The Horsforth community were asked “Do you have any ideas for action you would like to see in Horsforth to address climate change?“. The responses were thematically analysed, and the top 10 areas for action are listed below.
Theme 1: Use cars less
Ideas included:
- Having car free zones, for example: pedestrianizing areas such as Town Street, having car-free days, restrictions in residential areas and clean air zones near schools
- Challenging idling behaviour (keeping engines running while the vehicle is stationary)
- Discouraging car use for short journeys, and the school-run
- Car-sharing scheme
- Having Low Traffic Neighbourhoods
“Put pedestrians, bikes and public transport first, not cars.”
“Discouraging people using their cars locally, such as going to Morrisons/school run. Could we pedestrianise Town Street? Less parking spaces would make it less attractive for people to take their cars, it would be safer walking the kids up to school and some of the cafes/shops/bars would be able to use their forecourts more and we could hold a larger farmers market – to buy more locally sourced produce. Make Town Street a destination so people don’t feel the need to drive further afield or into Town.“
“Reduce traffic, car free zones ( Town Street?)“
“A tube/metro/subway system to make getting around without a car a viable option.“
“Widespread signs and information that drivers should turn their cars off when stationary. Particularly at schools“
“Local car sharing, shopping with/for neighbours.“
“close Town St to traffic“
Theme 2: More planting
Ideas included:
- Planting trees and hedgerows
- Re-wilding verges and having “no mow” areas
- Wild flower planting
- Creating community gardens, including orchards and allotments for growing food
- Having green roofs, green walls and replacing car parking areas with plants
“More street trees, green roofs, re-wilded grass verges – we are lucky to have a lot of green spaces in Horsforth but more effort could be made to improve biodiversity in residential areas.“
“hedgerows along busy roads and green walls to reduce air pollutants.“
“More communal planting and wild flowers would be good“
“Horsforth tree planting scheme – in every garden. Wildflowers instead of grass verges.“
“Allowing wilding of roadsides… Encouraging planting and veg growing in gardens (garden groups to help older/less able people)“
“Plant more trees and shrubs and wildflower/flowers.“
“plant more trees and hedgerows, or allow nature to do this, stop blanket mowing of grass and ‘manicuring’ green spaces eg parks and verges“
Theme 3: More recycling
Ideas included:
- Having more recycling bins across the community
- Widening of council recycling to include household food waste and glass
- Local businesses leading by example with recycling
“food waste collections in leeds, or food waste collections (like bottle banks) locally for allotment wormeries etc.“
“More recycling facilities, especially for items not covered by the Kirkstall tip. Crisp packets, toothpaste tubes, pill packets, contact lens packaging etc all in one central place. Glass collection from houses.“
“Glass dustbins at all houses“
“more recycling points (e.g. for tetra paks (including pringles cartons, like in kirkstall tip)“
“More recycling bins as currently only at Morrisons.“
“easier recycling for materials that don’t go in the green bin“
Theme 3: More recycling
Ideas included:
- Having more recycling bins across the community
- Widening of council recycling to include household food waste and glass
- Local businesses leading by example with recycling
“food waste collections in leeds, or food waste collections (like bottle banks) locally for allotment wormeries etc.“
“More recycling facilities, especially for items not covered by the Kirkstall tip. Crisp packets, toothpaste tubes, pill packets, contact lens packaging etc all in one central place. Glass collection from houses.“
“Glass dustbins at all houses“
“more recycling points (e.g. for tetra paks (including pringles cartons, like in kirkstall tip)“
“More recycling bins as currently only at Morrisons.“
“easier recycling for materials that don’t go in the green bin“
Theme 4: Flying less
Ideas included:
- Stopping plans to expand Leeds-Bradford Airport
- Restricting the number of flights which take place locally
- Individuals reducing how much they fly
“The airport! I know we have very little power locally, but expansion should not be allowed.”
“Restrict unreasonable Airport expansion.”
“Reduce flights and block airport expansion.”
“Less flights (specially the budget ones) No one needs to travel & shouldn’t be flying over residential area at 2am”
“Number of flights not to increase.”
“No expansion to the airport.”
