I was talking to a London plumber.His Ā invoices Ā for work include extra charges for parking, for ULEZ and for Congestion charge. It is a daily battle for him to get to a new job given the closure of so many streets and then to find an all day parking place. Protesters are still going out and putting boxes or other drapes over the London cameras to show their opposition without damaging these expensive spies prying into our lives. This site does not support law breaking protests.
This week Wokingham Borough has had to put Ā out a press release at our expense telling people not to argue with the workers carrying out another of their hated anti driver projects. Of course people should not shout at or threaten Council contractors. The need to say this shows just how much the Council misjudges the mood as it seeks to wind up all those of us who need a vehicle for work. Wasting Ā£5.5 m of tax on a scheme which will cause delays and put people off driving to what were easily accessible local shops and a garage is a bad idea.
These cameos are part of a much bigger picture. Lib Dem and similar Councils show scorn and disdain for working people who need a car or van to get to work. They show no sympathy for Ā busy parents who need to drop children off at school so they can get to their job. These Councils consult and ignore. They revel in the misery they cause others. They explode with self righteousness if anyone argues back that they need to use a car or van. Yet despite this many of these preaching Councillors still rely on a gas boiler, go in fossil fuel cars and take jet planes to their holidays.
The collision of green demands by many in the governing class with the needs and pressures of daily life is becoming acute. Many of the green campaigners are hypocrites, flying Ā off to air conditioned hotels to hold forth again about the need to lower other people’s carbon footprints. If government press too far with their bans, their surveillance cameras, their schemes to fine people off the road with ultra low speed limits, special lanes and box junctions, they may find instead they become very unpopular. Going too far has already changed the Dutch government.
February 15, 2024
Good morning.
Many councils get extra funding from government if they promote so called ‘Green’ issues and measures, such as ULEZ. They wouldn’t do it otherwise.
February 15, 2024
Spot on Mark! The only āgrowing angerā I see is with this unconservative government. Only a few months til we get to vote
February 15, 2024
In other news, Lord Cameron has been pontificating on world events. He has told America it needs to continue to fund the war in Ukraine.
He got a blunt response from a Republican representative who told him to ākiss my assā and mind his own business.
It amused me. Cameron deserved it and far worse.
February 15, 2024
He has gone rogue on the Near East – or is it our Arabist FO? Can’t he understand no-one there wants a two state solution. The Palestinians have been turning it down ever since they first called themselves Palestinians under Yasser Arafat in the 1960s, and now the Israelis understandably don’t wish to offer it any more. And certainly not in the middle of a defensive war on five fronts. The neighbours don’t want it either. They just want the Israelis to win but can’t say so.
Is he trying to get the Biden regime through their election campaign by concocting a quick, cheap fix? By foisting a new terror state on them all, up above Israel’s cities and airport? Perhaps he hopes to snitch Starmer’s moslem vote?
Then there is his sinister Trudeau style Chinese credit system, which Macron and the Biden regime are also prosecuting. Germany is getting in on the act too. All this finger pointing at the most moral army there has ever been, all this carping about international law, and then they go and infringe on another democratic country’s jurisdiction and criminal justice system, by singling out private named individuals and punishing them among other things by removing their access to their money. Are they going to do it to the soldiers next? And then the politicians? And then us?
One person is thrilled with all this rogue behaviour – James O’Brien on LBC.
February 15, 2024
Yep. I wonder if they think we canāt follow it all Rose?
In my neck of the wood people are nearly queuing at the voting booths already. The feet of the Chairman of the Conservative Party will not touch the ground!
February 16, 2024
“They just want the Israelis to win but can’t say so”Really?
Did you miss the visit this week by President Erdogan(who has openly called Netanyahu a new “Hitler”) to Cairo,ending 12 years of estrangement.
February 16, 2024
Of course I didn’t miss it, nor the huge buildup of force and extra fortifications on the Gazan border with Egypt.
February 15, 2024
Once more we have Tory community secretaries who control councils through legislation and funding! Tory party should own their 14 years of failures. How many CEOs and director of services earn more than PM?
All the green rot comes from Tory govt, EU environment regs etc etc. Tory party are forcing our country to act in lockstep to EU rules, regs and laws pretending to deliver Brexit.
Rogue pro EU Parliament back in force failing the nation and mandate from public.
Labour demonstrates institutionalised racism against Jewish people is still strong throughout its half of Uni party while Tory party has two tier politicised policing of events and protests. Both unfit to hold office.
Left wing ONS thwarting Tory economic pledges! OBR the same! Idiotic Tories should have scrapped both. Guido pointed out personnel with left wing socialist affiliations and Tories still rely on it. A bit like Cameron appointing former Labour ministers, I wonder why socialism is infested throughout public services!
February 15, 2024
Who imposed mayors and police commissionersā¦Tory party following EU guidance. What value to taxpayerā¦none. Adds costs, bureaucracy and as we saw during covid division and conflict with govt. just like devolution. Scrap it. Scrap Supreme Court and all Blaire changes.
February 15, 2024
Devolution should be scrapped. Itās totally unfair to England. Not that Johnās anti English fake Tory party care about that except when they want our votes of course. Scrap Mayors as well. How many billions are all these extra layers of Government costing? The same laws, taxes, student loans etc. should apply to all equally.
February 15, 2024
On policing, how it can be the EU’s business to tell or even advise sovereign nation-states how to organise their internal affairs?
Am I the only person who read Simons Jenkins’ 2007 book on ‘Thatcher & Sons’ and was appalled at the centralisation that has gone on esp. post-1997? (It’s continued since 2007 too.)
February 15, 2024
Agreed.
February 15, 2024
In a bizarre irony, ULEZ depends on the older ICE to achieve its function.
February 15, 2024
It function being to raise even more back door taxes. And a hugely inefficient way to raise taxes it is too with the cost of signage and cameras plus it hits jobs and productivity for people trying to get to work. Especially if the cameras keep getting āliberatedā by some activists.
