No to Ffos-y-fran - protest Sat 5th April - New Labour/Plaid greenwash

The politicans in the Welsh Assembly allowed this to happen. Then they make out they are 'green'
TIME TO SAY NO! Wrecking lives
speakers George Monbiot, Jill Evans, Gordon James, Terry Evans.

Sat 5th April
2pm March from Twyn y Rodyn nursery school, Parfitt Terrace.
3.15pm In front of the Civic Centre, speakers George Monbiot, Jill Evans, Gordon James, Terry Evans.
4-6pm Public meeting St David’s Church Hall.
8pm Music: Tracey Curtis and guests at The Great Escape.

Ffos-y-fran is the biggest open-cast mining scheme in the UK, and it looms over the town of Merthyr Tydfil. The edge of the pit will be just 36 metres from the nearest homes and close to a primary school nursery. Merthyr already has the worst health in Wales: the dust, smoke and noise will exacerbate it. The digging will last from 7am until 11pm, six days a week, for 17 years. Digging ourselves into a hole Coal produces more carbon dioxide when it burns than any other fuel, and the coal in Ffos-y-Fran will be responsible for almost 30 million tonnes of it. This is a disaster for the global climate and for our children’s future. We should be investing instead in offshore wind, tidal and wave energy schemes: the potential in Wales is tremendous. Let’s pull ourselves out of this hole. Let’s stop the digging at Ffos-y-Fran.“Reclamation scheme”Miller Argent, the consortium digging the pit, calls Ffos-y-fran a “land reclamation scheme”. This is a bad joke: you don’t need to dig a 1000-acre hole to clean up the site. The scheme will create some employment, but will also blight the area, keeping good jobs away.

No to Ffos-y-fran and open cast mining! A filthy business. Around 10,000 people in Merthyr signed petitions opposing it. But the council, the Labour assembly member and the Welsh Assembly have all failed the local people and backed big business before their constituents.http://www.stopffosyfran.co.uk/

Greenwash!!! from New Labour and Plaid
The 'New' Labour Party supported this crazy mining scheme and there they are fingerwagging dinosaurs hectoring children on how to behave!!!
Labour launches antisocial behaviour pledge about antisocial behaviour - seems to me it should be Rhodri Morgan getting an asbo for this anti social behaviour which is rather more serious!!
And Plaid jump on the green bandwagon.... Now Plaid tells voters to get on their bikes - icWales
...great but there is more to it than that............Call for a stop to this mining!!

Want to help email RAFF_Group@stopffosyfran.co.uk

AMSER DWEUD NA!
Na i fwyngloddio brig yn Ffos-y-Frân!
Dinistrio bywydau
Ffos-y-Frân yw’r cynllun mwyngloddio brig mwyaf ym Mhrydain, ac mae’n ffinio â Merthyr Tudful. Bydd y mwyn dim ond 36m o’r tai agosaf ac yn agos at ysgol feithrin. Mae gan Ferthyr eisoes yr ystadegau iechyd gwaethaf yng Nghymru: dim ond gwaethygu y gwnaiff y sefyllfa gyda’r holl sŵn a’r llwch. Bydd y cloddio yn digwydd o 7 y.b tan 11 y.h, 6 diwrnod yr wythnos, am 17 mlynedd.
Mewn twll
Mae glo yn cynhyrchu mwy o garbon deiocsid nag unrhyw danwydd arall, a bydd y glo yn Ffos-y-Frân yn gyfrifol am bron i 30 miliwn tunnell ohono. Mae hwn yn drychineb i’r hinsawdd ac i ddyfodol ein plant. Dylem fuddsoddi yn lle mewn cynlluniau egni adnewyddol: mae’r potensial yng Nghymru yn anferth.
"Cynllun adennill tir"
Mae Miller Argent, y cwmni mwngloddiol, yn galw Ffos-y-Frân yn ‘’gynllun adennill tir". Mae hwn yn chwerthinllyd: does dim angen cloddio twll 1000 o aceri er mwyn clirio’r safle. Bydd y cynllun yn creu rhai swyddi, ond bydd hefyd yn difetha’r ardal, gan fygwth swyddi lleol.
Chwarae budr
Mae tua 10,000 o bobl wedi arwyddo deisebau yn gwrthwynebu Ffos-y-Frân. Ond mae’r cyngor, aelod cynulliad o’r blaid Lafur a Llywodraeth y Cynulliad wedi bradychu’r boblogaeth leol ac wedi cefnogi byd masnach cyn eu hetholwyr.
2y.p Gorymdaith o feithrinfa Twyn y Rodyn, Parfitt Terrace (llai na 500m o safle mwynglawdd brig Ffos-y-Frân)
3.15y.p O flaen y Ganolfan Ddinesig: siaradwyr yn cynnwys George Monbiot, Jill Evans, Gordon James a Terry Evans
4-6y.p Cyfarfod cyhoeddus yn neuadd Eglwys St David’s. Dewch i drafod

