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.