The pilot Lorry Watch scheme which had been set up as a joint venture between residents and Trading Standards and ran from October to December last year has resulted in approximately 40 firms being contacted by the council regarding HGV's using local roads that have weight restriction orders on them.
Following on from information provided by volunterers Trading Standards are currently writing to keepers requesting details of drivers in order to issue warning letters.
It was a pity that a press release at the beginning of the scheme was not released as it might have encouraged other people to become observers. As it worked out there were only 4 of us able to offer any time and this unfortunately was limited.
Trading Standards has promised to contact us to review the project and to see whether it can be extended.
Halton seems to becoming the mecca of the HGV with such developments as Eddie Stobarts and the proposed Rail Freight terminus at Ditton in the offing. We need to take action now as this problem is not going to go away. So if you want to do something about the ever increasing numbers of HGV's on our roads locally and you have some spare time please consider helping out.
We can make a difference as other Lorry Watch Schemes in the country have shown and it can be enjoyable and satisfying (and I'm not sad) doing something in the community for the community rather than sitting back and complaining expecting others to do it!
Contact Geraldine Marchment Trding Standards at Halton Trading Standards 01925 442445 or ring me for a chat 0151 423 1692.
Derek
Thursday 29 January 2009
Tuesday 20 January 2009
Obama and Widnes Resident's Success!
Two things that happened today have genuinely uplifted me.
First, I’m sure like millions of others, I consider that the inauguration of Obama offers the world a new start in a shift from the old politics of seeking self interest to a new era of pushing for a more sharing and caring world.
But for me personally it’s also the emphasis that Obama placed in his inauguration speech on meeting the challenges of climate change. If he is able to stick to his prime goals in this area then the future security of the world, particularly of the poor of the third world, will be enhanced.
The other uplift came in the form of the success of Derby Road area residents in persuading a St Helens Planning committee meeting to turn down yet another proposal for the restart of quarrying and subsequent land filling at Bold Heath quarry.
Councillors at the meeting accepted the arguments put forward by residents that the development should not go ahead on health grounds and the increase of heavy goods road traffic in the area.
First, I’m sure like millions of others, I consider that the inauguration of Obama offers the world a new start in a shift from the old politics of seeking self interest to a new era of pushing for a more sharing and caring world.
But for me personally it’s also the emphasis that Obama placed in his inauguration speech on meeting the challenges of climate change. If he is able to stick to his prime goals in this area then the future security of the world, particularly of the poor of the third world, will be enhanced.
The other uplift came in the form of the success of Derby Road area residents in persuading a St Helens Planning committee meeting to turn down yet another proposal for the restart of quarrying and subsequent land filling at Bold Heath quarry.
Councillors at the meeting accepted the arguments put forward by residents that the development should not go ahead on health grounds and the increase of heavy goods road traffic in the area.
Saturday 17 January 2009
London Airport Expansion - what a disaster!!
Caroline Lucas sums the decision up
'The Green Party said this evening that the decision to allow Heathrow to build a third runway was indefensible and
immediately put Britain in breach of European air quality guidelines.
Green Party leader Dr Caroline Lucas MEP said the announcement was "irresponsible, deceptive and environmentally disastrous."
Dr Lucas said: "This decision demonstrates a complete contempt for the environment, for the health of UK citizens and for our democratic processes.
"A third runway will have disastrous consequences for residents in my South East constituency - leading to serious environmental damage and social upheaval through increased pollution, and the destruction of local communities."
Dr Lucas warned that the Transport Secretary's proposals for Heathrow would condemn the UK to an unsustainable future of significantly higher noise and air pollution - and to accelerating climate change. "Any government which, on the one hand pledges to make a significant reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020, and on the other gives the green light to the greatest expansion of aviation in a generation, is guilty of either the most shameless hypocrisy, or the most unforgivable ignorance and stupidity," she said.
