Workplace Parking Levy : Nottingham City Council

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

Nottingham is introducing a work place parking levy, which to me makes more sense than the rejected Manchester’s congestion charge: Workplace Parking Levy : Nottingham City Council.

When I worked in Bolton I had work mates who were incensed over Manchester’s congestion charge proposals.  As they would have had to pay it, to get to and from work in Bolton, even though they were not going any where  near Manchester City:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_Congestion_Charge What Manchester City Council has done is introduce residents parking schemes.  And the way they are implemented, only act as a tool to tax local residents.  Whilst, not preventing the the ever increasing congestion in Manchester City Centre.  When I raised this issue with Nigel Murphy (Manchester Councillor for the Environment) during the Manchester- A Certain Future, workshop at the MMU (Manchester Metropolitan University).  He informed me, that people who decided to live in the City Centre, did so because they do not need a car, and that as I am a member of the Green Party, I should be in supportive of residents parking schemes.  I did agree with him, that I did not see why people needed to drive, as I have never owned a car, motorbike, scooter or moped.  At the end of the day, the resident’s parking schemes, do not stop congestion.

Good public transport, which people can rely on, is integrated and feel safe to travel, on is what is needed.  Which is the case with Nottingham, especially there far superior tram system.  Which did not displace the train and uses British built trams: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nottingham_tram  Nottingham City also led the way with travel plans, with Nottingham City Hospital introducing a travel plan in 1997:  http://www.sustrans.org.uk/assets/files/AT/Active%20Travel%20Cymru/NHS/Nottinghamcityhospitalnhstrust.pdf  Nottingham paid for this partly from revenue from car parking charges.  I do not know were the revenue from car parking in Manchester goes to.  As I have pointed out in a previous blog: https://patricktsudlow.wordpress.com/2012/03/23/climate-east-midlands-the-regional-climate-change-partnership/ Nottingham was the first City to introduce a plan for climate change, 9 years before Leese and his ‘Manchester – A Certain Future’.  You might of thought, as he comes from the area, he might of learnt how things should be done.

In an earlier

Builders, installers, and energy giants among first Green Deal providers – 04 Apr 2012 – News from BusinessGreen

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

We now have it confirmed, big multi-national companies are to benefit from the ‘Green Deal’.  I thought the ‘Green Deal’, was supposed to be about enabling local communities to improve their energy efficiency and possibly install renewable energy projects?  Which would provide employment for local communities and provide work for local businesses.  Once again, we have a Government which does not understand the phrases, ‘local community’ or ‘local business’.

Builders, installers, and energy giants among first Green Deal providers – 04 Apr 2012 – News from BusinessGreen.

Kenya does not want to renegotiate the Durban Climate Treaty.

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

It is countries like Kenya which will be hit hardest by climate chaos and are striving to reduce carbon emissions.  Unlike most of the industrial Global North, who which to carry on as normal, with carbon trading as the answer.  Carbon Trading does not result in a reduction in carbon emissions.

coastweek.com.

low-cost-low-impact-housing-2012-high-res.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

Here is a report into low-cost-low-impact housing.  Unfortunately, here in Manchester, the council has demolished council housing, instead of retro-fitting the houses to improve their energy efficiency.  And then handed the land over to property developers, with the stipulation that the new homes  should meet code 5 of the national standards.  Code 6, is the new minimum standard they should be building to, though I believe they should be built to  the superior Passivhaus standards.

low-cost-low-impact-housing-2012-high-res.pdf (application/pdf Object).

Manchester Airport : Measuring Our Success

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

This is Manchester Airport’s idea of measuring it’s success with assessing their impact on local communities, 60 local stakeholders.  The council does not count local residents as ‘stakeholder’, even though it is they who are negatively impacted by the airport and its expansion.  Wythenshawe was the largest council estate in Europe, and they are being represented by 60 stakeholders, who no doubt, do not live in the area.  This is a constant problem in Manchester with the City Council, they do not consult or involve the local community.  It is as if, they do not exist.

Manchester Airport : Measuring Our Success.

The Latest from Mondoweiss for 04/01/2012

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

The first article by Sullivan spells out the truth, which most sensible people have realised is the case for years.  And yet, the US, UK and EU doing nothing to stop this ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians.  They actually support and bank-roll this ethnic cleansing.

The Latest from Mondoweiss for 04/01/2012.

The mystery of the invincible oil subsidies.

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

Here is a news article from the US, about the subsidies that oil and gas companies receive.  The UK Government also provides subsidies to oil and gas companies.  An example of this, is the reduction in corporation tax for the North Sea oil and gas operators.  As the video infers, this is because of the level of political donations received by the politicians.  Except in the UK, it is Party political donations that are the problem along with lobbyists.  And a great number of the British public are not aware of these subsidies, and blame their high energy bills on subsidies for renewable technology.  Renewable technology receives a fraction of the subsidies the oil and gas companies receive.  And nowhere near the £50 billion the nuclear industry has received so far.  And it will cost more than £50 billion for the clean-up of the decommissioned nuclear plants.

The Mystery of the Invincible Oil Subsidies.

The USA’s nomination for leader of the World Bank, is anti-growth.

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

From an article from the https://www.share.com/a/bull-and-bear.html 

Dr Kim caught up in anti-growth row

If you want to head up the IMF or the World Bank, there is one belief that you surely must hold, and that is that growth is a good thing.

The US thought it was being clever when it nominated Jim Yong Kim – a South Korean born medical expert, who once headed the Wealth Health Organisation – to be the news boss at the World Bank. By opting for someone with such obvious eastern links, the US hoped it could head off criticism that the top man at the World Bank is always American.

But a book, Dying for Growth, published in 2000 edited by Dr Kim states: “The studies in this book present evidence that the quest for growth in GDP and corporate profits has in fact worsened the lives of millions of women and men.” 

Lets hope, he is selected as the boss of the World Bank, for the sake of the Planet. 

MMU’s destruction on Bonsall Street

Posted on by Patrick Sudlow

Six trees in total were felled on Birley Fields along Bonsall Street opposite the Post Office.  This area was Phase 2 of the planning application and only had provisional planning application and was not supposed to commence until the completion of Phase 1.  So why have these trees been felled?  What is Manchester City Council going to do about it?

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