A recent study, quoted in a guide for policy makers in the West of England, calculated the individual annual health costs of each car and van on the NHS and wider society as £258 for every diesel and £37 for every petrol. By comparison, electric vehicles only cost society £13. Does this mean that we can all carry on driving as normal with a greatly reduced toll on those around us?  Douglas Sole of the Go Ultra Low West project will bring us up to speed with the latest developments and the future timeline.

Mobility is important for everyone, but how can we efficiently get from A to B without needing to use our own privately owned transport? What role might transport on demand play and what will it look like? Dr Nick Small, Stagecoach UK, Head of Strategic Development and the Built Environment will share his observations and perspective.

Some members of the public who have tried electric vehicles and transport on demand have volunteered to share their experiences.

To finish, Professor Graham Parkhurst of The Centre of Transport and Society, University of the West of England, Bristol, will provide a response as to whether he thinks that these innovations have a role to play in addressing some of our local transport problems.

There will be an opportunity to question the speakers and for the audience to vote on whether they think that these innovations will make a significant contribution to address Bristol and the West of England’s current transport challenges. Informal discussion can continue over light refreshments at the close.

This is a free event hosted jointly by Bristol Civic Society and UWE, Bristol. Refreshments will be provided, but you will need to reserve your place by visiting the Bristol Civic Society or using the Book button.