London Green MEP Jean Lambert has urged cyclists to support candidates who have pledged improvements to London’s cycling infrastructure in this week’s council elections.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s (May 17) ‘Space for Cycling Big Ride’, she said:

“A sustainable transport policy means more facilities for cyclists and pedestrians.

“We know that if more people get around the city by bike or on foot it’s better for everyone – both in terms of improving London’s appalling air quality, and the direct health benefits enjoyed by the people concerned.

“I am proud that all the Green Party candidates asked by the London Cycling Campaign support local measures to make cycling safer and easier in their boroughs  – and I hope all the suggested measures can be put in place soon.

“Meanwhile, I hope many thousands of Londoners get out and support tomorrow’s event, which takes place between 11 and 2pm tomorrow across the capital.”

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As MPs debated whether to go ahead with the £42.6bn plans today, Ms Lambert, calling the scheme a ‘white elephant’ – said HS2 should be scrapped.

“There’s no business case for HS2 – and no environmental case,” she said, speaking to demonstrators outside the Houses of Parliament.

“Hillingdon and Camden will be particularly badly hit. I spoke today with residents of both boroughs who will see homes, open spaces and community facilities destroyed if HS2 goes ahead.

“And, according to a new report by the Wildlife Trusts, around 500 wildlife sites – including 10 Sites of Special Scientific Interest and 150 local wildlife and ancient woodland sites – will be damaged or destroyed.”

“But the benefits are tenuous too: imagine how many more would benefit it could make if, instead of HS2m, the Government were to bring the railways back into public ownership – and invest £42bn in their improvement.

“HS2 will offer an expensive, fast service between London and the Midlands: it national benefits will be minimal. It’ll save a small number of travellers a few minutes on their journeys: a railway for the 1%, not a programme of nationalisation and investment for the 99%.”

“It should be scrapped.”

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The new legislation, on the dimensions of trucks in Europe, will force manufactures to improve windows and mirrors to heighten cyclists’ visibility – which in turn could save hundreds of lives in London and across Europe. In 2013 nine of 16 fatalities on London’s roads involved lorries.

MEPs also voted to improve the efficiency of trucks and lorries, and vitally, voted to hold back measures which could pave the way for 25-meter long ‘mega-trucks’ to hit European roads.
Jean Lambert, London’s Green Party MEP, said:
“MEPs have voted today to introduce EU measures which will make cyclists more visible to lorry drivers. These improvements will reduce the number of accidents which sadly occur on our roads.

“In the UK alone, thousands of cyclists are seriously injured on our roads each year. I’m therefore delighted that measures which will improve visibility for lorry drivers have been supported. As a Green MEP, I believe we must do all we can to make our streets safer and cleaner, and this can begin by making roads safer for cyclists.

“I really welcome this vote today: We need to upgrade the cab design of lorries in order to keep vulnerable road users safe. We have seen too many deaths and serious injuries to cyclists on our roads and of the 16 fatalities in London last year, over half involved lorries. Changes such better visibility from the cab, and better wing mirrors will help responsible drivers avoid tragedy.”

The new regulations are expected to come into force in 2016.

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The Greens had proposed the objection due to concerns the proposed increase in flight times would lead to more strenuous working conditions for pilots, with the associated safety risks for passengers and other staff.

Ms Lambert said: “I am very disappointed that MEPs decided to believe the last-minute assurances of the Commission and accept these proposals to increase maximum flight times . At the very least, we should have delayed a decision until we could see the deal in writing, as the Greens proposed.

“There are serious concerns about the implications of the Commission’s proposal for pilots and cockpit personnel, both in terms of employment rights and the safety risks associated with longer flight times and more stressful flying schedules.

“Ignoring these concerns may put lives at risk – we know that pilots rest conditions raise concerns already.”

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The Greens had proposed the objection due to concerns the proposed increase in flight times would lead to more strenuous working conditions for pilots, with the associated safety risks for passengers and other staff.

Ms Lambert said: “I am delighted members of the the Transport Committee have listened to the Greens and voted to ground these ill-judged proposals.

“We now hope the proposed rejection will be supported by a majority of MEPs when the plenary votes as a whole.

“There are serious concerns about the implications of the Commission’s proposal for pilots and cockpit personnel, both in terms of employment rights and the safety risks associated with longer flight times and more stressful flying schedules.

“Ignoring these concerns will put lives at risk – we know that pilots are being forced to sleep on the job already.”

She added: “The draft legislative act includes provisions allowing pilots to land aircraft after being awake for 22 hours, as well as to allow pilots to work seven early starts in a row rather than the current three.

“There are already well-documented cases of overworked, exhausted pilots falling asleep in the cockpit, so it is incredible that the Commission wants to make them fly even longer.

“Major concerns have been raised by pilots’ unions and other stakeholders and we hope the EP as whole recognises these concerns and sends the Commission back to the drawing-board.”

