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Greens launch bus petitions
On 2 October the First bus company introduced some changes to its routes and timetables. Residents have been contacting the Green Party to complain about some of the changes. For example, the 25 bus service is no longer continuing from UEA to the hospital, meaning that people living in the Unthank Road area no longer have a direct service to the N&N. Also, the 26 bus now follows the same route from the ring road to UEA as the 27. This means that there is no longer a local First bus service for residents living in and around the part of Earlham Road between the ring road and Fiveways.
Local Green Party campaigner Tom Llewellyn said: “The changes to the 26 have taken away the local bus service for hundreds of Wensum residents. The Green Party started up a petition, calling on First bus to reinstate the previous route. Members of the Earlham Road Residents’ Association have helped us collect around 500 signatures. I hope that First responds positively to this.
“We have also started a petition on the 25 bus. It is vital that there are frequent, reliable services to the hospital from all parts of the city. The changes to the 25 mean far less efficient journeys for hospital staff, patients and visitors from the Unthank Road area who rely on the 25 to get to the N&N.”
Photo (left to right): Tom Llewellyn, Councillor Adrian Holmes and Councillor Adrian Ramsay with a local resident next to a former 26 bus stop on Earlham Road.
“Following Green Party proposals, the City Council has called upon First to reinstate the previous routes of the 25 and 26. However, with no regulation of local bus services, First can ignore what the council has said. That is why the Green councillors also proposed that Norwich should have a Quality Bus Contract to give the local councils power over routes and fares. This would enable cheaper, more reliable services to be put in place. The City Council has agreed to creating a Quality Bus Contract. We now need the County Council to also back the plans to make them a reality.”
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'The Lanes' – Councillor Adrian Holmes writes...
Shops-keepers in the Upper Goat Lane area of Norwich have formed a group called ‘The Lanes’ to help promote the merits of shopping at the independent and local businesses in that part of the city. The Green Party believes that such businesses help give Norwich its unique character as well as benefiting the local economy. Green councillors have offered their support to the group in lobbying the City Council to help promote the area. Independent businesses elsewhere in Norwich are working to start similar groups.
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Greens fight for crossings near busy roundabout
Green Party members have been collecting signatures for a petition calling for pedestrian crossings to be installed over the ring road and Dereham Road, near the busy Fourways roundabout. Nearly 300 residents have now signed the petition, which has been presented to the local councils.
Photo: Councillor Adrian Holmes (left) and Tom Llewellyn on Guardian Road.
Green Party Wensum Councillor Rupert Read said: “We started the petition after residents contacted us to tell us the difficulty they have crossing the road in this area. I hope the local councils will agree to pay for crossings over Dereham Road and the ring road, somewhere in the vicinity of the Fourways junction, to improve road safety in the area.
“The Green Party passionately believes in road safety being funded properly so that crossings like this can be built at last.”
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Bowthorpe Road traffic survey – Tom Llewellyn writes...
Following calls from residents, Green Party members have been conducting a survey of people living in the part of Bowthorpe Road outside the ring road. We have been asking what action (if any) residents think should be taken to try to reduce traffic speeds on the road.
Of those people we have spoken to so far, a clear majority of residents have favoured some sort of traffic calming measures. The most popular options are regular speed checks by the Police and a lowering of the speed limit. When we have completed the survey we will present the results to the council and the Police. Please contact us if you have some views that you would like to be included in the survey.
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Renewable energy in new developments
Norwich City Council has agreed in principle that developers in Norwich should be required to obtain at least 10% of energy in new developments from clean, renewable sources such as wind and solar power.
Green Councillor Adrian Ramsay said: “Government regulations on planning policy mean it could be a couple of years before this comes into force but I am glad the policy has been agreed in principle. Green Councillors have been lobbying for this requirement for some time after several other councils put the policy in place. 10% is the absolute minimum of clean energy that we should be requiring.”
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Protecting local services – Councillor Adrian Holmes writes...
Norwich City Council has backed Green Party calls for MPs to pass the Local Communities Sustainability Bill. The Bill would give councils more power to ensure the survival of important local services such as post offices, bank branches and corner shops. Green Councillors argue that the Bill is needed to reverse the trend towards the loss of local services. These services are vital for people who are unable to travel far and for protecting the environment by reducing the need to travel.