Theme 5: Improving public transport
Ideas included:
- Cheaper or reduced cost of using public transport
- Better and bigger parking facilities at local train stations (Horsforth, Kirkstall Forge, Apperley Bridge)
- More frequent trains
- More reliable bus services
“I would like to see drivers being deterred, and improvement in public transport communication.“
“Better bus transport, more trains“
“proper public transport provision“
“Increase to amount of buses. They have dropped significantly since before COVID-19 forcing people (like me) to use taxis to get anywhere on time.“
“Better and more reliable public transport to and from Horsforth“
“Make sure the bus services run well, you are not going to get people out of cars if the buses are not a real alternative.“
“Cheaper bus and train travel (not just on app)“
“A subway and or much better public transport system that actually works.“
“Free or reduced cost shuttle bus that loops Horsforth dropping at key locations (ie New Road Side, Old Ball, Airport) to reduce traffic.“
“Encourage travel reductions- car shares, improved public transport, use of public transport“
Theme 6: Reusing more
Ideas included:
- Having a ‘Library of Things’ as a community hub to borrow useful things such as appliances, tools, gardening equipment, electronics, toys and games.
- Knowing where to go to repair items so they can be reused
- Facilitating community swap shops – such as for clothes, including school uniform
“Have a “things” library for tools, equipment, etc that everyone owns (or can’t afford) but are only used occasionally.“
“a share shop to share power tools etc“
“More second hand clothing/ household goods reselling events.“
“I’d like to know more about who can repair things, especially small appliances, to avoid having to buy new“
“Promote 2nd hand kids clothes and school uniform e.g. one central donation centre and popup shop like Pudsey has. List where people can locally donate nonstandard items that little charity shops don’t accept e.g. furniture, towels, duvets, part used toiletries/ household products, working electricals, excess food.“
Theme 7: Less plastic
Ideas included:
- Local shops to have more plastic-free produce available
- Cafes and delis to encourage reusable cups
- Have ‘Plastic Free’ shops
“Packaging in shops with less plastic – how can you buy berries for example without plastic?“
“Access to more plastic free produce would be amazing (maybe not so easy on a local level)“
“less takeaway shops with their disposable plastic packaging“
“Encourage coffee shops to stop using disposable cups“
“Less plastic packaging in local shops.“
Theme 8: More cycling
Ideas included:
- More cycle lanes which are segregated from other traffic
- Facilities to park bicycles and store within neighbourhoods
- Making roads safer for cycling (and walking)
- Somewhere to hire bikes and e-bikes
“promote cycling and better cycle lanes“
“Cycle lanes on the big roads. Bike stands in retail areas.“
“Safer bike lanes, more speed limits.“
“More cycling provision. Low traffic neighbourhoods.“
“Trialing an ebike or being able to rent one for these brief daily trips would likely be the difference between adding another car to the road.“
“More cycle lanes, ideally segregated from the traffic. Cycling up Broadway with 40mph traffic trying to squeeze past you while breathing in fumes is not pleasant.“
Theme 9: Local information
Ideas included:
- Developing local resource to provide information and education
- Signpost to local amenities and actions which are climate-friendly
“More advice and support as to what residents can do locally to help.“
“Information about simple changes people can make (eg posters to say the carbon saved with certain switches like oat milk for dairy)“
“I think a lot of people don’t have time to do their own research and find out what changes to make so even just some sort of list or resource to give to people of horsforth for small, simple but impactful ways they can change, i think, would help a lot“
“Advice and guidance. Local FB group.“
“Raise awareness about what ordinary people can do, to make it easy & cheap & habitual“
Theme 10: Community engagement
Ideas included:
- Public meeting to discuss local issues and changes
- Community group for ideas and support
“A public meeting focused on the systemic changes needed to address climate breakdown rather than the placing of responsibility on individuals.”
“Allowing community to get more involved in eco decisions rather than behind closed doors in stuffy formal council discussions.”
“Collaboration”
“An action / discussion group.”
“encourage sustainability roles in as many local groups as possible”
“I don’t find it a particularly receptive place for climate change discussion; anyone who has tried to share concerns in the community group on Facebook is attacked for being anti-business (airport expansion for example)… Maybe a zero waste weekend or something too, to get businesses and people thinking about resources.”
Horsforth Climate Survey 