Royal Mail blows a massive hole in Sir Keir Starmer's green credentials

 We've been told for the last dozen or so years that electric transport is the way forward. Those of us with what are deemed polluting vehicles have been taxed until the pips squeak! We are told that electric vehicles are the way forward. we are told to get rid of our gas guzzlers and get the train as that is the clean way to go. Well it seems that there is one rule for us and quite another for the rich multinational's that run the country and can buy influence. This morning, I saw this tweet

Statement sent out by @DBCargoUK regarding @RoyalMail decision to end mail by rail. Royal Mail, says DB, has decided to move all things by road. High cost of electricity also cited. pic.twitter.com/jiK1p7VB7j

— Richard Clinnick (@Clinnick1) July 10, 2024

Less than a week after Labour won a landslide and promised us a brighter, greener future than the Tories, Royal Mail, who are one of the largest movers of freight in the UK have announced they are ceasing all rail operations and moving everything by road from the 10th October. According to the press release, this has nothing to do with the quality of  the existing arrangements. It is all to do with the high cost of using rail to move freight. This in part is due to the high cost of electricty for electric trains. It also seems that the cost of a new fleet of trains played a part. There was a huge story recently about the UK risking losing it's train building capacity due to lack of demand for new trains. This will cause massive damage to the UK's long term ability to compete.  

The whole UK energy market is in chaos. High prices have delivered massive profits for oil and gas companies, hikes in electricity prices have forced DB rail to scrap electric locomotives. Whilst governments speak in glowing platitudes about electric powered travel, the reality is that the UK's energy policy are the  shareholders in polluting energy companies. The Royal Mail was privatised, meaning that every decision is made purely for the benefit of shareholders and if ecologically sound rail travel is more expensive than diesel powered lorries, then they will use lorries. They will not invest long term in a new fleet of trains. They will not give  a stuff about the environmental or social impact of their policies.

It is 100% clear that this is an almighty mess. It is a chance for Sir Keir Starmer to show he means business. Operators of electric trains should be able to procure electricity on long term deals at cheap prices that make rail cheaper than equivalent road routes, where capacity exists. Companies such as Royal Mail should be able to secure grants or cheap, long term loans, to build trains, so long as they are built in the UK. This would help maintain our industry. Labour should be making it cheaper and easier to get Lorries off the road. As heavy vehicles wear roads out quicker and slow traffic down, there would be a huge benefit for car drivers. Less congestion on the roads. I am not anti road freight. It is necessary to supply our shops, and other businesses. But where rail is appropriate, it should be the cheapest option and it should use electric traction. 

The new Labour government has a challenge in its first week. Lets see how they rise to it. 

Barnet Council - Dishonesty in action !

I am totally disgusted by the latest scheme from Barnet Council to waste your money. There are many aspects of it which disgust me, which we'll discuss, but the worst is the big porkie that it "costs the Barnet Taxpayer nothing".

Barnet Council are planting non native Dawn Redwood trees along the route of the Edgware Road. According to the article in the Hendon Times :-

As the cost of planting and initial maintenance is being covered by the Mayor of London’s funding, users of the Edgware Road will be receiving a real boost to the environment and atmosphere of the street, which is currently overwhelmingly urban, at no cost to the Barnet taxpayer.

I'm sorry to have to explain this to Barnet Council, but the Barnet Taxpayer funds the Mayor of London. Where did they think the money came from? Do they think it grows on (Dawn Redwood) Trees? We are funding this. We are paying. I've no idea who the Tories in Barnet think pays for the Mayor, but we do. The taxpayer.

Now I'm a big supporter of the Environment. I'd love Barnet Council to spend more on improving it, so why don't I like this scheme? Because it is the wrong scheme in the wrong place. I don't think any scheme where Councils plant non native species is ever right. Trees should be planted to provide habitat for native species and should be sited in such a way as to give the maximum environmental benefit. These trees planted along the Edgware Road are only likely to encourage scavenging species such as pigeons, which are a nuisance. Barnet actually say :-

A statement from Barnet Council said: “The primary reason for choosing Dawn Redwoods was because they grow upright, in a tall and thin style, avoiding problems of bird mess dropping on to shop displays or car dealership forecourts, or obscuring them from the view of passing motorists.

Now there are plenty of spaces in Barnet where trees would provide a huge benefit to the local ecosystem. They could provide shelter for rare species, provide shade and improve the environment for all. As Barnet admit for these specimens, all we will see is the bottom of the trunk. How many songbirds will nest? They won't provide acorns or berries as a foodsource for local wildlife. What exactly will they achieve apart from looking nice on glossy brochures? Do you think that if you gave the experts, say the London wildlife trust, the money and said, "devise a scheme that will have the maximum benefit for Barnets wildlife and we'll apply for this money" they would have come up with this scheme?

The trouble with Barnet Council under Conservative Leader Lynne Hillan is quite well demonstrated here. They don't understand who payes taxes, they think they know better than the experts, they waste public money and they deliver no tangible benefit to the people who foot the bill - you and me. I'm just amazed that a supposedly Tory Mayor, Boris Johnson colludes with such scandalous wasting of his cash. Do you think he knows who foots the bill?