Tameside Green Party

Tameside Green party welcomes the good news that the A57/A628 Mottram-Tintwistle Bypass has been rejected for funding by The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and 4NW.

The road scheme, which had been plagued by substantial cost escalations, would have gone through the Peak District National Park and parts of the North West. But council leaders in the North West have now decided not to fund the road.

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and 4NW, working in partnership, have submitted the Northwest Regional Funding Advice (RFA) for 2008/9 – 2010/11 and up to 2018/19, to Government on behalf of the region and the the A628 Mottram Tintwistle bypass and the A57 Glossop Spur were not included.

Tameside green party along with many other environmental organisations succesfully lobbied the NWDA and 4NW to abandon this ill thought out project.

Tameside Green Party’s recommended to 4NW and the NWDA that they end their support for the the A628 Mottram Tintwistle bypass and the A57 Glossop Spur and instead that they invest in a strategy for the A628 that provides a sustainable solution which would be more in line with Local, Regional and National policies on transport and the environment.

We also pointed out to 4NW and the NWDA that the estimated costs for the bypass had increased from £184 million in July 2007 and subsequently reached £223 to £315 million by June 2008.

We asked 4NW to take action in support of their aim of “tackling climate change and mitigating its effects” and making the issue of tackling climate change “central to the region’s transport plans.”

We asked the NWDA to accept that constructing new roads to accommodate future traffic growth is neither environmentally nor economically sustainable and that instead they should be increasing the role of public transport together with making best use of existing highway
infrastructure through the development of effective strategies for Transport network and demand management.

We urged them to instead consider funding public transport schemes, such as, investing in new rolling stock on existing rail routes,reopening the woodhead rail route for carrying freight and as a regional passenger service, further expanding the metro system to Denton, Hyde, Stalybridge and Glossop, these solutions could provide our communities with more integrated transport systems.

Tameside green party support the comments of Emma Lawrence from Save Swallow’s Wood campaign who said: “Of all the schemes being proposed Mottram Tintwistle was the most expensive and the most environmentally damaging. This is the first time a sensible decision has been made relating to the bypass and is a real cause for optimism amongst campaigners, as it effectively kicks it into the long grass.

The decision shows the region is way ahead of local politicians in understanding the transport needs of our villages. What we need is an integrated transport solution not a damaging and expensive road scheme. The next step is for local politicians to accept that the bypass is never
going to happen and to turn their attention to low-cost low-carbon
solutions that will benefit local people and the environment and be
deliverable in the short term. We would ask them to show their support instead for lorry ban across the national park; a proposal that is popular with local residents, has the support of the Peak District National Park, and would bring immediate relief to the villages for a fraction of the cost.”

The Labour Party beat the BNP to hold onto their Tameside council seat of Hyde Newton last night. Tories, Lib Dems, Greens and UKIP votes were very poor, as you might expect when voters are faced with a pretty clear “First Past The Post” contest where an openly racist party could get elected. Nigel Rolland and the local Greens worked hard putting out our material which was intended to reach our core supporters who otherwise might not vote.What was absolutely key was the willingness of the local clergy to stand up and be counted in this byelection. Churches, whether they are Anglican, Catholic or another denomination, are international. They have multi-cultural congregations and are going to uphold equality. In the 1930s in Germany, the churches did not do enough to combat extremism, but lessons have been learned.It will be disappointing for the BNP. In 2003 they managed 25.2% of the vote without much campaigning in this ward. They threw the kitchen sink at this one, and gained 29.4% which although an increase, probably marks the limit of what they are capable of even in an area where they have historically done well. However if the BNP manage that kind of small increase in support in the Euros, compared to the 6.4% they gained in 2004, they will increase that level of support to around 7.5% in June’s European Elections, which may be enough for them to win a seat if they finish as the 4th largest party.

Peter Cranie, North West Green Party

You can read more of Peter Cranies blogs here

A by-election is to be held in Tameside for the Hyde Newton ward.

The election was called on Wednesday 24th December and notice of election was published on Wednesday31st December the polling is to take place on Thursday 5th February, the Green Party candidate in Nigel Rolland.

Nigel Rolland has been a member of the Green party since 1998, he has previously stood as a candidate for the Tameside Green party in both local and parliamentary elections.

Nigel Has lived in Tameside since he was a child, he was brought up in Ashton-under-lyne where he attended Waterloo Primary School and West End Secondary School, he continued his education at Tameside College and then studied humanities at Woolwich Polytechnic in South East London.

Nigel has been involved in community activities in Tameside for over 20 years, an active member of the public Services Union UNISON, a former School Governor and a whistle blowing director of TEL, he has consistently campaigned for quality services and accountability in local Government. Nigel is employed as a Housing Manager for a Tenant Management Organisation based in the North of Manchester.

As well as being an active member of his local residents association committee Nigel is a keen gardener, walker and cyclist, who campaigned and lobbied for the transformation of the derelict, former Ashton to Oldham Railway  into a walkway, cycleway and bridle path which is now Route 66, a part of the national cycle network.

Nigel now works as voluntary Sustrans Ranger and is a “Biodiversity Champion”  passing on his knowledge to the local community through activities such as planting seeds, and trees, putting up bird and bat boxes,managing vegetation to maintain and develop flora and fauna.through activities such as planting seeds, putting up bird and bat boxes,managing vegetation to maintain and develop flora and fauna.

Save Swallows Wood campaign

December 11th (Thursday) - Join us for our first official Save Swallow’s Wood Christmas Party, including mulled wine, the Great Big Christmas Quiz with a great prize of a completely organic Unicorn Grocery hamper at stake, and live music too! 8pm start at the The Bulls Head, Tintwistle  (map).

