The end of the line for Michael Palin?

Michael Palin has brought the world into the living room for many people, with his globe trotting escapades over the past 17 years. But Transport 2000, an organisation that pushes for sustainable travel and less flying thinks he is a bad example, and he should step down as their president, having flown over a quarter of a million miles making his six travel series for the BBC. He told a recent environmental conference: “I shall continue to make travel programmes, secure in the knowledge that the food I’m seen eating, the sanitary arrangements I’m seen experiencing and the coughing attacks that strike me halfway up high mountains are doing more than any government could to persuade people to stay at home.” Transport 2000 meanwhile said " “Michael’s a lovely person but his flying means he is not an appropriate role model. He should consider his position because the president should set a good example.” Palin made a new year resolution last year to confine his travels to Europe. But within six weeks he flew to San Francisco. Perhaps he should step down, but he has inspired people to travel and seek out experiences off the beaten track, which can't be bad in this day of pre-packaged everything.

Globetrotter Palin brought down to earth by eco-lobby