Green plans will boost jobs and homes in the local area

Lib Dems in Bath have given their backing to plans for investment in green schemes that will make homes warmer, cut energy bills and improve public transport. The plans, called Green Road out of Recession, were announced Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg MP.

 

The plans will cost £12.5bn, which would be paid for by scrapping the VAT cut. The vast majority of that money will be spent immediately, making a real impact on the economy and people’s lives right away.Green Road out of the Recession proposals include:

 

  • A five-year programme to insulate every school and hospital, with 20% completed in the first year
  • Funding insulation and energy efficiency for a million homes, with a £1,000 subsidy for a million more
  • Building 40,000 extra zero-carbon social houses
  • Buying 700 new train carriages
  • Reopening Corsham station and electrifying the Great Western mainline
  • Installing energy and money saving smart meters in every home within five years

 

Our Bath MP Don Foster commented that these Lib Dem plans will really help people here in Bath.  Opening up more local trains services and providing more carriages will be a vital boost to local public transport, and electrifying the London – Bristol line will cut 20% of CO2 emissions per vehicle km. And by insulating people’s homes, it will help thousands of residents whose heating bills have gone through the roof in the past year. Liberal Democrats believe that moving forward with green action on homes and transport will create jobs, cut energy bills, put money back into people’s pockets and protect the environment.

 

Only the Liberal Democrats see the opportunity offered to really expand ‘green’ investment. Sadly, investment in sustainability is still being affected by Government inertia. They will bail out unsustainable manufacturers while leaving companies involved in this area to go to the wall. The Conservatives of course will do nothing.

Are Tories serious about home-to-school transport?

Local Lib Dem Councillors are questioning the Conservative-led Council’s commitment to developing a sustainable home-to-school transport package which has been shelved for at least another 9 months.

 

The strategy has been developed to get more children out of private transport and on to school buses on their way to and from school.  Currently parents find it easier and more cost effective to drive their children to school, thus adding to congestion across the district, and especially in Bath.  Lib Dems in Bath see home-to-school transport as a key element of providing transport improvements in the city.

 

Leader of the Lib Dem opposition on the Council, Cllr Paul Crossley (Southdown) said that “This is deeply disappointing news, and makes me wonder whether the Conservative Council is as serious about congestion in Bath as it should be.  Everyone who travels into Bath at peak times knows how much extra traffic there is during the school term.  Getting our children out of their parent’s cars and onto buses is a massively important step in reducing congestion in the city, yet it is being delayed for another year.  It is even more concerning that the £16million Bus Rapid Transit is being forced through, whereas a project that will actually help to reduce congestion is being put on the back-burner.”

This project is of major importance in promoting sustainable transport in Bath and it is a massive blow to see it delayed for a year.  Parents across the city want to be able to send their children to school on reliable and affordable public transport.  This decision by the Conservatives is a kick-in-the-teeth to these parents, and we want to know why this scheme will now be delayed until the 2009/10 academic year.  We have real doubts as to whether the Conservative Council will ever deliver this crucial service.

First Great Western charge up to three times as much as other operators

Liberal Democrat research has revealed that First Great Western, which operate the trains which call at Oldfield Park Station,  are charging up to three times much per miles as some other train operators, and are by far and away the most expensive operator nationally. 

On average, First Great Western customers pay 70p per mile on their journeys, a staggering 18p more per mile than the next most expensive, East Midland Trains.  In comparison, customers using South West Trains pay just 34p per mile on average.  Bottom of the pile are Arriva Trains Wales, at 25p per mile.

Bath MP Don Foster said, “There can surely be no excuse for First Great Western to charge almost three times as much as Arriva Trains Wales.  People in Bath are simply being ripped off.  It is little wonder that many here are sceptical of public transport.  This country now seems to have a postcode lottery with regard to rail fares.  It is unacceptable that there is such a huge variation in the price per mile of travelling by train in the country.