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NORWICH STEINER SCHOOL
Enquiries: Valentina Monguzzi 01603 623971
Holistic learning for a better world
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Local Transport Plan
Green County Councillor Andrew Boswell writes...
Norfolk County Council is currently consulting on its Local Transport Plan (LTP). Residents can obtain information by phoning 223267 or visiting tinyurl.com/dvnrj. I recently exposed in the national press that the County Council had abandoned an original aim of the policy: to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide. This is unacceptable at a time when the effects of climate change are becoming ever more apparent. The LTP should focus on improving cycling facilities and bus services. Residents can respond to the consultation until 16 December 2005.
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Licensing update – Councillor Bob Gledhill writes...
In September, the Green Councillors held a public meeting to discuss ways of lobbying the City Council Executive to re-run those consultation processes on late licence applications where incorrect response deadlines had been issued. Along with several members of the public, I later tabled questions to a full council meeting but the LibDems could not be persuaded to hold fresh consultation processes and hearings for the affected applications to give residents a say.
However, after the new licences come into force on 24 November residents will have the right to ask for review hearings to be held for the late licences it has issued. Residents will need to show that their concerns relate to the pub in question and to the Government’s four licensing objectives: prevention of crime and disorder; public safety; prevention of public nuisance; protection of children from harm.
For information about the licence application of any particular pub or about the review process, please contact the City Council Licensing Section: 212760/1/2 or licensing@norwich.gov.uk. Alternatively, you can contact Councillor Bob Gledhill on 621980.
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Tom Llewellyn selected
Tom Llewellyn has been selected as the Green Party’s City Council candidate for Wensum in the May 2006 election. Tom has been active in Wensum ward for over two years and has met thousands of residents on the doorstep. At the last City Council election, Tom missed out on becoming a councillor by just 29 votes.
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Seasoned hardwood logs cut to order. By-product of local tree surgeon's work.
Single load £30
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Pallets £1
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Doorstep recycling now includes cans
Most residents who are in the green recycling box scheme are now able to recycle tins and cans in the doorstep collections. The tin and can collections are expected to cover all households on the green box scheme by Christmas.
Tom Llewellyn said: “This is another, much-needed step forward in improving local recycling facilities and helping to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill. Green Councillors have long been pushing for such improvements and I am glad that we are starting to see some results. The Green Party will continue to campaign for other improvements such as an increase in the number of recycling bring-banks so that people not in the green box scheme can recycle more easily.”
Photo (left to right): Green Councillors Adrian Ramsay, Bob Gledhill and Jessica Goldfinch celebrate the fact that residents can now recycle their tins and cans in the green box scheme.
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Future of City Hall – Councillor Adrian Ramsay writes...
Last month, the local press unveiled plans for a luxury hotel to be opened at City Hall. At that stage, the plans had been drawn up by council officers but there had been little consultation with councillors. I attended the meeting of the City Council Executive at which a decision on the plans was to be made. I urged the Executive not to approve the plans but to set up a cross-party working group to look at all the options for the future of the building. This was agreed, and so no decision will be made until after the working party has produced a report in January 2006.
Green Councillors will be arguing for the City Council to remain at its current site and for City Hall and the land behind it to still be owned and run by the council. There are problems with the current situation that need addressing, such as the poor energy efficiency and high running costs of the building and the fact that the former car park area at the back of City Hall is not in use. We will be suggesting solutions that involve community use of the building and the land. If you have any suggestions for us to put to the working party then please get in touch.
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3 December is global campaign day on climate change. Please join us on a march for action on climate change, meeting outside the Forum at 9:30am and ending at the Fair. There will be information on climate change and environment-related children’s activities at the Fair.
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Surgery Times
Your Green Party Councillors hold the following surgeries:
- Second Monday of each month
Belvedere Community Centre
Belvoir Street
6-7pm
- Third Wednesday of each month
St Alban's Church Hall
Grove Walk
7-8pm
- Last Friday of each month
Cadge Road Community Centre
10-11am
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Contacting Wensum Greens
The Green Party Councillors continue to take up local issues of concern with the Council. If you have anything you would like us to investigate or any questions please contact us:
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We would be pleased to hear from you
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The Norwich Green is published by Adrian Ramsay, 98 George Borrow Road, Norwich, NR4 7HU
on behalf of Norwich Green Party, 15 Connaught Road, Norwich, NR2 3BP.
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