I am standing as a declared Independent candidate simply because I am so concerned about the future and the drift, indeed the sleepwalking into a nightmare, it seems, entirely of our own making. Both from natural capital resources like gas and oil that will be in short supply by the end of the century and from the disastrous change in the chemical composition of the atmosphere that burning them all up is doing. We are dangerously enhancing the natural greenhouse effect.
I normally stand as an Independent in my own ward for the opportunity to speak for two minutes, at the count when the result is declared, about simply finishing our half-used mainline railway in the Black Country. And finishing it with TRAINS - a novel idea!
I am horrified by the business as usual of HS2 extensions north from Brum and, the excuse it is giving for yet more Metro extensions and for diesel Sprint buses that are so unnecessary and spew out yet more greenhouse gases - and not just CO2 - from their phenomenal expense in construction. FFPT is far better on bus priority roads.
Carry on regardless means this:
£s spent = finite fossil fuels burnt = greenhouse gases emitted = climates changing for the worse = "the extinction of much of the natural world" (Attenborough at COP 24, two years ago).
I'm sure I won't take it beyond the time when I have to cough up the money - £5,000 and running round getting 115 nominations from the seven district council electorates. I'm wanting the other parties, especially the Greens, to come out bravely against HS2 and Metro tram extensions. The money used, instead, for FFPT. Has our own Left Unity, nationally done that, Bob?
I am also targetting the hypocrisy of trumpeting how democratic we are, yet failing to have a single debate or even discussion, let alone vote, in a single Council Chamber over railway lines and roads being turned into tram lines. In nearly 40 years! Edinburgh City Council did so in March 2019; why not the seven in the W Midlands? Only the Conservative Group and two Independents opposed the current tram extension in Edinburgh. Edinburgh Conservatives consistently opposed the tram from the outset because of the enormous expense to duplicate a perfectly good, if not excellent bus service to the Airport.
Very nearly all councillors and officers are deceived into thinking that trams are green and only prestigious, grossly extravagant trams can attract motorists onto trams and then, buses/trains. FFPT does the job better. We have to be green and, live more simply and sensibly to live more sustainably.
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