A Green Party councillor in Norwich has decided it’s time to take the knee again. Not over George Floyd, Black Lives Matter, or racial injustice – this time it’s over electric vehicle (EV) charging points. According to councillor Liam Calvert and his fellow local Greens, the planned installation of 46 charging points across Norwich is problematic because they might make life “more difficult for pedestrians“. He proved this by drawing a scaled virtual ‘impression’ of an EV point on the pavement near his house…

Calvert said:

“Electric cars are a step in the right direction for reducing climate change but we can’t accept that life should be made more difficult for pedestrians. Chargers must not be placed on pavements at the expense of wheelchair users or parents with buggies.

Calvert then used his artistic skills to mock-up even more supposedly damning evidence proving his point. Below is what Calvert imagines will happen to his beloved pavement should the County Council go ahead with their plans…

It’s been a while since Guido pushed a buggy, although he doesn’t remember it ever being about three metres wide. Chloe Smith MP has called Calvert’s attack a “strange agenda”, which is a polite way of describing the same NIMBYism that leads Greens to opposing other green policies like, say, nuclear power. Either way, it’s definitely politically charged…