Further campaigning on this issue soon! If you'd like to join us you can do so here.
News and views from the East Lothian branch of the Scottish Green Party. You can email us: eastlothian@scottishgreens.org.uk and follow us on Twitter: @elothiangreens.
Wednesday 29 October 2014
Get The Fracking Facts
At last night's fracking meeting in Musselburgh we had this briefing available. Please download a copy to get informed, and please share widely.
We also recommend this briefing from Friends of the Earth Scotland.
Further campaigning on this issue soon! If you'd like to join us you can do so here.
Further campaigning on this issue soon! If you'd like to join us you can do so here.
Thursday 23 October 2014
MUSSELBURGH POLLUTION: GREEN CAMPAIGNER SAYS COUNCIL DRAGGING FEET
Musselburgh-based East Lothian Greens campaigner Jason Rose said:
"East Lothian Council really is dragging its feet on this important issue. Public health is being harmed, as is local quality of life and the economy. Traffic congestion in Musselburgh town centre is a longstanding problem and it's appalling that only now the local authority is trying to establish what's really going on.
"The report showing the extent of problem was presented to councillors in the summer of 2012 but wasn't made public until East Lothian Greens used Freedom of Information laws in summer 2013. It's almost 2015 and only now is the council bringing in a consultant to do a proper traffic survey. This whole issue stems from 1995 legislation - who knows what damage has been done in the twenty years since.
"I find the lack of action on bus emissions baffling. Lothian Buses have said quite clearly that they will roll out their low emissions fleet if the case is made yet I see little sign of East Lothian Council pressing Musselburgh's case. The proposed Action Plan says liaison with transport operators is a possibility when of course it's something the council could be doing right now. The report to councillors claims buses are responsible for 29 per cent of pollutants, which may be the case, but how can they know without a proper survey?
"You also have to question how seriously the council takes the notion of reducing traffic in Musselburgh town centre given the current revamp of the High Street from Pinkie Pillars to the Tolbooth. It involves creating additional car parking rather than less, and it moves bus stops further away from homes and shops.
"I look forward to the consultant getting started on identifying where the traffic's coming from and going to, what the main sources of pollutants are, and what impact the new housing off Pinkie Road will have. We can then, as a community, get cracking with action to reduce through-traffic and make our town centre a better place to live, shop and go to school."
East Lothian Greens' work on the Musselburgh air pollution problem has been raised in the Scottish Parliament.
You can sign our petition calling for low emissions buses in the town.
Wednesday 22 October 2014
GREENS HOST MUSSELBURGH FRACKING MEETING WITH MSP
East Lothian Greens, along with Green MSP Alison Johnstone, are urging people in the Musselburgh area to attend a free public meeting on fracking next week.
A vast swathe of Scotland, from Ayrshire to East Lothian, has been earmarked by the UK Government as ripe for the controversial gas drilling technique with laws due to be passed to allow fracking companies to drill below people's homes without consent.
The public meeting, hosted by East Lothian Greens, will take place in the Musselburgh East Community Association (MECA) centre on Haddington Road on Tuesday 28 October, starting at 7pm.
In addition to hearing from Alison Johnstone MSP - who sits on the economy and energy committee in the Scottish Parliament - the meeting will hear from leading expert, Dr Richard Dixon, director at Friends of the Earth Scotland.
East Lothian Greens campaigner Jason Rose said:
"Communities such as ours are rightly alarmed at the determination of Westminster to allow fracking. It's also a concern that Scottish Ministers aren't taking a tougher line.
"There's huge interest in this issue and I'm pleased that East Lothian Greens are able to give local people an opportunity to find out more and discuss how they can help oppose the threat we face.
"As well as the potential local impacts from drilling for gas, we would also add massively to the world's stocks of fossil fuels - stocks we simply can't afford to burn if we want to limit climate change and move towards a sustainable economy."
A vast swathe of Scotland, from Ayrshire to East Lothian, has been earmarked by the UK Government as ripe for the controversial gas drilling technique with laws due to be passed to allow fracking companies to drill below people's homes without consent.
The public meeting, hosted by East Lothian Greens, will take place in the Musselburgh East Community Association (MECA) centre on Haddington Road on Tuesday 28 October, starting at 7pm.
In addition to hearing from Alison Johnstone MSP - who sits on the economy and energy committee in the Scottish Parliament - the meeting will hear from leading expert, Dr Richard Dixon, director at Friends of the Earth Scotland.
East Lothian Greens campaigner Jason Rose said:
"Communities such as ours are rightly alarmed at the determination of Westminster to allow fracking. It's also a concern that Scottish Ministers aren't taking a tougher line.
"There's huge interest in this issue and I'm pleased that East Lothian Greens are able to give local people an opportunity to find out more and discuss how they can help oppose the threat we face.
"As well as the potential local impacts from drilling for gas, we would also add massively to the world's stocks of fossil fuels - stocks we simply can't afford to burn if we want to limit climate change and move towards a sustainable economy."
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