February 15, 2024
Irony ā we have government defra telling us that our air quality is cleaner now since the 1970s, the car manufacturers developing catalytic converters, lean engines & less polluting fuels ā¦. and then we have the city mayors telling us that our air is polluted and weāll be taxed for driving polluting cars
February 15, 2024
+1
February 15, 2024
Precisely. They are just following government guidelines. We’ve just had a half a million pound cycle lane which turned out to be so dangerous it’s fenced off. That’s un Lee Andersons ward. No money for potholes though.
February 15, 2024
Let us not forget Pickles was going to force councils to continue with weekly bin collections! How did that turn out?
Who was going to freeze community charge and failed to do soā¦.Tories.
In England we pay a separate bill for water charges, who separated water charges from ratesā¦Tories.
Who added on water defence to our community charge instead of top slicing Environment Agencyā¦ Tories.
Who added adult social care surcharge, against their repeated promises to reform it onto community chargeā¦.Tories.
Who has overwhelmed councils to provide social housing for their mass immigration policyā¦ā¦Tories!
February 15, 2024
There’s plenty of money for potholes ( payable by Councils to drivers whose cars have been damaged by them ) – just no money for fixing them.
February 15, 2024
Today a reminder if one is needed why not to vote tory again. After years enjoying my small works pension that I paid into, not only do I forfeit Ā£100 per month because I was contracted out, I now have to pay tax in my income.
If ever there needed to be a reason for voting Reform, this is it. Recession, inflation and highest taxation in history all from the doings of foreign agents.
February 15, 2024
Same here. REFORM are our only hope to get this country back on track and rid us of the big state, high tax, pro mass immigration, pro EU, net zero socialist parties that are Conservatives and Labour.
February 15, 2024
Agree
February 15, 2024
Your pension contributions will have covered a number of governments of both colours. Contracting out would have been explained to you. My pot of contracted out money is worth more than Ā£100 per month.
There are numerous reasons to vote this government out but contracting out is not one of them
February 15, 2024
Ian
Yep, got my new tax code yesterday, now my State pension is being taxed, so the government have taken back 20% of what they gave me to pay for the higher prices of everything, due to the inflation that they caused.
Meanwhile I see from Guido’s website that HMRC is now spending Ā£38 Million a year on employing media experts !
Why do they need media experts at all ?
February 16, 2024
Sorry should have read Ā£8 million a year.
February 15, 2024
We import a million people and the economy shrinks
Absolutely mad
February 15, 2024
but are those million the brightest & the best
February 15, 2024
Rather unlikely, the ones leaving perhaps.
February 15, 2024
Unbelievably middle class parents are realising that the universities donāt ācare about their childrenā.
Slow is what the middle class is, obviously.
February 16, 2024
Lynn
Yes another 115,000 overseas students have already applied for places this coming year.
The numbers are rising but no one seems to care, indeed the Universities encourage such because fees they recieve for overseas students are higher, so the higher their own income.
Given the very low number of actual tuition hours given, you may as well go the Open University route !
February 15, 2024
Well they also raise money by tricking motorists into errors on (usually empty) bus lanes, residents and other rip off parking, hatch junctions, variable speed limits with cash cow camerasā¦
My sister in Bristol has a nice old diesel car ideal for the boat towing they do but now has to drive if far further to avoid the banned central area so more fuel amd more pollution. Doubtless she will be forced to (pointlessly) buy a new one plus new tow bar eventually. Not easy on a teachers wages after the vast taxes, NI, VAT, council tax that they now charge.
The country officially in a recession even worse in GDP per Cap terms which is what actually matters with the 750k net immigration too. Well the Sunak & government policies are all driving and surely deliberately designed to produce recession – net zero rip off energy, a huge state, high & still increasing (despite you lies) and absurdly complex taxes, endless red tape, open door low skilled immigration, 14 largely misguided interest rate risesā¦ Well dome Sunak and the geniuses of the BoE.
Sunaks pledges were:-
Halve Inflation (the inflation you caused as chancellor with QE, lockdowns, net harm vaccines.
Grow the economy (you are killing it with mad net zero policies, tax and other lunacies)
Reduce Debt – you are still increasing and borrowing like mad.
Cut NHS waiting lists – you do not even pay doctors and nurses enough to live on and the net harm vaccines also increasing demand and the NHS funding are structure is insane.
Stop the boats – failed again but what about the 750 legal mainly low skilled net migrants PA on top?
Judge me by my results you said! Letās see how the Elections go today then?
February 16, 2024
Lifelogic
Bristol is a nightmare for Driving, so many speed limit changes, with many changes poorly signed. A ULEZ area which includes main through routes, and where the sign posts to Bristol Airport actually take you through the ULEZ area.
Once again we have different criteria for ULEZ areas, our second car not compliant in Bristol and London, but fully acceptable in Bath and Portsmouth !
Why not a national scheme if we are to have one, better still why a scheme at all when the air Quality (Measured) in Wokingham (BBC NEWS this week) has improved over the past couple of years, when they have done nothing other than measure it !
February 15, 2024
The funding for the scheme in question came from developer contributions and I’ve seen it reported that it is “use it or lose it”. The proposal for this scheme has been around for a long time. The consultation over it happened in 2018 and 2019 when Wokingham council was run by a different political party.
It is reported locally that one motorist deliberately drove into a worker, another threatened to stab a worker and another threatened to punch a worker. Those are not “arguing” with workers, they are criminal offences, yet are not mentioned in the original article. Why?
Reply I have no knowledge of those events and it would need evidence. I condemn any threats or shouting at contractors. The Conservatives rejected this scheme and did not go ahead with it.
February 15, 2024
All reported in Wokingham Today:
https://wokingham.today/california-crossroads-worker-threatened-with-stabbing/
February 15, 2024
Cllr Margetts said: āThis petition clearly shows that the vast majority of Finchampstead residents and businesses are opposed to this scheme.
āIt will cost the taxpayer Ā£5.4 million and will deliver no benefits in terms of traffic flow or road safety.
February 16, 2024
Peter you never ever seem to criticise anything that the LibDems propose at all, yet many even “small c” Conservative thinking people on here, are constantly criticising the Government holding them to account, and suggest they do better.
Most of us want a change of direction but Labour and the LibDems are not the answer to our prayers, we do not all think net Zero targets are realistic and great, that we should cycle everywhere instead of using a car.