We are lucky in Bath that we have a choice of trains to London, and many people are very grateful for the affordable service provided to South West Trains to London Waterloo, even though it takes almost twice as long.  Sadly, the Government takes no interest in how much rail passengers have to pay and is content to see prices ratcheted up above inflation year after year.

Liberal Democrats are asking the Office of Rail Regulation to investigate the issue of relative ticket prices between companies.

Government borrowing should be used on green initiatives

Bath MP Don Foster has said that Government borrowing should be used on green initiatives that help people, rather than being spent on a short-term VAT cut. 

He said that this additional borrowing should be spent on things that will benefit people: insulating homes, re-opening local railways lines and providing more affordable housing. 

Schemes such as these are much needed here in Bath, for example money could be used the finance the re-opening of Corsham station, which would help see fewer cars coming into Bath, reducing both congestion and pollution. 

These investments would also create extra jobs right across the country and help provide a green economy for the future. 

Instead, the government is spending money on a temporary VAT cut, while the Conservatives are insistent on doing nothing to help.

Foster calls for rail price freeze

On the day that the ATOC announced a 6% increase in the cost of regulated fares for January 2008, Bath MP Don Foster has joined calls demanding a freeze on rail fares and called for the planned rail fares increases for January to be abandoned. Liberal Democrats are calling for a 1 year freeze on rail fares to help people through the current economic crisis.  This will be paid for by cutting the budget for major road widening schemes. 

Don said that people, especially commuters, travelling from Bath to Paddington are already paying one of the highest prices per mile in the world.  With food and heating bills rising, another 6% on rail fares is not going to be a welcome late Christmas present.  Freezing fares would give a huge boost to many hard-pressed families. The cost of rail fares has risen above inflation by 6% since this Government came to power.  The Government has repeatedly frozen fuel duty for motorists in the light of external circumstances, despite the fact that under Labour the cost of motoring has actually fallen in real terms by 10%. 

It’s about time ministers showed the same consideration to train passengers as they have shown to motorists.

B&NES Conservatives Refuse Independent Review of Bath Transportation Package

Conservative Councillors in B&NES have come under fire tonight for refusing to consider an independent review of the Bath Transportation Package. 

The Liberal Democrat motion which was tabled at the November Full Council meeting was intended to permit a proper debate on the Package, which has caused so much controversy.  However the Conservative Group forced through an amendment, which was also backed by Labour and Independent Councillors, to maintain nothing more than the status quo. 

We are still not convinced that all the alternatives have been properly looked at and that there has been real and meaningful consultation.  Once again the Conservatives have shut their ears to the protests which have been raised by the very people who will be worst affected by the scheme. 

The Conservatives seem only to be concerned with quibbling about who voted for what and when in the past.  But residents care more about what is on the table right now.  It is clear that the other parties do not care about residents’ concerns. 

The present situation is different in many ways to that agreed in the local transport plan, so the Tories should listen to the electorate and agree to an independent review to show the people that they are listening.  But we suspects as usual they won’t listen yet again.

B&NES Cabinet Determined to Railroad BRT Through

The Conservative-run Cabinet of Bath and North East Somerset Council is determined to railroad the Bus Rapid Transit through against the wishes of residents, according to Lib Dem Councillors who have tabled a last ditch motion to the November Full Council meeting hoping to ensure a proper debate takes place. 

It is understood that many residents who will be affected by the BRT and other aspects of the Bath Transportation Package intend to protest at the Council meeting on 20th November. 

It seems that the Conservative-run Cabinet is determined to railroad through the BRT and not to listen to any opposition.  At the last two meetings of the Council Cabinet the Leader has changed the rules on public speaking each time to prevent Councillors and residents from having their say on an issue that was and is of great importance to many local people across city. 

The way that this Conservative administration is running roughshod over local people is a disgrace.  They feel it is perfectly acceptable to make changes to the proposed Park and Ride site to the East of Bath but refuse to countenance changes to the BRT route – despite the lack of proof of the benefits of the chosen route.  Furthermore, they have changed the area of the Newbridge Park and Ride expansion since the adoption of the Local Plan and the Joint Local Transport Plan. 