New Labour emissions higher!!!

Britain's climate change emissions may be 12% higher than officially stated, according to a National Audit Office investigation which has strongly criticised the government for using two different carbon accounting systems. There is "insufficient consistency and coordination" in the government's approach, the NAO said.
Guardian 17th March 2008
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/mar/17/climatechange.carbonemissions

The truth about CO2 !Guardian, UK - It is nonsense to suggest the government is trying to mislead the public in the way we report greenhouse gas emissions (Government figures hide scale of CO2 ...
Government figures hide scale of CO2 emissions, says report Guardian

National Audit Office Report
Report: UK Has Two Carbon Accounting Systems AHN
Carry on polluting Guardian
Times Online
all 13 news articles »

Election time for Cllrs - Pedestrian Rights

What hope for pedestrians here!!! in Whitchurch Cardiff....do our councillors take the issues seriously enough??

1. Ask politicians if they are willing to adopt a hierarchy of road users. If such a hierarchy was policy then decision making should improve. ..more info below

2. Ask politicans to have a design contest for St Mary St..Annual street conversion design contest - see http://www.worldcarfree.net/contest/ car free areas http://www.worldcarfree.net/projects/ links

3. Will they commission a street audit at the very least? http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/what_living_streets_do/cs_community_street_audits.php

4. Policy Briefing: Manual for Streets The Manual for Streets was launched by the government on 29 March 2007. It gives guidance on the way streets should be designed. Living Streets has broadly welcomed the Manual and its emphasis on the needs of pedestrians. Click on the pdf logo to read the full briefing. Policy Briefing: Manual for Streets PDF (56Kb) It introduces a user hierarchy where pedestrians are considered first in the design process

5. Will you put pedestrian crossings where people cross not several hundred yards away from the end of the street. Will you organise consultation with street audits?

6. Will you plan out pedestrian tunnels or underpasses ... tunnels - longer - for disabled and elderly .. dangerous for women especially and lead to young people and others trying to cross above with out a crossing...remember our hierarchy...

7. Will you have training for transport planners as they continue to use same old designs time and time again for crossings which are designed to facilitate CAR traffic FLOW. At UHW a new crossing has been installed on a narrow stretch if road which has a 'pen' in the middle! to make crossing longer and more difficult.. but watch people walk round it! HIERARCHY!!!

8. How much has been spent on making pavements disabled friendly and including dropped kerbs? When will Cardiff pavements be disabled friendly by? (hierarchies) Per ward figures even better and excluding improvements to underpasses/tunnels which should be eliminated.

9. When will the promised decriminalisation of traffic offences happen?

10. When are the council going to enforce measues to stop PAVEMENT Parking?

Still too many accidents which involve pedestrians - old people and children in particular. Not good enough to say accidents are falling as less people are pedestrians than EVER before especially children because our streets are too dangerous!! People are trapped in there homes which affects their mental health, play for children, obesity ... see for accidents and stats http://inconsiderateparking.blogspot.com/

1. What is a Transport Hierarchy?

A hierarchy helps planners decide who has priority when the interests of users of the various different transport modes conflict.

Designing cities around people, not cars

http://www.york.gov.uk/content/45053/64877/64891/Local_transport_plan/Local_transport_plan_summary.pdf.