Tameside Green Party

Your presence is welcome and wished for at the

Tameside Green Party’s Christmas Social

Upstairs at the Q Bar in Stalybridge, nr the Train Station.

It is Free (ideally everyone brings a bite to eat)

It Starts at 8pm on Saturday, 13th December.

Any of your personal guests are most welcome.

Save the Woodhead Tunnel Campaign

7,00pm, Sunday 28th December 2008
- Film showing and Christmas Party
‘The Navigators’ a film by Ken Loach

…followed by StWT mid-winter party, alcoholic refreshments available
At the Partington Theatre, Henry Street, Glossop
Price: donation on the door
Celebrate a year of the Save the Woodhead Tunnel campaign.
Film runs for 70 mins.
With thanks to the Peak Film Society

On saturday 6th December, Christine Clark and nigel Rolland from Tameside Greens travelled down to London along with a coach full of kindred spirits including Manchester Greens to attend the 5th annual Climate Change Demo.

It was a bright but cold day as we congregated at the entrance of Grosvenor square adjacent to the Italian Embassy, at the opposite end to the awesome dominant US Embassy.

The demonstration march finished on the grassed area in Parliament Square as demonstrators mingled around the campsite of stalwart peace protester Brian Haw, the party was kicked of by lively protest songs from folk rock band “Seize the day”.

The speakers included Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats,  Caroline Lucas, leader of the Green Party, who spoke about a New Green Deal, and that we need to do more than demonstrate, that we need to take direct action to bring about positive change while John MacDonald, the Labour MP whose constituency includes Heathrow, spoke passionately about the building alliance between climate campaigners and his constituents who were resisting Heathrow airport’s expansion.

Speakers included Kisty Wright from the World Development Movement speaking on ‘No New Coal’, Almuth Ernsting from Biofuelwatch on the damage caused by agrofuels, Jonathan Neal from CCC on a Green New Deal, Mark Dowd from Operation Noah, Muzammal Hussain from the London Islamic Network for the Environment, Korshed Alam an activist from Bangladesh, Mel from the Climate Camp, Matthew Williams from the UK Youth climate Coalition, and finally Phil Thornhill, the National Coordinator of Climate Change Campaign.

We protested yesterday demanding meaningful action on climate from world leaders and their representatives at the Poznan Climate Talks.

The demonstration was part of a   Global Day of Action  in which around 70 countries were involved - for more information see

Brian Haw’s lone vigil is joined by Climate change demo

Tameside Green Party will be supporting the National Climate March Saturday December 6th 2008

We will March on Parliament to demand that the government acts on climate now !
Part of a Global Day of Action - see www.globalclimatecampaign.org
- last year 70+ countries were involved !

The march this year goes to Parliament Square to demand that the government act now on climate. The march will start at Speakers Corner, Hyde Park - assemble 12 noon. Full schedule here

Speakers will include Nick Clegg (leader Liberal Democrat Party), Caroline Lucas (leader, Green party), Michael Meacher (ex-Environment Minister) and George Monbiot (Honorary President, Campaign against Climate Change).

The march will be preceeded by a climate protest bike ride starting from Lincoln’s Inn Fields at 10.30 am: see more here.
The March on Parliament has four main themes -
1) NO to a 3rd runway at Heathrow and the runaway expansion in aviation expansion.
2) NO new coal - no new coal-fired power stations as planned at eg Kingsnorth in Kent
3) NO to the expansion of agrofuels - with negative impacts on forests, the climate and world food supply.
4) YES to a renewable energy revolution and green jobs - a “Green new Deal”
Come with your own banners, costumes etc on one of these themes (if you fancy !) and join up with others pushing that theme……

The March on Parliament for the Climate marks the Saturday midway through the UN Climate Talks in Poznan, Poland and we make our demands on the UK government in solidarity with the world’s poorest and most vulnerable communities that will suffer worst and most immediately from climate change caused overwhelmingly by the rich long-industrialised countries.

We need the government to act now on climate, to stop building coal-fired power stations and new runways - and to begin the renewable energy revolution. We need a tidal wave of people outside parliament to make them act to stop climate catastrophe now ! Be part of that tidal wave, be there ! Next year may be too late.

Tameside Green Party welcomes Professor Chris Turney to Tameside and some of us are intending to attend the talk being given by Chris at the Ashton Central Library, Old Street, Ashton-under-lyne, on Thursday 13th November at 7.00 pm.

Chris is visiting Tameside as part of the ‘big science read’ which is a series of events taking place in public libraries around greater manchester. You can find more details details of all these events on www.bigscienceread.org

Professor Chris Turney will be speaking about his new book Ice, Mud and Blood : Lessons from Climates Past which is a look at past climate change and what it means
for the future. It will be of interest to students taking modules on past climates and the environment.

Professor Chris Turney Author of Ice, Mud and Blood: Lessons from Climates Past

‘A sobering and vividly told tale.’ New Scientist

‘It has been an exciting time to be a scientist working in this area, and Chris Turney’s book Ice, Mud and Blood conveys that excitement wonderfully.’ Nature

‘Written with humour and personal flair, Ice, Mud and Blood is a must-read for anyone concerned about the issues we face as we get closer and closer to the tipping point, when the effects of climate change will be unstoppable.’ inthenews.co.uk

‘A great read on a critically important subject. Turney’s best book yet
Prof. Tim Flannery, author of The Weather Makers