The debate we will have at November meeting of Full Council is a vital opportunity for representations to be made direct to the Cabinet members – especially given that they refused a debate at the previous Council meeting and have sought to suppress discussion on this issue. 

However from their attacks on the Liberal Democrat Group at the recent Cabinet meeting it would appear the Conservatives are more interested in talking about who voted for what and when in the past, rather than looking at what is happening now.  Cabinet members should accept that the Local Plan and Local Transport Plan upon which the Council has previously voted do not reflect the current schemes for the Bath Transportation Package.

Don urges Council to work with sat nav companies

 

Bath MP Don Foster has written to Bath & North East Somerset Council urging them to actively participate in a scheme that could dramatically reduce the number of HGVs driving through Bath. 

Don said that he had long argued that we should be working with sat nav companies to provide sensible and appropriate routes, not just the theoretical best route that they provide.  I think every resident in Bath would have seen an HGV driving along a street that is clearly too narrow for it, or having to perform an awkward u-turn which holds up traffic.  We could also suggest routes for through traffic which avoid the city centre. 

Somerset County Council has now taken a lead in working with sat nav companies to provide these practical solutions.  They have done this with the involvement of the South West Regional Freight Forum, of which Bath & North East Somerset are a member.  However, it turns out that a Council officer from our Council has not attended this group for some time. 

Don has written to the Council and urged them to work closely with Somerset County Council and catch-up on the information that we have missed out on.  Don has also asked that we take an active involvement in this pilot scheme from now on, as it could be of great benefit to the city.

Foster backs Local Transport Bill

Bath MP Don Foster has voted in favour of the Local Transport Bill.  The Bill, which was passed with the backing of Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs, will see more powers passed to local authorities in dealing with bus companies. Tory MPs voted against. 

Don said at this legislation will allow Councils, like B&NES, to have a great say over local transport issues, especially buses. 

The Bill, as a result of Liberal Democrat amendments, increases opportunities for B&NES to be involved in decisions about fares, frequencies, timings and routes of local buses. 

However, unfortunately Conservative MPs did not back the Bill.  We hope our Conservative-led Council will embrace the opportunities the Bill offers and not follow the line of their colleagues in Westminster.

Two Tunnels backing from Council must be clear

Councillor Paul Crossley, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on B&NES Council, has called on the Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Councillor Charles Gerrish, to make clear that the Council will back the Two Tunnels project properly and not leave their support up in the air. The Cabinet member is free to make a decision on how the Council will help the Two Tunnels project to go ahead.  Councillor Crossley has called on him to consider the following points before making the decision: 

  • The Liberal Democrat Group fully supports the Two Tunnels cycle route project and the Council should do the same.
  • The Council is due to support the project with £100,000 a year for the next two years, but for the following two years the funding has not been confirmed – this leads to a lack of certainty for the project team and the funding should be made definite.
  • The Liberal Democrats support the proposal that the Council should act as ‘commissioner’ for the project to allow VAT to be reclaimed.
  • However the proposal that Sustrans and Two Tunnels should be responsible for “Relevant Council costs associated with the administration of its involvement with the project and documentation costs etc” should be changed.

The Two Tunnels team is a small charity with willing volunteers engaged on one of the most exciting cycle projects in the country.  It is great to have on board the UK’s number one cycle charity as well in the form of Sustrans.  However this paragraph, as written, gives no clue as to what the potential liabilities may be to the project.  The Two Tunnels team has to embark on a big fundraising scheme to raise another £400K approximately and for them to take on a commitment to reimburse the Council for open-ended costs could put the project in jeopardy. 

The Council currently has large reserves and has recently granted £200K to the Holburne.  Surely this project – which will help reduce congestion and will contribute to the Council’s own priorities – deserves equivalent support? The Two Tunnels project will bring communities closer together along a broad corridor.  Cyclists, and also walkers, will get easy access out to local beauty spots such as Midford and Wellow and conversely people from Midford, Wellow, and beyond could cycle safely into Bath to work or for pleasure.  It will encourage more people off the road.