The City of York has won numerous awards for developing an integrated transport network that does not rely on private cars and meets local air quality objectives. An integral part of that strategy promotes sustainable active alternatives to the private car that are both convenient and reliable by using public transport, walking and cycling. York was one of the first local authorities to adopt a hierarchy of transport users when making decisions related to land use and transport and in implementing transport measures.

The order of priority is:

1. Pedestrians

2. People with mobility problems

3. Cyclists

4. Public transport users (includes bus,

coach, water, taxi and rail

5. Powered two-wheelers

6. Commercial or business users

(includes deliveries and heavy goods

vehicles)

7. Carborne shoppers and visitors)

8. Carborne commuters

Another example here http://cuttingyourcaruse.co.uk/index.htm

Pedestrians & wheelchair users
Mobility impaired cyclists
Pedal cyclists & human powered vehicles including electric bikes
Equestrians
Public transport users (bus, rail, coach, tram & taxis)
People with mobility problems using motorised modes
Zero emission motor vehicles
Mopeds and scooters
Commercial/business users
Private-hire coach borne visitors
Rail freight
High vehicle occupancy cars with 3+ people
Short-stay car borne shoppers
Car borne commuters, visitors, escort and leisure trips
HGVs over 7.5 tonnes
Powerful motorbikes
Air borne traffic

Accidents

Designing cities around people, not cars

network that does not rely on private cars and meets local air quality objectives. An

integral part of that strategy promotes sustainable active alternatives to the private

car that are both convenient and reliable by using public transport, walking and

cycling. York was one of the first local authorities to adopt a hierarchy of transport

users when making decisions related to land use and transport and in implementing

transport measures. The order of priority is:

1. Pedestrians

5. Powered two-wheelers

2. People with mobility problems

6.

Commercial or business users

(includes deliveries and heavy goods

vehicles)

3. Cyclists

7. Carborne shoppers and visitors

4. Public transport users (includes bus,

coach, water, taxi and rail)

8. Carborne commu

Designing cities around people, not cars

The City of York has won numerous awards for developing an integrated transport

network that does not rely on private cars and meets local air quality objectives. An

integral part of that strategy promotes sustainable active alternatives to the private

car that are both convenient and reliable by using public transport, walking and

cycling. York was one of the first local authorities to adopt a hierarchy of transport

users when making decisions related to land use and transport and in implementing

transport measures. The order of priority is:

1. Pedestrians

5. Powered two-wheelers

2. People with mobility problems

6.

Commercial or business users

(includes deliveries and heavy goods

vehicles)

3. Cyclists

7. Carborne shoppers and visitors

4. Public transport users (includes bus,

coach, water, taxi and rail)

8. Carborne commuters

I am a careful driver, says death crash accused

One of two motorists accused of causing the death of an 83-year-old man by dangerous driving today told a court he was a careful driver. Read

83 year old man killed by dangerous driving

I am a careful driver, says death crash accused

One of two motorists accused of causing the death of an 83-year-old man by dangerous driving today told a court he was a careful driver. Read

Re. Don’t attack the 1967 Abortion Act – defend a woman’s right to choose

Dear Julie Morgan

Although your office manager Peyer Howe told me that women have got more than enough rights already I would ask you to personally respond to this letter.

Re. Don’t attack the 1967 Abortion Act – defend a woman’s right to choose

I am concerned that some MPs opposed to abortion are seeking to amend the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill to restrict women’s access to abortion, particularly by lowering the legal limit for abortion from 24 weeks.

This would have a devastating impact on the small number of women who need later abortion. These are often vulnerable women facing unusual and difficult circumstances such as late diagnosis of pregnancy, rape or domestic abuse or NHS delays. No-one involved makes the decision lightly. Women must be entitled to the right to choose on the most fundamental decisions over their own bodies.

Forty years since the Abortion Act in Britain, an overwhelming majority of people, 83 per cent, support a woman’s right to choose. There is broad opposition to any lowering of the abortion time limit from MPs across the three main parties, from medical professional organisations – the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, from the Commons Science and Technology Committee and the Department of Health and from women’s, trade union and student groups.

I urge you to vote against any damaging amendments to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill that would roll back women’s crucial abortion rights.

As a constituent, I would be grateful if you could let me know your views on these matters. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require further information.

I look forward to hearing from you soon. Yours sincerely,