February 15, 2024
Not just funding but policy and instruction
February 16, 2024
You can be sure that Department for Transport is actually against transport. Indeed, the Gove rnment banned ICE vehicles by personal diktat.
February 15, 2024
Let’s hope they push ahead with all the green rubbish at lightning speed, and bring about the revolt.
The only trouble is our politics is in a dire place, with little room for the majority of voters to get representatives that will actually follow voters’ wishes.
February 15, 2024
Our political system enabled us to avoid joining the Euro and to leave the EU.
February 15, 2024
We did not alas avoid joining Majorās ERM Pointless Eternal Recession Mechanism disaster which nearly all the government āexpertsā approved of. Then again without that predictable disaster would we have even left the EU? Not that we have left properly yet and Starmer will take us back in apin all but name.
So Prince Harry āthe great sustainable activistā flies to Canada on a private jet for a bit of skiing photo ops. Only just back from flying over LA to London for his few minutes chat with net zero hypocrite King Charles. Trying to outdo his dad in the climate hypocrisy stakes perhaps?
February 15, 2024
take is back in, in all but name I meant.
February 15, 2024
@Cynic – and when will that happen? the politicos the ‘Blob’ our Masters are still fighting that – it was democracy in name only not deed
February 15, 2024
Our political system failed us as the Referendum result was far too close to base such a tumultuous decision on.
The outcome was accepted – why was there not a minimum %’age of leave voters needed to ensure that UK would leave. eg 60% , 66.6% – whatever- but not just a 50% + majority.
The turnout from ex-pats and those living abroad ( especially in another European country ) was pitiful- they didn’t bother to vote ( or register for a postal vote ) as they just could not believe that the UK would ever leave the EU.
Cameron agreed to putting the promise of a Referendum in the manifesto- mainly to try and reduce. the popularity of Nigel Farage and hoping some voters who might have supported UKIP voted conservative instead.
The outcome of a repeat Referendum would have been very different as the turnout of the Remain voters would have been much higher – and a significant proportion of expats would also have voted to Remain.
The UK was failed by its politicians – and for 3-4 years after the result our politicians took their eye off the ball apart from entering the Brexit debate and negotiations. We are still suffering the consequences of their neglect.
Reply. What a bad loser. 1.25 million more voted Leave than remain. Biggest ever vote turnout. You Remainers also got what you wanted with a lock in deal for trade with EU single market.
February 15, 2024
I think in a general election for any constituency with a Conservative MP then Labour should have to get 66.6% of the total vote before it changes hands, just being the candidate with the most votes isnāt enough to base such a decision on given how many people donāt vote. Iām sure youāll agree.
February 15, 2024
well, no I DON’T.
February 15, 2024
We were dragged in without ANY Referendum. So one to leave should not have been necessary.
February 15, 2024
Thatās what the BDI proposed. Especially as the legislation was not legally enacted. In fact we have NEvER, de jury, been a member of the EU.
February 15, 2024
As a remainer, I didn’t get what I wanted.
I wanted the retention of hassle-free travel so I can continue to do my job without any problems. Instead I find myself regularly stuck in 3rd country passport queues and having to maintain a spreadsheet to check my compliance with the 90/180 day rule on an ongoing basis to ensure I don’t risk getting deported while on a business trip.
I wanted the retention of the benefits of full access to the single market so that I could continue to use small businesses all over the continent. Instead, the cost, hassle and time involved in the bureaucracy required to ship goods to the UK means that those small businesses have given up supplying here (unless I move to Northern Ireland) as it’s not worth their while.
Leaving has been of no benefit. The UK has saved about Ā£8 billion of net contributions while the economy is calculated to be Ā£150 billion smaller (Cambridge Econometrics) than it would have been had we not left. Talk about a false economy.
Reply The economy has grown more than the mainEU economies!
February 15, 2024
Remainer May to blame. She failed to negotiate properly.
February 15, 2024
Ha ha mate! As my gran used to say, chanting ā I Want ā never gets!
I personally was over joyed to see the back of the EU commies!
February 15, 2024
Joe Soap – Gove is to blame he knifed Boris this giving us May!
February 15, 2024
Why donāt you move to the EU where your job is? Itās easily done. You could even surrender your hated British citizenship foisted on you by Brexit.
I know how you feel – I was flipping manic when my citizenship was removed from me by entering the EU! What a blasted nerve! Most people did not even realize what had happened!
February 16, 2024
So you’re happy to be poorer if you consider that your neighbours are even more so?
What a strange attitude.
February 16, 2024
@Lynn Atkinson, actually, it’s no longer “easily done” as you suggest since that is another thing that was taken away from us.
I don’t know what you think happened to your citizenship, but all my passports going back decades (I still have them all) have the text “BRITISH CITIZEN”. I think that makes it pretty clear as to what my citizenship was, is and always has been.
I’m a UK national who previously had the right to live and work in 27 other countries, and who is now has the right to live and work in just 1 other country, one where my current employer doesn’t have an entity incorporated so has no ability to employ me there.
February 16, 2024
I am sure that the complexity of getting goods to Northern Ireland unless you are in Southern Ireland is considerable. Most of the trade transits GB if it doesn’t originate there.
February 16, 2024
As a Leaver I didnāt get what I wanted. But, we are where we are.
As a matter of interest, why do you think the Remain side failed to point out the ābenefitsā of EU membership? My observation was that all they did was run a scare campaign.
Do you think the EU were right to refuse to negotiate our future relationship before the āLeave Agreementā? I think this was a huge mistake. If they had said āLeaving will mean you lose Freedom of Movement, youāll owe us Ā£x billion to be paid over the next X years, and we will trade on the following basis ā¦ā – maybe Remain would have won. But the snotty and intransigent position taken by the EU ringmasters – combined with the Remainersā scare campaign (nobody likes being threatened) – may have hardened the hearts of enough people to get Leave over the line.
Iām curious – what exactly does a small business in the EU have to do to sell products here that they didnāt have to do before we left. As a consumer, I have noticed no difference – no lack of goods or shortage of choice.
February 15, 2024
There was no vote to join the EU (nee CM, EEC).
