centric transport planning has dominated UK urban development since thesecond world war. It has increased congestion and contributed to public health problems such as the effects of poor air quality and thegrowing incidence of obesity, while cutting theshare of tripstaken via more environmentally friendly options such aspublic transport,cyclingandwalking.
Urban development that prioritises cars is also inconsistent with UK government goals to improvewellbeing,food systemsandpublic health. Instead, building cities with wider pavements, segregated bicycle paths and widespread public transport – where we can reduce ourrelianceon cars and fast food – represents the healthy urban future thatexpertssuggest we shouldtry to create.
And for those with mobility or childcare issues, the growth of smartphone apps enablingrestaurant-to-car deliveryoutside of drive-throughs allows people to conveniently and safely collect food without needing to queue. Fooddelivery appswhose riders use bicycles can also help reduce car trips while maintaining convenience.
Collectively, we need to reflect on the profoundly negative effects of living in a society that has become sopressed for timethat we cannot afford to get out of our cars to collect food, let alone toeat it.
Fundamentally, drive-throughs are symptomatic of a mode of living from which we need to move away – for the sake of our planet. Limiting them in the UK would be a sign of progress not just for the environment but for our society too.
This article byEugene Mohareb,Lecturer in Sustainable Urban Systems,University of Reading,andSybil Derrible, Associate Professor of Urban Engineering,University of Illinois at Chicago,is republished fromThe Conversationunder a Creative Commons license. Read theoriginal article.
