General Election and the need for change in the real sense!

I've not yet in this blog mentioned the general election. I think there are very few of us who aren't turned off by the competitive banter of all the main parties. Each attempting to show the electorate what they'll individually gain by voting for their party.

I know the parties have to do this to present their policies and show the political acumen and personality strengths of their main actors. It's an expectation driven by the media. But we all are aware that it's all a bit of a game that's very much related to point scoring.

With this in mind it was refreshing to hear on BBC 4's programme 'Saturday Live' the candid views of Lib Dems Matthew Taylor one of the MP's who'll be leaving the Commons after 23 years.

He wasn't leaving because of any particular scandals but partly owing to his perceptions of how backbenchers ability to scrutinise legislation in the last couple of decades had declined. And again his perception of how overt cabinet rule, owing to large majorities and changes in the organisation of the legislative process in recent years, had produced negative consequences. To him the House of Commons was not fulfilling its necessary scrutinising role.

Another interviewee, Claire Short, who's also leaving this year thought that a hung Parliament would actually be beneficial in relation to combatting these recent developments. It would mean that the party that managed to form the government would have to listen to other positions more readily and as a matter of course.

It seems to me though that obviously a more fundamental change in the system is necessary to promote a consensual base to politics in the UK.

Greens consider that if we want a fairer political set up were the electorate's voting patterns were echoed in the make up of the Commons we must move to a form of proportional representation that would produce this. Such a system would not provide huge majorities. Governance would have to be more consensual. There are many examples of really effective PR systems in Europe eg Germany.

With faith in our political system at a low ebb such changes would seem to be much overdue.

Nine hours later...

After my experiences on the busathon (Tuesday) I think that we should have a national, 'Use the bus day'. (perhaps we already have one!)

I can almost hear people saying I knew he'd say that. And I must admit that I thought I would be saying positive things about the experience before I even put my foot onto the Arriva 110 service Widnes to Warrington. But the whole experience was really an eye opener. More about this later.

I managed to visit 9 towns in nine hours. Warrington, St Helens, Ashton in Makerfield, Wigan, Bolton, Blackburn, Preston, Southport and Liverpool. Now I do use the bus when I can so it wasn't such a culture shock to spend 9 hours on them.

Was I surprised about who bus users were? Not really mums and young children, older people using their passes (after 9.30) and what I can only describe as poorer people especially in the old industrial towns - St Helens, Wigan and Bolton. And the friendliest and most considerate people? (this could be a bit subjective, coincidentalist and bordering on the patronising) those poorer people, particularly from Wigan.

I felt more relaxed in the Wigan part of the trip than anywhere else. Not that the trip I was taking was anything like skirting down the Amazon avoiding dangerous exotic tribes. But it was just the reassuring 'Are you awreet?' banter and the spirit of this phrase which seemed to be everywhere.

What was really interesting was meeting a man at St Helens who got on the bus I was getting. He was travelling to Ashton and told me he'd lived there all his life. He was the same age as me. His family had been bakers for generations and had a bakery in Violet Street Ashton.

One of the reasons I'd chosen Ashton as a stop was that I'd been born there. My family moved to Liverpool when I was 5 or 6. So it was great meeting him. He stayed on the bus longer than he'd intended showing me the sights. Filling me in on details about the infant school I'd attended (British School Bolton Rd - hadn't known that it was called that - now no longer there, a swish private older persons home stood in its place - is that significant in some way?)

If your not into sad statitics then avoid this paragraph. All the buses were on time and there were no hold ups. There were lots of pot holes on the urban routes which the older buses didn't like but the smoothie new double deckers (Stagecoach) which run from Preston to Southport took everything in their stride, much more leg room as well.

This effecient running of the buses I encountered reminded me of industrial action I'd taken as a social worker in Ormskirk/Skelmersdale in the 1990's. There was a dispute about car expenses so we refused to use our cars and used public transport. (Used taxis for urgent work but buses normally for other stuff) We assumed or at least I assumed it would really impact on our work - but it didn't at least the relatively short distance travel didn't.

People are put off using public transport because of time factors. My experiences in the 1990's and on Tuesday reminded me it isn't necessarily so. Which brings me onto something maybe a bit more important in terms of the positives. Bus travel offers - another world experience.

Like, in a car there's normally just you or if there's someone else with you, you probably know them. On a bus it's maybe someone you know but also other interesting people you just don't know. Conversations are easily overheard and you get a snapshot of real people's lives.

By car its the same old thing, in a bus well it's up to you. It can certainly be mind expanding seeing how the other half lives. If you have to get a couple of buses the chances are you'll have to wait for a short while. There's no real opportunity to be carrying out some contrived task to pass the time away (apart from maybe mindless texting which we all do sometimes.) But what bus queues do offer, and its not rocket science to work out, is the sort of close proximity to people you don't know, who you could actually talk to.

So buses can equal: getting more exercise, slowing your life down just a notch or two, potentially meeting interesting people and moving ourselves away from our self centred lives and getting a smattering of understanding about other peoples experiences and problems. And that's before we start talking about reducing our carbon footprints.

Now to me that sounds quite valuable, but maybe that's just me?! If you want to view all the other bus photos (to show that I really did visit all those towns) email me at haltongreenparty@hotmail.com and thanks for your support.


Wigan bus station

Bus a thon!

Tomorrow I'll be on several buses for about 12 hours. Why? - well although I do like buses - for 12 hours! But, needs must and doesn't must need!? I want to see how many towns I can visit in one day using buses and am asking people to sponsor me per town to a maximum of £10.

I'm hoping to raise money for the forthcoming election campaigns. This year in Halton residents will be able to vote Green for the first time in a general election and also we're standing a candidate in over a third of the wards .