There was no minimum %āage of leave voters needed to ensure that the UK would remain.
Having engineered a remain your friends then utterly failed to established a clearly fair and equitable outcome for the citizens of the UK, otherwise why the vote to leave … the neglect was yours.
Meanwhile, the remainers lost by a significant number and then strove to poison the well by all means at their disposal.
But please you should all keep complaining – so much easier when you self identify.
February 15, 2024
correction – “no minimum %āage of remain voters”
February 17, 2024
Ian Jacobs: At the tumultuous turning points, Maastricht and Lisbon, we weren’t allowed a vote at all, though others were. With the Constitution, several little EU countries were made to vote again, but the French, who are good readers, weren’t trusted to get it right the second time. Instead it was packaged up as the Lisbon Treaty and passed through their parliament. They stood outside with their placards saying “Respectez notre NON!” but it wasn’t. They have been detached from their politcal class ever since. As I said, we weren’t even allowed to vote once. Brown went off in the dark to sign it separately from the others, because he didn’t want to be photgraphed doing it. When Macron came here recently, he was asked if he’d give the French a referendum on membership of the EU and he said no, they would vote to leave.
So you see, whatever system a European country has, the EU manages to poison it.
February 15, 2024
True, @cynic. But those who wanted the opposite learned from their experiences. The gates are closing.
February 15, 2024
I have the misfortune, post the recent change to constituency boundaries, to be represented by a LibDem MP. I look forward to there being a Reform candidate standing at the GE to get my vote. That is the only way to vote against the Net Zero policies of the two main parties.
February 15, 2024
And all you will get for your efforts, David, will be a Labour or Labour-Lib-Dim government !
Either of which we all know will be much worse !
February 15, 2024
And I suppose Chris you knew how bad this government would be when you made your mark ?
February 15, 2024
Do not be a defeatist, vote for what you believe. Not the cowardly the other might be a bit worse nonsense.
February 18, 2024
Yes I will- ‘None of the above’ which I have done for YEARS.
February 15, 2024
If my suspicions are correct plumbers have for years fobbed us off with sub standard lavatory flushes, slow running hot taps and the downright lie that older boilers can not be replaced/repaired.
Their unions or professional bodies have been brainwashing and capturing them with courses and regulations for a very long time. And of course the terror of climate change!
And they didnāt utter a peep.
And latterly they scarcely even want to work.
February 15, 2024
Indeed.
The newer the boilers the more complex, less reliable and more expensive to repair they seem to be.
February 15, 2024
+++
Yes. My son has had three new boilers in about 12 years.
Weāve had just one in Iād-better-not-admit-to-how-many-years.
February 15, 2024
but dramatically more efficient. Gas consumed cost right down.
February 15, 2024
What a load of tosh! Neverhopeful you should try getting out more
February 15, 2024
Really MDF !!
I speak only from experience.
February 15, 2024
MFD
Not a lot of tosh.
Toilet flushes now use much less water than older ones, so occasionally have to be flushed more than once.
Older boilers had 25mm or 22mm pipework in the heating chamber, compared to the 15mm or 10mm diameter pipes now used, which scale up rather more easily, thus inhibitor and filters are much more necessary in the system than in the past
Modern mixer taps have 8mm pipework to each feed compared to the old 15mm pipework to each feed.
Thus in all of the above cases water flow in modern appliances is reduced, or has to be used at a higher pressure.
February 15, 2024
Alan, you make my case! Everhopeful was blaming the Tradesman, when in fact it is the changes to modern metric white goods and pipework systems, that horrible EU again!
February 15, 2024
Complete nonsense. Plumbers can only install what is available from plumbers merchants who are hidebound by Tory regulations about saving the planet inherited from the EU. Boiler manufacturers are only required to maintain spares for ten years after a product ceases production.
February 15, 2024
So basically you agree with me.
There is a problem.
And any tradesman worth his salt should have alerted the public to this years ago.
February 15, 2024
Thats too intelligent an answer for a few of these guys! Forthurst.
February 15, 2024
The ONS raised and lowered interest rates too late and have now caused a recession.
February 15, 2024
Bailey and the BofE WANTED a recession to drive inflation down. The inflation they should never have let rip in the first place.
They’ve got what they wanted …. and engineered.
February 15, 2024
The ONS does not fix interest rates, the BoE does that. The ONS does not forecast, the OBR does that. The ONS does not “take social actions”, government does that.
February 16, 2024
I do find the idea that the OBR forecasts somewhat comical. They can’t pin a tail on a donkey.
February 15, 2024
If relatives of opposition bench in ONS what does the govt expect? Sue Grey impartiality! Get real. Public services and civil service politicised by Blaire and gold plated by Cameron and May.
February 15, 2024
Whats Hunts plan, whats Hunts plan when we go into recession.
The only plan I see is to give all monetary policy and responsibility to the BoE, increase taxation to there highest level ever in UK history and await instruction from the OBR
If anyone know of Hunts plan please post here
February 15, 2024
@Javelin and also @Margaret
The ONS are very clear in their T&C that the information they publish is not likely to be correct(its a guestimate) and will be corrected in the future when hard evidence can come into play
February 15, 2024
Now the ONS states we are in recession.I wonder if they can actually correlate between the social actions they take and lack of growth.Science won’t correct that!
February 15, 2024
Roads are essential national assets, not to be played with and picked at by local politicians of any colour. They are too important to be in the hands of anyone other than central government. A scam like ULEZ should have been subject to a referendum of all the electorate of the area concerned. After 2016 government is terrified of allowing democratic control, so they allow mayors to destroy cities. Combine them with biased power mad Planners, and destruction is assured. Just look around and tell us what works for the citizens of the once United Kingdom. Those who would presume to lead have much to answer for come the election.
February 15, 2024
Indeed but they do not just affect those living there they affect people who working in those areas or visiting granny, school drop offs etc.
February 15, 2024
The UK40 Cities take their orders from the Marxist UN and WEF.
Our government and most MP’s are fully supportive so we must remove the vast majority of these stooges that have no interest in the needs of their constituents.
Do not vote for LibLab Con.
