Making it Happen
As of today (December 2010) Localnet is a vision – albeit a fairly clear and achievable one.
The hope is that with publication of this book and growing visibility and awareness of the vision, its realisation will get closer.
The remainder of this Chapter consists of a few pages of “how have we got this far” and reams of “what do we need to do to bring it about”. Should I be lucky enough to publish further editions of the book I hope the revisions needed to keep the text up to date gradually reverse those proportions. However, I will endeavour to keep setting out goals beyond whichever point we reach in the hope that the vision continues to improve and stay ahead of reality.
The stages of the journey are:
- concern - 1900 onwards - that many aspects of life are not heading in the right direction
- frustration - 1999 - realising just how sub-optimal our current transport system is
- inspiration - 1999 - spotting how different it could be if designed properly
- perspiration - 2010 writing this book and website for a start
- stagnation - this is where short-haul transport is now and will stay unless localnet happens.
- persuasion - in 2011 public awareness and backing has to be converted into government pressure
- commiseration - 2012 may see businesses reluctantly accepting that it's going to happen
- experimentation - 2013 could see pilot projects in Eco-towns and new cities
- acceleration - 2015-2020 should see take-up grow exponentially as it gains acceptance and matures
- justification - 2020-2025 as the benefits are proven, country-wide rollout will be planned
- domination - 2025-2050 as it spreads around the world whilst evolving to the next generation