Lorry Watch project for summer ends

The Lorry Watch which has been operating on Barrows Green Lane Widnes over June and July finished last week.

It has differed from the previous project last year in that residents have been involved in contacting hauliers directly themselves. It seems that there has been a good response from this with Hauliers appreciating our direct contact.

Time will tell how effective this last stint has been but the group is hoping to follow it up with a months session later in the year. Some residents will be continuing 'the watch' whenever they have time and this no doubt will send a message to hauliers that we are really committed to ensuring a reduction of HGV traffic on the weight resticted routes in the area.

One of the issues the project has thrown up regards the use of Sat Nav systems by HGV's, particularly non local traffic. At the review meeting we will be holding on the project in September we will be discussing this point with the police. I know that is some areas Sat Nav systems have been altered to bar the use of weight restricted roads.

The Lorry Watch scheme is particularly relevant in that it links in with one of the main policies being pushed by the Green Party nationally relating to "Safer Streets": 20 mph speed limits on all roads in residential areas; a greater awareness of pedestrian needs and practical measures to implement such policy.
So Halton Green Party is fully supporting the Lorry Watch Scheme!

Set out below are basic details of the results of the project:


Lorry Watch operated on Barrows Green Lane Widnes for one month during June and July 2009.

Volunteers spent 8 hours per week observing traffic movements and 31 observations of possible HGV contraventions were noted.

Of these 14 definite observations of HGV’s were made the remainder we were not able to ascertain because of lack information.

We contacted 8 firms by phone and email regarding their contraventions and received a positive response from all.

With six of the vehicles we were unable to identify telephone numbers or website addresses. However photos were taken of these vehicles, which had registration details on them, and these were passed on to the police for further investigation.



If you're interested in getting involved, including attending the review meeting in September, please contact Jane Fitzpatrick via 0151 423 1692

'Green' reunion - reflections

A couple of weeks back we had a party to celebrate ourselves - everyone who's been involved in Halton Green Party.

It's been 5 years (early 2004) since Jim Craig and I, with others, started the Green Party in Halton and Jim managed to get up here to be with us for this celebration (Jim started the party in Runcorn at the same time but had to move down south following his employment late 2004).

Jim's departure was a big blow to me personally as he is a hard working really creative person and was the main link in Runcorn. Its difficult basically being on your own and starting a local political party. My wife (Linda) has really helped and I've had support from various people over the years (even some friends who might not necessarily have voted Green - I really thank them!) But it's not the same as having a political activist soul mate, to hear you out, to bounce things off and bring you down to earth sometimes, who's always physically near - its different than phone calls.

It seems to me that this has been the experience of other Green Parties starting off up and down the country. There are not too many activists out there especially in non city areas. Nevertheless the Green Party has grown nationally at some rate over the past decade and now we are the fourth party numerically in terms of numbers of councillors in the country. It's almost as if the Green Party's time is now. There are signs currently, for instance, that the party is on the verge of winning its first seat at the next general election (Brighton Pavillion - Caroline Lucas).

In the areas where the Green Party has established itself locally and started to win seats it has tended to stir things up politically and motivate other politicians of different political colours to become more active in their local wards which has got to be good for local democracy.

Anecdotal evidence in the Halton View ward where the Greens are virtually breathing down Labour's neck (130 votes behind Labours top candidate in the ward) would seem to indicate that this is the case. Not only this, but Halton Council appears to have become more acutely aware of Green issues and has been initiating some really useful projects in relation to energy saving and recycling initiatives - Phil Harris one of Halton Council's Executive Board members has done some stirling work in this area which I would applaud. I wonder though, how much of this has been related to our presence? This of course could be wishful thinking on my part!

What have we been up to in the past 5 years?

Well in practical terms among many things we've been involved in:- Successfully campaigned over safety issues at Runcorn Docks (2004/6); ensured that the council complied with legislation in relation to providing public seating in Halton that could be accessed by older people and people with disabilities (2005); provided written evidence at Public Inquiries against proposals for incinerators at Ince Green and Weston Point (2006/7); Helped residents in their campaign to try to stop a mental health secure unit from being set up in the Halton View ward (2007/8); provided written evidence to the Second Mersey Crossing Public Inquiry in opposition to the proposal in terms of it's not being the appropriate solution re congestion (2008/9); helped initiate a residents Lorry Watch Scheme in Halton View (2008/9)and provided written evidence to a public inquiry against a proposal for quarrying and landfill site near Halton View ward (2008/9)


In terms of opportunities we've provided for people - perhaps we've brought likeminded people together to start asking questions about what they're able to offer their community; hopefully, without sounding pompous, we've got people to think about the real challenges we are facing in today's world and different ways of solving such challenges; provided people with an opportunity to vote for an ethical party which is just as much concerned about people in other parts of the world as it is in our community that sees linkages between how they fare and how we fare socially, economically and ecologically.

Perhaps all this is too grand and if we asked a Green Voter in Halton View ward why they have voted Green in the last few elections it might just be that its provided them with a real possibility of voting in someone new in the ward, an event which has not happened for some considerable time.

This is a real possibility in May 2010!

Lorry Watch - update!

Lorry Watch is up and running on Barrows Green Lane Widnes which tends to be the main local road route that HGV's use.

We've already identified two firms and had direct contact with them. What we are doing is in a polite way warning them that their details will be passed on to Trading Standards if they are observed in the area again.

I've been in contact with the police (community support) and they've asked us to forward photos of errant lorries. We'll do this if there is a registration number on the vehicle concerned and we have not been able to contact the firm.

On the second observation photos will be sent to the police and trading standards.

We're looking for more volunteers - it's an activity were you really feel your doing something for others and it can be fun - so come and join us!