February 15, 2024
Correct.
February 15, 2024
Isnāt it treason for any official to take instruction from a foreign body?
February 15, 2024
@BOF – its called fear of the people, because they are unable and unwilling to serve those that pay and empower them
February 15, 2024
Do you mean the Con con ?
February 15, 2024
Don’t forget the UK100, councils that are forcing through the net zero agenda, quicker and harder than the government.
The list of councils signed up may be on Together’s website – that’s where I heard about it originally. Thankfully, my council isn’t signed up….
February 15, 2024
Councils should by law be restricted to running services and not making policy decisions which are the remit of central government
February 15, 2024
In certain quarters it is saidā¦
Itās not hypocrisyā¦itās an agenda.
With the idea, I think, that explaining it as a character flaw somehow excuses the perpetrator whereas an agenda is a long term and potentially harmful (secret) plan.
February 15, 2024
Iām curious- what are Wokingham council doing now to wind drivers up?
I lived in the area for 27 years but, happily, āescaped to the countryā 5 years ago.
February 15, 2024
Well putting a hidden camera on a perfectly safe right turn after the level crossing for a start. Bizarre.
February 15, 2024
But they’re now going to put unsightly rubbish and recycling bins all over the neighbourhood because apparently 25 kilos of unrecyclable plastic is more earth-friendly and aesthetically pleasing than a 1 gramme polybag a week. Maths isn’t their strong point.
February 15, 2024
California Crossroads?
On .jRās ālocal issuesā section.
February 15, 2024
They constantly “consult” but don’t actually listen Mike.
They (the Lib Dems) tell us we are in the top league with regards to road repair, when I only have to drive a few hundred yards to find a busy road full of pot holes that I have to weave to avoid. They are busy planning new ‘cycle ways’ that nobody I know will use and when they do build a “Relief” road, it is width restricted and has homes built a few yards from the curb.
Right now two busy level crossings are shut for two weeks of signalling work. OK, the work needs doing. But one of them is at the bottom of Easthampstead Road. Some bright spark placed “Road Closed” barriers right across the top of Easthampstead (about half a mile or more from the actual crossing) which is a busy exit from the one way system in the town centre. So people in the one-way system needing to turn left into Easthampstead were waiting for any traffic turning out of Easthampstead (into the one-way) to clear before driving around the barrier. There are severeral alternative routes into the Easthamstead area but nome are straightforward. It’s a really stupid thing to do as this is the main road into the southern part of Wokingham, giving access to many residential streets, all well before the level crossing on the southern edge of town. It was completely unneccessary to block the road so far away from the actual crossing. Very poor planning, a very stupid thing to do – creating confusion and potentially dangerous situations.
February 15, 2024
California cross roads Mike, the two mini roundabouts are being modified, it is going to take 6 months to complete the plan, which supposedly will make it safer for cyclists and pedestrians, quite why it will take this long I do not know, in Japan or France it would take about a week.
February 15, 2024
Thank you, Alan. I used to live a few hundred yards from there. It has been a very dangerous junction for years – especially for pedestrians with buggies and schoolchildren. I donāt know what they are planning there but I hope it involves the removal of the two mini roundabouts and the installation of traffic lights – to give pedestrians a chance to cross safely. As you say, why this will take 6 months is anyoneās guess. Iād get the army to do thinks like this – theyād have it done overnight.
Reply I use this junction a lot as a pedestrian. It already works well for pedestrians .
February 16, 2024
Mike
Difficult to interpret the plans on a small screen but looks to me like the two mini roundabouts remain but in a modified form, the cost Ā£5.5 Million seems extraordinary.
When its finished in 6-9 months time I will let you know on here.
February 15, 2024
Presumably if itās that unpopular people will vote these morons out. But they donāt seem to. In London Sadiq khan, one of the worst exemplars of local government humbug and uselessness, is set to be re-elected.
February 15, 2024
In our last local elections there were no sensible candidates standing in our ward. They all had their own agenda, so the prize went to the winner of a low turnout.
I thought about standing for the Council myself as an independent, but then I am too busy with my business. I suspect potential candidates even more suitable than me will be in the same position.
February 15, 2024
Is our voting system all that it once was though?
Plastic āboxesā with zips?
February 15, 2024
Indeed and they have even switched back to first past the post voting so his position is even more secure & even less democratic control. But clearly Sunak supports ULEZ expansion as he could stop it very easily should he want to. Sunak still has a majority, despite all his best efforts to bury the party.
February 15, 2024
No he is going to waste millions change line names to Liberty Line, Lioness Line, Mildmay Line, Suffragette line, Weaver Line and Windrush line in blatant use of tax payers money for his evil political ends!
February 15, 2024
I’m surprised he didn’t call one the ‘khan-Line’
February 15, 2024
Kick Khan?
February 15, 2024
Presumably enough people like what heās doing. Aināt democracy grand!
February 15, 2024
Well said, Sir John. The trouble is, it’s local councils that are doing the government’s dirty work, as we saw with the lockdowns.
You can’t seem to convince your own party at government level, so what are the chances of convincing Tory councils that there is no climate emergency?
February 15, 2024
Do they actually even believe in a climate emergency lunacy? Or do they just see this religion as a ruse to justify the motorist muggings. Surely the latter they cannot all be so dim can they?
February 15, 2024
My council tax is going up to fund the police EVs, double the amount (half on charge) at three times the cost
February 15, 2024
If our council is anything to go by I think that they are ācapturedā by blatantly Marxist groups.
I wish I understood how.
Is it through sheer brute force or backhanders?
Or are councillors just very easily duped?
February 15, 2024
Correct ā You only have to read every government published document ā¦āAll Anti Driver, All Anti Car, All Anti the Internal Combustion Engineā
He who is without sin ā¦..
February 15, 2024
Excellent as always, and reflecting the fact that local authority bureaucrats now see themselves as Masters of the Universe, rather than restricting themselves to emptying bins and cleaning the streets, which should be their focus. When they interfere with transport their activities are self-defeating, as with their range of restrictions they exacerbate rather than solve problems. Khan is the worst example, effectively attacking the economic performance of London.
