The Big Ask Climate Debate comments_2724 April 2008
I am writing about today's news that train companies are going to increase their ticket prices by more than inflation (between 4 and 12%).
The train companies have a virtually free hand to charge what they want and being a private company give a lot of that money straight to shareholders. We need people to get off the road and out of the planes but how can we persuade them when it is getting so expensive to travel by train. It should be the cheapest option by a long way.
You need to go back to a core Labour policy to renationalise the rail companies. How else can you control ticket prices.
National Rail is now run by the government again and is working very well. Train punctuality is getting better. But they still don't tackle the problem of overcrowding in trains and platforms into London. We have to invest in longer platforms and double decker trains. There is no other way.
Passengers don't mind paying for tickets when we know it is helping the problems but it is barmy that some of the money just goes straight to shareholders.
Private companies have been running the trains for 14 years and have shown they can do little to improve the situation even when they charge more money. The trains must be renationalised like in most other European countries where that have a truly great train service.
Giles Gooding
Dear Mr Blair,
There are many issues in climate change and I would like to congratulate you on addressing some of these. However, we as a local group are still mystified at the Government for even considering expanding Heathrow Airport. A sixth terminal and a third runway will mean a massive increase in carbon dioxide emissions. You and your governemt have the power to stop this expansion. Our roads are already congested, an increase at Heathrow will only add to our current vehicle miles!
As six of the top ten flights destinations from London airports could be reached by High speed rail, the government should be looking at investing in high speed rail links throughout the UK and Europe.
Our hospitals cannot cope now so if air pollution deteriates or remains the same our hospitals will have to cope with more ill adults and children. Noise from aircraft and pollution are also having an adverse efffect on our Wildlife and habitats.
On a personal note: We used to live in Barnes (we moved there in 1993) I was woken every morning about 5am and on many occsion's during the night. The aircraft noise did not stop untill approx. 11.30pm at night. During the day in summer we counted an aeroplane every 45 seconds. It was impossible to relax in the garden due to the noise. We had to move away from barnes 3 years later as it was imposible to get a good night sleep or even enjoy a day in the garden.
Please also consider this when taking into account local communities.
Julia Waters
Woking and Surrey Heath Friends of the Earth
I am thrilled to hear that Britain's prime minister is giving so much priority to this issue. I think it IS the # 1 priority of our age, and indeed, the next 10 years may be the most auspicious, and decisive, in all of human history. We do not have time to dither at all: most likely we need to reduce CO2 output globally by 75% within this next decade, or face catastophic, irreversable consequences of an unthinkable magnitude. Thank you for your timely and urgent attention to this matter, both Mr. Blair, and Mr. Juniper
Mark Bachelder
Mr. Blair, while I welcome the leadership that the Government has shown in pushing climate change to the top of the international agenda, I am disappointed by the lack of progress that we have been making in cutting emissions in this country.
The announcement of a Climate Change Bill in the Queen's Speech is a step in the right direction, but it is vital that the bill includes annual targets to ensure that we make steady progress towards our long-term goal and to enable us to respond both to any deviations from the downward pathway and to any changes in the science.
We have had an interim 2010 target in place for several years now, but it clearly isn't working as emissions have increased over the past decade. And there is a fundamental problem with 5- or 10-year targets in terms of accountability - when it comes to reviewing progress, the Government responsible for cutting emissions during that period may no longer be in power.
Your argument about "factors such as a cold winter or a sudden hike in energy prices" is a spurious one. If emissions were to rise in a given year, and the Government could make a valid case to Parliament that this was due to exceptional circumstances and that existing measures would bring us back on track in the following year, no further action would need to be taken. However, if existing measures were not delivering the cuts that were anticipated, an annual target would give us the opportunity to react quickly and introduce new measures to get us back on track.
Thank you for taking the time to debate this important issue with us, and I look forward both to seeing an annual target in the Climate Change Act, and to the start of a new era in which every Government policy from transport & aviation to health & education is developed in the context of a clear and legally binding emission reduction framework.
Ali Abbas
Manchester Friends of the Earth
This government has certainly made efforts to listen more and be seen to do more, which is the reason I voted you back in ... Having said that, I do not feel that it has achieved all it could, or even all that the spirit of the promises made at the last General Election implied.
Mr Blair, your legacy could be a plan for a cleaner Britain, Europe and planet, which will win you respect and commitment from the whole of the UK, not just Labour voters! Please, for us and our children, make this stand.
Good luck!
Tamsin Brownbridge
Kingston Friends of the Earth recently took part in Friends of the Earth's Shout About Week on Climate Change solutions. Nothing fixes the attention more on the need to do a lot more than we are currently doing, than talking to enthusiastic school children about their vision of what lies ahead, and how they cope with it. Of course we know we are not doing enough for their future, our recycling rates are low, few homes have solar panels, there is very little help locally for organisations including schools that are interested in new infrastructure to reduce energy consumption such as geothermals - they are left to try and work it out themselves!
Locally there is hype, hype and more hype ... with people climbing on bandawagons to preach but a lack of sincerity in empowering others to be able to achieve real change. Years ago we talked about Trams and an extension of the tube to Kingston, neither has happened, and we dont even have a permanent Park and Ride; we do however have pollution on the A3 which is now breaking EU levels, and desperately over crowded trains. When we look at the wider picture its even worse, there is virtually no effort to tackle the underlying problems caused by inappropriate corporate behaviour overseas, and insufficient action to help other countries develop in a sustainable way. Of course, accountability here and binding targets that can be reported on here and now, here will have an effect on what happens not only here but overseas, so why are we waiting?
Penny Baker
Kingston Friends of the Earth
More comments
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