The MEP and long-standing campaigner against the expansion of the aviation industry added, "Despite the promises which were made to limit further expansion, this Government has persisted in a deceptive campaign for a third runway
which its own figures estimate will almost double the number of flights using Heathrow each year.
"Whichever way you look at the Government's proposals on aviation, they are a social and environmental disaster. What we need is a sustainable transport policy which incentivises train travel, makes aviation pay its true costs and restricts airport capacity."
The Tories and Lib Dems have quite rightly expressed their opposition to the announcement. It's a shame that locally they don't oppose in a similar the expansion of Liverpool airport if they are really serious about tackling climate change. Check out Peter Cranie's blog at www.petercranie.blogspot.com re further discussion.
'The Green Party said this evening that the decision to allow Heathrow to build a third runway was indefensible and
immediately put Britain in breach of European air quality guidelines.
Green Party leader Dr Caroline Lucas MEP said the announcement was "irresponsible, deceptive and environmentally disastrous."
Dr Lucas said: "This decision demonstrates a complete contempt for the environment, for the health of UK citizens and for our democratic processes.
"A third runway will have disastrous consequences for residents in my South East constituency - leading to serious environmental damage and social upheaval through increased pollution, and the destruction of local communities."
Dr Lucas warned that the Transport Secretary's proposals for Heathrow would condemn the UK to an unsustainable future of significantly higher noise and air pollution - and to accelerating climate change. "Any government which, on the one hand pledges to make a significant reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020, and on the other gives the green light to the greatest expansion of aviation in a generation, is guilty of either the most shameless hypocrisy, or the most unforgivable ignorance and stupidity," she said.
The MEP and long-standing campaigner against the expansion of the aviation industry added, "Despite the promises which were made to limit further expansion, this Government has persisted in a deceptive campaign for a third runway
which its own figures estimate will almost double the number of flights using Heathrow each year.
"Whichever way you look at the Government's proposals on aviation, they are a social and environmental disaster. What we need is a sustainable transport policy which incentivises train travel, makes aviation pay its true costs and restricts airport capacity."
The Tories and Lib Dems have quite rightly expressed their opposition to the announcement. It's a shame that locally they don't oppose in a similar the expansion of Liverpool airport if they are really serious about tackling climate change. Check out Peter Cranie's blog at www.petercranie.blogspot.com re further discussion.
Thursday 8 January 2009
The Good, the Bad and the wake up call?
Happy New Year!
As life’s about positives and negatives, the negative first in these first few weeks of the new year.
Apart from the credit crunch, and what a fine mess some people have got us in, I was saddened to see the latest figures related to how the UK is doing in relation to reducing carbon emissions and the fact that, contrary to what the present government is suggesting, we are moving away from our Kyoto targets.
Check out “Measuring Progress towards Carbon Reduction in the UK” in “Britain in 2009”, an Economic and Social Research Council publication. Research featured in it suggests that we continue to miss our targets for Kyoto if we take into account emissions from aircraft and shipping and goods consumed here but produced elsewhere.
According to Kyoto reporting, UK carbon emissions have fallen by around 6% since 1990 If we include aviation and shipping emissions this 6% is wiped out. Furthermore if we look at figures linked to goods consumed here yet produced abroad the UK’s carbon emissions have risen by at least 8% since 1990. As the author comments, “Policy must consider all carbon emissions induced by UK consumption. Viewed in this way the UK’s task ahead is truly daunting”.
The positive - our children – Linda and I are blessed by having 3 beautiful grandchildren. Joe, now 3, is my soul mate and makes me think there could be something in reincarnation, he’s been here before! The other two Oliver and Oscar are now 9 months old and truly are quickly becoming themselves if that doesn’t sound too much like stating the obvious, but I think you know what I mean!
We spend a lot of time with them, it’s tiring but mostly very rewarding. It’s all that wonder of new discoveries and often this brings into dazzling focus the beautiful world we live in.(if we look for it in those terms).