February 15, 2024
+1
February 15, 2024
One thing that really anoys me is the fact that you cannot have repeater signs in 30mph . I know you have tried to help in the past.
February 15, 2024
Yet another article castigating the government, which is 100% complicit in this business. Is it worth mentioning at all a party which would ditch ULEZ?
It must feel like dissing your fellow local cricket club members for hacking up their own pitch, seeing them get disqualified and lose every game but simultaneously refusing to move your membership to the next door village team with a superb membership and pitch but no finance.
February 15, 2024
Well I do hope these irate drivers realise that more of the same is on the way with a Labour government.
We know those masquerading as Conservatives are fully paid up to the UN climate emergency or whatever it’s called now, so no hope there of any sanctuary.
I echo the comment already made on here, that being, let’s accelerate this so that it affects the lives of just about everyone and then we’ll either rid ourselves of this lunacy, or be fully brought under the control of the globalists cosh. Either way things will be made a lot clearer to those who cannot or will not see what is being done to us.
Personally I can’t wait for a fair few of the uppity, holier than thou types I know of who will be affected in the future by that which they preach now.
A reality check is long overdue.
February 15, 2024
Complaining about the hounding of car owners !! It’s a bit late for that Sir JR. About fourteen years late.
February 15, 2024
There’s nothing to disagree with here Sir John, except that all these things are done by CON-held Councils as well. It doesn’t matter what “colour” the Council is because they’re applying the policies and legislation made by the Not-a-Conservative-Government, which in turn is applying the policies of the WEF and Regulations from the EU.
Khan extended the ULEZ tax-grab scam to the boundary of his fiefdom, with no mandate, but Grant Schapps, as Transport Minister, had endorsed the plan to extend the inner-London scheme which the Not-a-Conservative-Mayor had already implemented to the boundary of the north and south circulars.
ALL of the anti-car measures have been implemented under a Blue-Green Parody of a Conservative Government. The Government you support has the power to stop the war on the motorist, but it hasn’t and won’t.
The WEF won’t allow it.
February 15, 2024
If the local council wonāt fix the potholes in the road, it makes sense to buy a larger vehicle with larger wheels and higher suspension to cope with the uneven road surface. Of course, such vehicles need a larger engine, which runs idle whilst waiting in traffic. Next, the doughnuts in the council will decide there is too much air pollution at the site of these traffic jams, and put in ulez controls to tax people more.
What do you suggest we do to avoid such a scenario? Vote conservative? Or vote for reform?
February 15, 2024
Forcing so many obstructions and high penalties on drivers, who just want to reach a normal place of work or seek access locally, breaches freedom. Worthless politicians corrall motorists increasingly into a gridtrap maze with the risk of Pac-Men biting cars out of existence. It is they, the pernicious idiots, who should be restricted instead.
A padded cell out of harmās way would be a suitable location. Incessant playing of Des OāConnorās āCareless Handsā disc at Ā£7 per minute would help them realise their own record of wrongdoing.
February 15, 2024
Basically all who work in public office. From parish councils to Parliaments. Work for us, the people. We pay their wages & fund the policies they enact on our behalf. Today it appears these public servants have decided the opposite is true.
That they are running out lives as we are not capable of looking after ourselves. Their conceit is so bloated now, they believe they can gamble our money. On investments & schemes we have not agreed too.
Everyday these beurocrats insult & abuse their customers. It is time for The Great Reset. When the public push back & replace these public servants. With those who are happy just to keep our streets & open spaces neat, tidy, safe & functional.
February 15, 2024
This Green nonsense has already gone too far – Vital these councils that push it are obliterated as soon as possible, so the more publicity regarding idiotic schemes they get the better.
There should be an option to recall councillors, because they don’t take any notice of protests any more!
February 15, 2024
As I said, if you do not recognise the problem you are part of if.
February 15, 2024
What about that –
“Britain enters recession as GDP falls for second consecutive quarter”
Thanks to our wonderful Chancellor and is friends in the Treasury screwing us blind!
February 15, 2024
Many thanks for your latest on roads in London and also Wokingham. I live SW of Reading and yesterday we set out to visit Holme Grange centre via Arborfield and Wokingham. We couldn’t take our usual route and were re-directed ad infinitum around Wokingham until we wondered if we would ever get home, let alone reach our destination. Eventually we made it to Holme Grange and decided to come home via the back route. Surprise, surprise, we get blocked at California crossroad and end up going down to Finchampstead. We probably wasted an hour. What on earth are the council up to ? A total lack of overall planning and for those who live in Wokingham, chaos. Thanks for drawing attention to these matters. Also what about the potholes ?
February 15, 2024
May I suggest that councillors contemplating so-called green anti-car measures look at the town of Belper in Derbyshire where parking is free. They have a diverse and thriving town centre comprised of many and varied, thriving small shops and business. This is in contrast to neighbouring towns with the same population demographic where the high streets are barren wastelands abandoned by the anchor store chains and filled with charity shops and nail bars.
February 15, 2024
GDP per person dropped every quarter of 2023. It hasn’t grown since Q1 2023 so 7 quarters – longest unbroken run without per capita GDP growth since records began in 1955.
But then nearly all this governmentās policies are anti-growth per cap policies. Net zero, expensive energy, an ever larger parasitic state, high & still increasing taxes, increasing interest rates, duff health care system, road blocking, ever more red tape, pushing heat pumps and EV cars, the net harm vaccines the so called renewables, open door low skilled immigration, daft employment laws all the woke, diversity and equality lunacy.
February 15, 2024
The only remedy is to sack the current green zealots in the next elections.
February 15, 2024
Sir John
You have ask yourself as one of the UKās Law Makers, why are you monitoring all the innocent people that are going about their daily lives well within all the Laws? These systems being put in place on the basis of catching the Law Breakers are in a great and higher magnitude tracking and monitoring the innocent.
Is this the new Conservative Government weapon of people control?
The System operator Capita plc has yet to do anything about the personal data they have collected being released on the Web.
These Guys are part of the structure to undermine the UKās safety and security – in fact seemingly aiding foreign powers to steal from the UK.