All this needs extra money compared with other years. As the Green Party only accepts funding from ethically screened organisations and its supporters compared to other minority parties, like UKIP etc, our funding is really, really limited.

Although the first few sentences of this blog might sound a little negative I'm secretly looking forward to having a go. It's an adventure. Intend to take photos of places visited and produce a sort of quirky diary of events.

It'll be interesting to see what you can do in one day on a bus, how do buses and everything to do with them perform (could be nerdish this!) What are bus users up to etc. It could be a damp squib in more ways than one but you won't know unless you check out this blog in the next couple of days.

My daughter Clare has kindly placed an item on Facebook about the event so anyone reading this after picking it up on Facebook I particularly challenge you to comment.

Anything goes, within reason - it would be good to see peoples views about things like local politics - how relevant are they to you? or about buses (buried feelings about public transport do you have something burning to say?) or anything that matters to you - the subject matter could be endless its up to you! (email me if you prefer - haltongreenparty@hotmail.com)

I personally don't think anyone will respond, prove me wrong if you dare!

Rebuttal: Labour's unjoined up thinking!

I found Labour's piece about HGV's in their latest "Talking Points" both welcome and interesting.

Welcome as it indicates that Labour do really sense that we could take the seat from them in May. I cannot remember a 'Talking Point' in the last 6 years that has carried as much about the Green Party as the present issue does.

Interesting in that reading the item you would think that the Labour group of councillors in Halton View are against HGV's travelling unecessarily on the roads in Halton.

Not so if Labour's plans for making Halton a distribution hub in the northwest go ahead as planned. The borough will find itself faced with an increase of up to an estimated 1000 HGV's every 24 hour cycle.

The 'Talking Point' article suggests that the Mersey Multimodal Gateway (3MG) development will reduce HGV traffic but this reduction only relates to long haul national travel. It will in fact increase local traffic on Halton's roads. HGV's from neighbouring areas will be accessing the road/rail head etc.

The Green Party, for several years, has been objecting to planning proposals to a range of developments which relate to this plan of creating in Halton one of the most important distribution hubs in the region, whereas Labour have seen such developments as economically important to the bourough. This is questionable if we are talking specifically about the economic gains of residents living in Halton and does not take into account other important factors like health and safety.

Air pollution in Halton

Evidence given at a Commons Environmental Audit committee meeting in February this year would suggest that we are underestimating the adverse health effects that particulates emitted by diesel traffic and pollution from power stations like Fiddlers Ferry is having on the population, particularly in urban areas.

The report was critical of Government action in failing to tackle the issue suggesting that up to between 35,000 to 50,000 early deaths per year nationwide are caused by such emissions. Responding to this latest research Professor Kelly Kings College London giving evidence to the environmental audit committee suggested that in areas that have high concentrations of particulates emitted there should be reductions in the movement of diesel powered traffic( HGV's etc) by between 20% to 30%.

This latest research is relevant to Halton council's position on the Mersey Multimodal Gateway. Although Halton Council maintain that their plans for the Multimodal Gateway would reduce HGV road traffic this reduction only relates to long haul travel. In fact HGV movements in Halton would increase dramatically in an area which has high incidences of chest related problems. I am all in favour of moving HGV traffic onto rail but I would question actually using Halton as a hub for such a distribution link because of its health related problems.

Its reckoned, in fact, that developments like the Multimodal Gateway in Halton along with other proposals will create a situation where there will be a possible increase of up to at least 600 vehicles (this figure has been obtained from information provided by Halton Borough Council and estimates from other sources) but more likely 1000 vehicles every 24 hour cycle. Maybe there will be employment for some but it is not going to have a beneficial effect on the majority of residents here when health is factored in.

It's important that the council has joined up thinking with regard to their strategic planning in the health and economic development fields.

The Lancaster University's 'Health in Halton study 2003' recommended that,"...all reasonable efforts should be made to work with industry and other organisations...to further reduce levels of pollution within the borough".

In view of the most recent research this adoption of the precautionary principle would seem to be even more relevant. The council has a duty of care to ensure that its economic development plans don't take precedence over other issues of legitimate concern to the citizens of Halton.

Earth Hour 2010

The WWF are arranging an earth hour on Saturday March 27th at 8.30pm (its second earth hour). This is a world event aimed at publicising their activities in relation to climate change and have the world act together in one big gesture to reduce carbon emissions for one hour or more.

So if you're inclined/able please switch off all unnecessary electrical appliances get those romantic candles out and invite friends around for a drink. For further info check out their site wwf.org.uk/earthhour

WWF blurb sums it up:
'Climate change is one of the most serious threats facing people and nature, and demands urgent global action. Unless we prevent average temperatures rising 2°C above pre-industrial levels, we face a high risk of severe and irreversible changes in the planet’s natural systems'.

Dog Fouling - the answers?!

I got a response from the Environment Dept about my email to them. But it was not in the form that I'd expected.

It was a card through my door. An environmental operative had called when I was out and had left his calling card. For a split second I thought - what has my dog been up to? My dementia hasn't gone that far has it?

I later found a letter he'd dropped in at the same time which contained info about what to do if you're affected by dog owners acting irresponsibly. I summarise some of the contents of the letter below:

There's a fixed penalty of £50 for dog owners concerned and failure to comply with this carries a maximum fine of £1000.

If you observe dog fouling or have noticed an area where dog fouling is a problem you can report it to the dog warden - phone 0303 333 4300 (24 hour line).

You need to provide details of where the offence occurred, address of dog owner if known, the time of day the offence usually occurs, a description of the dog if the owner is not known.

All the information you provide will be treated in the strictest confidence.

I haven't had a chance to talk to the environment dept about the other issues I raised but I'll keep you informed. Also check out in the previous blog what to do about getting the mess clearded up.