If we put these negative and positive images together it’s surely a wake up call. It’s certainly the main reason I got involved with the Green movement 6 years ago and it continues to be the main motivation in my involvement with the Green Party. Climate change is bigger than the threat of terrorism and the credit crunch (easy to say I know if you’re not too effected) but we’re talking about all our children and grandchildren’s future safety and even possibly, given the worst scenario, their survival.
The more Green candidates that are elected at whatever level, the greater the pressure on governments here and abroad to recognize the fact that more and more people are waking up to the dangers of climate change and are prepared to alter their behaviour. This will further ensure the greater likelihood that Kyoto targets are met.
In June this year we’ll be voting in the European elections. Our Green MEP candidate for the north west is Peter Cranie (a new dad!). He lives in Liverpool and is aware of our local problems. Apart from being a new dad he is an experienced political activist and commentator. He has an academic and social work background and his professional and lifetime experiences have equipped him to be aware and sensitive to people's needs. His organisational abilities are first class I know personally as he helped us here in Halton with our successful 2008 campaign.
We have a chance to respond to this wake up call, by voting Green, by voting for Peter Cranie.
(If you want to know more about Peter's vision and views check out his blog at www.petercranie.blogspot.com - see bottom of this page for a link)
As life’s about positives and negatives, the negative first in these first few weeks of the new year.
Apart from the credit crunch, and what a fine mess some people have got us in, I was saddened to see the latest figures related to how the UK is doing in relation to reducing carbon emissions and the fact that, contrary to what the present government is suggesting, we are moving away from our Kyoto targets.
Check out “Measuring Progress towards Carbon Reduction in the UK” in “Britain in 2009”, an Economic and Social Research Council publication. Research featured in it suggests that we continue to miss our targets for Kyoto if we take into account emissions from aircraft and shipping and goods consumed here but produced elsewhere.
According to Kyoto reporting, UK carbon emissions have fallen by around 6% since 1990 If we include aviation and shipping emissions this 6% is wiped out. Furthermore if we look at figures linked to goods consumed here yet produced abroad the UK’s carbon emissions have risen by at least 8% since 1990. As the author comments, “Policy must consider all carbon emissions induced by UK consumption. Viewed in this way the UK’s task ahead is truly daunting”.
The positive - our children – Linda and I are blessed by having 3 beautiful grandchildren. Joe, now 3, is my soul mate and makes me think there could be something in reincarnation, he’s been here before! The other two Oliver and Oscar are now 9 months old and truly are quickly becoming themselves if that doesn’t sound too much like stating the obvious, but I think you know what I mean!
We spend a lot of time with them, it’s tiring but mostly very rewarding. It’s all that wonder of new discoveries and often this brings into dazzling focus the beautiful world we live in.(if we look for it in those terms).
If we put these negative and positive images together it’s surely a wake up call. It’s certainly the main reason I got involved with the Green movement 6 years ago and it continues to be the main motivation in my involvement with the Green Party. Climate change is bigger than the threat of terrorism and the credit crunch (easy to say I know if you’re not too effected) but we’re talking about all our children and grandchildren’s future safety and even possibly, given the worst scenario, their survival.
The more Green candidates that are elected at whatever level, the greater the pressure on governments here and abroad to recognize the fact that more and more people are waking up to the dangers of climate change and are prepared to alter their behaviour. This will further ensure the greater likelihood that Kyoto targets are met.
In June this year we’ll be voting in the European elections. Our Green MEP candidate for the north west is Peter Cranie (a new dad!). He lives in Liverpool and is aware of our local problems. Apart from being a new dad he is an experienced political activist and commentator. He has an academic and social work background and his professional and lifetime experiences have equipped him to be aware and sensitive to people's needs. His organisational abilities are first class I know personally as he helped us here in Halton with our successful 2008 campaign.
We have a chance to respond to this wake up call, by voting Green, by voting for Peter Cranie.
(If you want to know more about Peter's vision and views check out his blog at www.petercranie.blogspot.com - see bottom of this page for a link)
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