13 Nov 2006 Don’t Worry, Mr. Minister, It Doesn’t Much Matter

Britain’s climate change czar doesn’t ride the bus.

From Britain’s Daily Mail:

Environment Secretary David Miliband has been accused of double standards after being forced to admit that while telling motorists to switch to public transport to stop global warming, he never uses the bus in his ministerial travels.Not once in six months as Labour’s green tsar – responsible for tackling climate change – has he used the bus, the London Underground, a tram or even a light railway on his duties.

Mr Miliband claimed he walks so fast he can get around London more quickly on his feet than on a bus – though he is known to appreciate the comfort and convenience of his chauffeur-driven Whitehall car.

The embarrassing confession is in stark contrast to a secret memo, leaked to The Mail on Sunday last month, in which Mr Miliband called for huge tax rises to force people to give up their cars and travel on public transport to save the planet…”

I sympathize with the fellow — cars do tend to be more convenient than public transportation.