Category: Environment

There has been no big hike in population in the last year, but demand for rental properties has risen massively. House prices are falling which indicates a surfeit of demand.

Over the last 10 years (to 2022) the number of second homes grew by 13% to 809.000 whilst there are a million empty homes in the UK. I am sceptical regarding the calls for planing restrictions to be eased. With increased congestion on the roads and ULEZ it would make sense for more flats in cities central areas. Building houses in areas with no jobs, shops or facilities makes little sense. No wonder Jenrick was spouting conspiracy theories this week at the Cons Conference. Has he done some more dodgy deals with developers? If built in suburbia and the countryside where are people going to park when going to te city? I think Waitrose amongst other supermarkets are proposing the building of flats above their shops – that seems mega sensible although they are doing it for purely financial reasons.

So Truss mentions the anti-growth coalition after she was interupted by Greenpeace Activists. I think she meant it as a disparaging comment – personally I am proud to be anti-growth. Our Planet is not growing, we are just seeing an increasing amount of her wealth concentrated in te hands of a few.

Tories try to con the workers that they need growth to receive higher wages. Not true – just a fairer distribution please.

His suggestions do not make economic sense. He proposes to limit the 20mph limit from Whitehall – where is the local democracy? If residents do not like it they can use their ballot. Limiting use of bus lanes seems pointless – allowing use when it is not busy anyway is going to help how? Rationalising speed limits would make more sense! Near here there are 6 different speed limits in 2km! Perhaps Khan should have imposed 20mph across London – that would cut emissions!

On a rational note – encouraging the motorist viv a vie the bus passenger will just reslut in more traffic and slower journeys and more pollution. I am not sure it is much of a vote winner anyway – yes there are 20+ million motorists but they are also residents and there are 45% of the poor who cannot afford a car. Perhaps more thought needs to be put into the 15 minute city concept?

A fundamental rethink of travel is needed – buses have WiFi so the need for speed is vastly reduced. Manchester has just taken its bus service back into public ownership – if this can reslut in a better and cheaper service, then good. Why is it cheaper to drive than use public transport? Is petrol too cheap? Should there be an environmental levy on it?

There is also a need to differentiate between urban areas and rural ones. Urban areas generaally have better public transport whilst in some rural areas it is non-existent. However rural areas have greater potential for charging points near housing for electric vehicles. Efficient park and ride schemes at low cost (vouches for use in city centre shops and services – a new currency?) could encourage people back to the High Street and avoid clogging the streets.

2 sources of info. When traffic is moving optimally in London’s city center, average speeds hover around 25 kph. Across the entire year, the overall average speed is 17 kph. and

Average Traffic Speeds – Greater London Authority

london.gov.ukhttps://www.london.gov.uk › … › Find An Answer

8.7 mph to 7.1 mph in central London; 12.5 mph to 11.6 mph in inner London; 20.3 mph to 19.3 mph in outer London.

Pedestrian deaths as a result of a road incident increased by 15 to 376 in 2022. E-scooters deaths grew to 12 – this is two more cases when compared to the previous year. Cyclist were the only road user type to report a drop in the total of road fatalities in 2022. In total there were 85 deaths, 26 fewer than in 2021. How many were the result of a car travelling at more than 20mph in an urban area?

That year, on average, a fatal accident resulted in over almost two million British pounds of prevention costs. The cost of slight accidents was substantially lower, but not insignificant, reaching some 16,700 Great British pounds.20 Jul 2023. So I think we can put the cost of accidents to pedestrians at above £1billion. So why is Sunak panda’ring to the motorist other than pure electioneering.

A report states that one in six see ies in the UK face extinction. 43% of bird species at risk, 31% amphibians, 28% fungi and lichens, 26% terrestial mammals. Flowering plants distribution is down 54%. Only 20% of farmland is in nature friendly schemes. I would suspect that the % of gardens that are wildlfe friendly is less than that. Only 5 or 6 front gardens in my street out of 80 have anymore than a random showy flower like a pot of geraniums. The number with wintering places for insects is just one – mine! I know it looks untidy that is the point! Tidiness destroys wildlife. I leave the hollow stems of the fennel and the dying remnants of the lovage. I have however planted some shrubs and roses to add a bit of colour in the front.

At the back I am cutting back the buddleia and the nettles bybthe greenhouse door, but am trying to leave the thistles and the thicket that has developed behind the raspberries. I like to think that whilst others provide daytime entertainment for insects with food from flowers I am. providing a home for some to overwinter. I am not sure the bird box was used but remember a couple of years ago when I did not tidy some hedge cuttings we discovered a wrens nest with eggs amongst the strewn branches.

I need to order more bird food and a couple more feeders – I guess a bird food with more fatty bits in would be better for the little ones this winter. First storm – Agnes- of the autumn went past without much ado here – I think it went further north, but a couple more depressions are on their way. Looking out of the window I notice that my peace lily seems to be on last legs. Aloe vera all doing fine and flame lily by front door looks healthy. I will leave the lemon and lime trees outside this winter but do have some bubble wrap if it gets very cold – at which point I will bring them in. No signs of what the winter will be like though?