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Writing in response to an official consultation on relaxing the current restrictions on night flights at Haethrow, Gatwick and Stansted Airports, the MEPs argue that more night flights would worsen air pollution, contribute to climate change, deprive nearby residents of sleep – and could cost the UK billions in increased health costs, fines and lost work days.

Ms Lambert, London’s Green MEP, said:

“I welcome the consultation, but the Government needs to take into account the full economic, community and environmental impacts of night flights.

“If the additional burden on the NHS, employers and the climate are factored in, it’s pretty clear that the economic costs of night flights far outweigh any potential benefits, and that this should provide a basis for ending them altogether, as well as for reducing the number of early movement flights.”

Mr Taylor, South-East England’s Green MEP, said:

“Any extra night flights will worsen air quality, disturb the sleep of those living near airports (a human right, according to the European Court of Human Rights ruling), and increase greenhouse gas emissions.

“Indeed if we are to meet our legal obligations on improving air quality and reducing our climate change impact, as well as to protect the right to a decent night’s sleep for those living in the shadow of airports, we just can’t see any relaxation of the rules: rather we need a complete ban now.”

The MEPs made their comments, which can be read in full here, in a response to a Department for Transport consultation on a new regime for night flights from Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted Airports.

Ms Lambert will be speaking alongside London Mayor Boris Johnson, MPs and council leaders at a cross-party rally calling for an end to expansion of Heathrow Airport this Saturday from 9.30am, at Barn Elms Playing Fields in Barnes.

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But the new rules are in danger of failure before they even come into force after a fierce lobbying campaign from the shipping industry backed by UK Tory MEPs has ensured the establishment of an EU fund to help pay for alternatives has been abandoned.

London’s Green MEP Jean Lambert said: “Currently, most EU ships are sent to South and East Asia at the end of their lives, where they are beached, with their hazardous materials leaking into the environment and causing unacceptable conditions for human health and the environment. This is an opprobrious practise, which circumvents EU rules under which the export of hazardous waste to non-OECD countries is outlawed.

“The European Parliament’s Environment Committee had almost unanimously supported the creation of various forms of financial incentives to safely scrap ships, including a scrapping fund financed by the industry itself. This would have steered ships that trade with the EU into proper ship recycling facilities.

“This has now been eliminated, despite repeated requests of the EP for a financial mechanism in previous years.
“It is very frustrating to see that the scaremongering by European ports has led MEPs – with the backing of the UK Tories – to reverse that long-standing position.

“However, Parliament has made it clear it wants tougher action across the EU to deal with unsafe practices. I hope the UK Government will be supporting us on that at least.”

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Dear Sir

Your article ‘Secret plan for four-runway airport west of Heathrow’ shows what we all feared – that this government is hell bent on airport expansion at any costs. It is a deeply misguided vision for future transport policy. The Greens are the only party to point out that unchecked growth in our aviation capacity is simply not compatible with our emissions targets.

Aviation already accounts for about 13% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions. If allowed to continue unchecked, aviation growth will make it impossible for the UK to meet its target of reducing emissions by 80% by 2050. Recent research by the Aviation Environment Federation suggests that the UK already has sufficient airport infrastructure to meet the maximum levels of future demand that would be consistent with the limits on aviation growth recommended by the Climate Change Committee.

The economics of aviation currently depend on huge public subsidies. At a time of austerity how sensible is it for investment to be directed into the fastest growing emitter of CO2 when we have legal obligations to reduce these levels?

A new aiport would increase noise and air pollution. The health impacts of these pollutants are now much better understood, yet the government does not seem concerned to address these issues, except when it affects Tory MP’s West London constituents who live under the Heathrow flight path.

True political leadership would see investment in sustainable transport which enables people to travel cheaply and efficiently on trains rather than taking environment-wrecking internal flights.

Yours sincerely

Keith Taylor, Green MEP for South East England and member of the European Parliament’s Transport Committee

Jean Lambert, Green MEP for London

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In a statement to mark Road Safety Week Ms Lambert said speed limits should be reduced wherever people live, to reduce injuries and fatalities, traffic noise, air pollution – and CO2 emissions.

“The number of people dying on British roads is on the increase,” she said.

“More than 1,900 people were killed in 2011, three per cent more than in 2010 – and the biggest increases were among children and those aged over 60.

“Many of these lives would have been saved if the vehicles involved had been travelling more slowly.”

A reduction in speed limits would also improve the capital’s air quality, she said – saving yet more lives.

“More than 4,000 people a year die from the effects of poor air quality in London alone – that’s a shocking figure that, in itself, should be enough to persuade town halls across the capital to be adopting stricter measures to reduce motorists’ speed.”

A citizens’ proposal will see MEPs vote on a proposal to reduce all speed limits in residential areas to 20 MPH if more than a million people from at least seven EU nations – about 55,000 from the UK – join a so-called ‘European Citizens’ Initiative‘ backing the reduction between now and September 2013.

You can sign the petition here: http://en.30kmh.eu/

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