February 15, 2024
In theory it is still in the hands of the voters to stop these āanti driver measuresā by refusing to vote for all the existing Parliamentary parties (Con/Lab/Lib Dem/SNP/Green etc).
A vote for any of these parties will be taken by these parties as a vote to continue with anti driver measures and in the wider picture for Net Zero and mass immigration.
However, it needs to be recognised that the removal of these parties from local and national government will be insufficient to overcome the fifth column communists in the civil service, judiciary, educational establishment, quangos, police, NGOs and institutions who will attempt to frustrate and cancel any proposed changes and hence a series of referendums will be required to effect the necessary changes.
February 15, 2024
Spot on Sir John, itās not just Holland, throughout the EU farmers are rising up against the imposition of draconian Green policies blockading Paris and forcing the EU to re-think their nonsensical ideas. We here in the UK and not just the farmers should be prepared to protest en-masse against all anti-motorist and anti-farming policies. Furthermore, we must think very carefully who we vote for in 2024!
February 15, 2024
In response to the unelected unaccountable David Cameron lecture where he said the West must not āshow the weaknessā. Marjorie Taylor Green an elected accountable representative of the people – told him to ākiss my a–ā.
Gets my vote
February 15, 2024
Sunak is doing so much better than Liz (the members choice) ….not
February 15, 2024
@glen cullen – how and when will he!
February 15, 2024
+1
As the saying goes. Be careful of what you wish for.
February 15, 2024
When money is supposedly so short all new cycle lanes and 20mph limits should be stopped immediately. There are lots of other wasteful schemes promoted by special interest groups and enthusiastically adopted by Green civil servants.
Just one example of funds being misdirected : The Royal Navy was not allowed to buy a Phalanx close-in defence system for both new carriers, so only one is equipped with this essential system, which only costs something like Ā£14m per ship. I believe the plan to send HMS PofW to the Red Sea may have been delayed or cancelled because this poses such a risk to the ship and her crew.
Obviously it’s not such a problem when the ship is on an exercise with friendly ships.
February 15, 2024
The Royal Navy, as part of its plan to introduce compulsory climate change courses for all sailors, intends to give berths to āenvironmental scientistsā on board all Britainās warships to conduct climate change research.
Even the RN has been taken over by the fifth column communists who have devised this plan to ensure all our ships have spies and saboteurs on board at all times. No doubt they will be drawn from the 120,000 Chinese āstudentsā in our universities.
February 16, 2024
If I were a foreign power interested in RN secrets I would recruit environmentalists to get on board.
February 15, 2024
The switch from complaining about the Council’s actions to warning of the fall of a government is telling.āGovernment has outsourced power to quangos but remains stuck in the voter’s eyes with the responsibility, despite its impotency.āSo the buck seems to pass from councillors to the Government when a voter sums up their feeling of unhappiness at the polling booth.āThe Government should find some way to distance itself from the councils’ actions.
Sharing the same polling day shortens the distance.āAs does retaining powers on so many aspects.āPerhaps it’s the half-way house of partial devolvement which is the problem.āOr the media always going up the food chain for a minister’s defence which only joins the minister with the problem in the voter’s eye even as he is saying he is not connected.
February 15, 2024
Why do we have ‘green’ anti car policies when the greens are always the bottom of polls
Wellingborough-by-election 15th Feb, odds with odds-checker
Labour 1/7
Tory 5/1
Reform 12/1
LibDem 100/1
Green 500/1
Kingswood-by-election 15th Feb, odds with odds-checker
Labour 1/33
Reform 14/1
Tory 16/1
LibDem 100/1
Green 250/1
Rochdale-by-election 29th Feb, odds with odds-checker
Labour 5/4
Workers 4/6
LibDem 25/1
Reform 33/1
Tory 66/1
Green 250/1
February 15, 2024
glen cullen :
Because the Conservative, Labour and Lib Dem Parties have been infiltrated by fifth column communists determined to wreck out country using āgreenā issues. The Net Zero Strategy at 368 pages is the longest suicide note in history.
February 15, 2024
Another day, another example of how we are attacked by government and the public sector.
February 15, 2024
Between where I live and Didcot road work ( maintenance ? ) has been going on for years in the same place . The traffic build up is more than annoying and it is impossible to understand why this work needs to continue . Questions raised about this get no where and local rate charges increase substantially every year . Delays cost money as much as patience . Local authorities seem to lack the skill necessary to manage anything .
February 15, 2024
Interesting interview with a Wokingham Councillor on BBC tv last night.
Air quality in Peach Street Wokingham has improved in recent times, proven after constant monitoring. One of the reasons the Councillor thought this was the case, is the better and improved emissions from ICE cars over the years, as older high emission cars disappear from the roads.
So without doing anything, Air quality has improved because of the progressive development of ICE engines !
For those who do not know, Peach street is the 2 lane one way main route through the Town Centre, with narrow pavements and 3-4 story buildings lining the road, and where traffic Standstill/congestion is normal.
The monitor sits on the edge of the curb at chest height, so could not be closer to the road.
Traffic volumes have actually increased over the years as well.
So why are we continuing to fine motorists Nationwide and add more ULEZones, simply because they can for more income.
As usual Follow the money.
February 15, 2024
@Berkshire Alan – ‘because they can’ – being the operative as it is a Conservative Government diktat fully embarrassed by a ‘Liberal Democratic Council’. Sort of narrows down the politics of central government
February 15, 2024
Engine start -stop technology would also help in reducing emissions when at a stand still, being employed as standard on most ICE cars now.
February 15, 2024
“Growing anger about anti driver measures ”
So the stupid ‘Green’ busses are the worst polluters when the battery catches fire.
I’ve not heard much from Sadiq Khan doesn’t seem to have much to say about this effusion of pollution in his LEZ, a result of the electric vehicles. Shouldn’t he fine himself for breaching the LES emission standards ?
It’s not even growing anger at the anti ICE measures. It’s the lying deceptive dishonest and plain insane policies of the British government. Please, just go away!
February 15, 2024
We have an electric road sign near us that displays varying messages such as “is your journey necessary?” or “thank you for driving carefully today”.
Instead of insulting us with patronising messages they need to mend the holes in the road and get rid of the road blocks they have put up.