And then the government fucks us all by giving the go ahead for Roseland despite most scientists and economists saying that the world does not need it. Any analysis of right wing propoganda will reveal that money is the emperor – feed the people on cheap crap food from corporations whilst raking in profits – despicable!

So Sunak is right and wrong. He will no doubt get the RW Press support for delaying/abandoning green policies. In some ways he is correct, introducing further costs in a time of a credit squeeze is not popular. However abolishing plans that do not exist is ridiculous (unless to the RW nutters) 7 bins, meat tax, flight tax etc.

Firstly he is reversing policies he voted for a few years back – so why does he not say that he was wrong then? That is because they were not wrong then or now!

Secondly the mistake has been the lack of support put into the measures. Heat pumps are expensive as are electric cars, there is a lack of charging points for cars and trained mechanics. landlords need support at a time of rising mortgages (it is easy to see landlords as unscrupulous hate figures, but they are providing a service (especially since the Thatcher government started selling off council houses. Subsidies, especially in areas with no mains gas for heat pumps and solar woukd seem sensible. Setting up charging parks for cars in areas of high density flats would lso ease the pain. Of course these things cost – hence the need for a windfall tax. Thirdly the llack of a tax on air travel is plain ludicrous.

I think Sadiq Khan may come unstuck with ULEZ as it is too expensive and too soon. Would it not be more practical to give everyone who pays the £12.50 charge a £10 credit for buying/leasing a new electric or compliant vehicle. Someone driving in the zone would therefore get £6000 credit after a year.

Like most government policies these things do not seem to be thought through – is there a lack of civil servants without cognitive and questioning skills or have all ministers copied Johnson and surround themselves with sycophants? Is the introduction of the national curriculum and league tables in education to blame (Students trained to pass rather than think!).

The press will make much of the fact that the UK is ahead of much of the world (great so lets keep ahead and reap the benefits) and some countries are doing little ( a pathetic argument. The petrolheads will be gloating in the fumes. Prevalence of asthma seems to have risen in the 1990’s and possibly flatlined since – I cannot find decent data. Personal experience – I think there was one child with an inhaler when I was at school – now it is much more common – savings to the NHS?

Which all brings me around to democracy – good or bad? Governments are elected by popular vote, but the recent trend for populism seems counter-intuitive? If all we need is populism we cound have an electronic referendum on every topic. Referendums often result in disaster (Brexit). Governments should use their Civil Service to gain long term outlooks and act for the benefit of all in society. For too long politicians have acted to support their power base at the expence of of many in the country. Governments have a responsibility to minorities and the future. A 5 year term, at the end of which politicians will appeal to the public for support is not a sensible way to run a country – we have become a laughing stock as this government comes out with 12 month plans at best, knowing they will not be able to execute them. Yet Biden appears to have done it in the USA with a long term plan to put them ahead of the rest of the world regarding green energy? Maybe it is the fault of the fourth estate – their finances are totally dependant on populism amongst the old!

Maybe this is an opportunity for a second chamber (formerly House of Lords ) which should be tasked with assessing the impact of policies across society and into the future. It would appear that Sunak has written off the young as potential voters and is saying that he will fuck the environment as his voters will not be around for long? The future for him seems to be a few months. OMG – can you imagine the horror that he would face if the Tories won the next election – all their fuck-ups would come back to roost!

This affair reminds me of the opening of “Fix you” by Coldplay!

When you try your best, but you don’t succeed
When you get what you want, but not what you need
When you feel so tired, but you can’t sleep
Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can’t replace

What is it about cars that brings out the worst in people. 20mph speed limits are defaced in Wales, ULZ cameras destroyed in London. Do these people get angry about other injustices like energy bills, or rudeness? I suspect not! The car is an extension of their wrped ego, a counter to their hapless lives – presumably they do not have mortgages or decent jobs to put at risk? Do they care about the welfare of others – not a jot – they are the epitome of the “Mememememe” culture. Spain introduced a 30kph (19mph) limit on singla carriageway urban roads and has experiences a 13% fall in pedestrian deaths. I just wish drivers would not drive through my village at 50mph+ when there is a 30MPH speed limit. Estimates of the cost of slower travel seem ridiculous – travel in cities is usually below 20mph during the day anyhow – and putting the footdown on a suburban street to make up time is just plain stupid! Surely 20mph is enough on any street with houses and street lights? People and children live in those houses. Why should 100% of the population be dominated by a few mad petrolheads with character problems.

I would go further and introduce speed bumps where necessary, and chicanes too. Emergency services should be no more impeded than they are at present by illegal parking and thoughtless drivers.

I am not blameless – it can be difficult to get used to 20mph. And motorway driving is so boring, I have driven from Plymouth to Banwell in 90 minutes! The petrol gauge was visibly moving down! But here – why are trains so expensive – fares rising by 9% this year I believe? Cheaper to fly from Bristol to Türkiye to London than getting a train? And they are spending £106bn on HS2. Tube trains in London run every couple of minutes – can we not have a similar system across the UK? Doing away with ticket offices may be efficient but doing away with all staff on a station in an urban area, with no guard or ticket collectors on board the said train surely leads to a dystopian scenario – large machines (trains ) potentially populated by “banned car drivers – banned for vandalising speed limit signs and ULEZ cameras!).