Determination over green ambitions for Sutton Coldfield

Sutton has hosted a series of eco events in the past month including Wylde Green United Reformed Church, Streetly Methodist Church and St Chads Walmley.

And Town Council leader, cllr Simon Ward has said: “It has been fantastic to see so many community events at what’s a pivotal time over the next couple of weeks in terms of climate issues.

“As a council, we take green matters seriously and if you look at our town plan, we have a focus on increased cycling, walking and increased public transport usage.

“They are all core drivers of the plan. They are not ‘nice to haves’ in the plan, they are embedded in it as key drivers for how our town centre needs to be.

“We want the town centre to be reflective of the way we should all be looking to travel in the future.

“There is a balance to be had, of course, as Sutton is a high car owning town.

"But we all have massive responsibility to think about how we reduce our use of carbon and how we live and travel more greener lives.

"It’s about the next 50 years and how we are all going to be living our lives, if we want our children and grandchildren to live theirs, quite frankly.”

A recent survey with Midlands Connect, three quarters of people in the West Midlands (72 per cent) think climate change is the biggest issue facing humanity today.

It adds that 69 per cent of people don’t think we’re doing enough to tackle the problem and 77 per cent of car owners say they would consider buying an electric vehicle next.

Nearly four in ten (39 per cent) of people think electric vehicles and petrol and diesel cars should cost the same by the end of 2025, and more than a quarter (28 per cent) thought they should cost the same by next year.

Meanwhile, two new, fully electric trucks have joined the Sutton Coldfield Town Rangers fleet as part of concerted efforts to cut emissions.

The zero-emission Nissan eNV200s are fitted with custom tipper cages and their increased capacity will enable the Town Rangers. who carry out a host of maintenance works in the area, to undertake more jobs between trips back to base.

Councillor Clare Horrocks, chairman of the planning & highways committee at Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council, said: “The town council launched the Sutton Coldfield Town Ranger Service in November.

"It has made a really positive impact, making our Royal Town cleaner and much more well-maintained for residents and visitors alike.

“Through the introduction of these new trucks we are extremely happy that we are able to have combined the advantages of emission-free transport with more efficient and greater delivery.”