They seem to behave like children.
February 15, 2024
There is a similar sign near me at a junction with the A2.
One day it displayed – if you feel unsafe, contact us.
I was being driven by my daughter at the time and, fortunately, she laughed with me.
February 15, 2024
Hi sir John
We are already paying to use the roads with our car tax , but we have to put up with massive potholes, Some of the repairs are inferior and the same potholes appear weeks later,
we have more things to worry about the UK is a ticking time bomb but it’s not the indigenous people that will light the fuse but will be the ones to suffer.
Look around the world most wars are caused by religion
Thank you
February 15, 2024
George , my neighbour filled a deep pothole with compost and planted a young tree in it with battery-operated flashing neons, the council workmen were out the next day to repair it! after it was all over social media!
February 16, 2024
perhaps a notice adjacent to your favourite pothole – ‘Beware the Mariana Trench’ ?
February 15, 2024
According to a BBC report today:
“Cycling and walking routes across XXXXXX are set to undergo major improvements as part of a Ā£1.1m plan.”
Designated cycling routes are barely used.
Walking routes are already there, they are pavements ?
Pavements seem to be the main cycling routes.
Can’t they find a better use for the Ā£1.1m ?
February 15, 2024
Judging by the typical waistline, Brits have little interest in cycling. We’ve had several take up the Cycle to Work scheme but all of them revert to their car very quickly.
February 15, 2024
Why does this so-called Conservative Government hate its voters? The Net Zero scam seems to have blinded them to common sense.
You can either have cheap, reliable energy from Nuclear, Gas and even Coal, resulting in a prosperous economy, or you can have expensive, unreliable energy from Wind and Solar, with a duplicate system to back it up and watch the economy sink.
Likewise, you can have reliable ICE vehicles, easy to refuel quickly, taking you where ever you want to go with no stress, except from traffic, or more expensive EVs where anything other than a local journey needs careful planning and plenty of time to recharge. It ain’t rocket science!
February 15, 2024
“This site does not support law breaking protests”
Typical grovelling to show what a good grovelling MP I am. No matter what law his party in government passes he will stay on his knees. There are many laws passed which have removed our natural freedoms and which give preference to opponents of our society, but Sir John will not help the victims in any difficult way. He must be safe at all times.
February 15, 2024
@ The Prangwizard – the bad alternative is to incite people to break the law. That is hardly what is looked for in the elected representatives of the people lest we descend into an uncivilzed rabble, thereby helpling not at all present victims to gain redress of any sort.
February 15, 2024
I agree with your observations. We can expect more from the liberal council if the Conservative activists in Wokingham and district don’t start matching the enthusiasm to local elections as the Libs do!
February 15, 2024
If one does the maths, it appears that many of these Government and local council anti-driver schemes are built around special project “Net Zero”.
So the solution is easy. Pull the plug on their vanity net-zero adventure and let the people decide what is best for themselves and their families.
We demand no more ‘Nanny State’ interference in our lives! It’s as though we live in a cabal dictatorship like the EU. Or is that the ultimate aim of this diabolical plan?
February 15, 2024
Dear Mr. Redwood,
Yes, indeed, we are angry about anti-driving measures but we are absolutely furious about just about everything else.
I repeat below just a few sentences from an article in today’s Daily Telegraph which sums up the country after 14 years of useless Conservative rule.
“Our public and private institutions are broken, presided over by an incompetent, selfish and narcissistic ruling class. Living standards, when adjusted properly for living and property costs, are declining.”
“Even the simplest things donāt work any longer. Queuing, scarcity and congestion are rife, our infrastructure is embarrassingly poor, and the honest and hardworking face endless bureaucratic battles to obtain what they are due. Free riding, crime, disorder, fraud, littering and generalised rule-bending are rife, and all too often tolerated by apathetic citizens and an indifferent state. Britainās residual virtues, our individualism, independence of mind, tolerance and openness, uniquely appealing features of our national character, are fading.”
“The socialist NHS, despite massive increases in funding, is a horror show, and one of the main reasons not to live in the UK. Some 5.6 million adults are on out-of-work benefits, and yet immigration is running at extraordinary levels. Our Armed Forces have been slashed, and are now being subject to a woke takeover.”
The Tories have been abysmal and Labour will probably be no better but they can hardly be worse. It is that bad.
February 15, 2024
And the irony of it all is that these fanatical anti-motorist measures fail to address the main cause of CO2 emissions and global warming, which is the burning of raw coal and the use of LNG at power stations. Until recent times, China was opening one additional coal fired power station per week.
The main culprits, accounting for 55% of CO2 or equivalent emissions from power stations are the four big federations – USA, China, EU and India. We need to ensure that our gas fired power stations do not use LNG and that any coal fired power stations we may construct use ‘clean’ (decarbonised) coal. Then we can submit proposals to WTO to penalise any State running a dirty economy, including the big four.
February 16, 2024
Methane is methane, whether it is liquefied in transit or not. If you want a society with constant power cuts, perhaps lasting days at a time, ban gas and coal power stations. You may want to think through the consequences.
February 15, 2024
Let’s all firstly put our hands together and applaud the men and woman (including those that are contemplating transitioning between ) of our great Parliament, Cromwell, might have had a thing or two to say to them.
Now, while we are all experiencing out of control crime ( incidence of shoplifting and assault against retail staff up to 1,500 per day ) ..
I think, once we’ve finished the standing ovation – we should immediately put our hands in our pockets because superlative performance by the powers that be, in running the country, should be rewarded handsomely. Contributors will be pleased to hear that MPs have awarded themselves a modest 7.1% this year.
Given the quality of work put in by these stalwarts running the country ( into the ground ), that clearly does not reflect their efforts. So I’m inviting all John Redwoods readers to reach deep into their pockets and cough up a contribution to help our struggling MPs.
February 15, 2024
Every official and representative voting for Net Zero policies should be bound over to live by them. That includes the King.
Let them lead by example – a good old British tradition.
February 16, 2024
Brilliant. Sir John you should be leading the Reform Party.
February 17, 2024
The Reform party already has it’s quota of quislings, it doesn’t need any more.