27Oct 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Park heritage plan must focus on promoting culture, protecting nature, and growing local economy

Park heritage plan must focus on promoting culture, protecting nature, and growing local economy

Borough news
Liberal Democrat councillors have responded to a recent consultation on the draft heritage strategy for the South Pennines Park by calling for further measures to promote local culture, protect the natural and built environment, and grow the local economy in a sustainable way. The deadline for responses is 29 October. The South Pennines Park covers 460 square miles, including the Saddleworth district and Shaw, and stretches between the Peak District and the Yorkshire Dales National Parks. In their response, the Oldham Liberal Democrat Group call for action to: Promote local culture: The Liberal Democrats want to see recognition of the work of the Shaw and Crompton and Saddleworth Parish Councils in supporting traditional heritage activities (such as the annual rush cart festival, the ‘world-renowned’ brass band contests, and the celebration…
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21Oct 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Leaked climate report: Government must cancel oil drilling and Cumbria coal mine

Leaked climate report: Government must cancel oil drilling and Cumbria coal mine

Parliamentary news
Responding to the leaked documents revealing countries lobbying the UN to play down the impact of fossil fuels, Liberal Democrat Climate Spokesperson Wera Hobhouse MP said: "These leaks show the Conservatives have their work cut out for them if we're to get a good outcome from COP. It is vital the world moves away from fossil fuels, but it is hardly a shock that countries still dependent on them are trying to play down their significance. "But the Tories are supporting fossil fuel expansion too, from a new coal mine in Cumbria to expanding oil drilling in Surrey. The UK cannot tell other countries to transition away if we're still backing new projects on our doorstep. "Liberal Democrats want a successful COP, but without the cancellation of both these projects…
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19Aug 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Cycling network improvements targeted by Saddleworth Liberal Democrats

Cycling network improvements targeted by Saddleworth Liberal Democrats

Borough news
Saddleworth Liberal Democrats are already working on the next round of cycle routes for the district, even before the current proposals are brought forward.  Having set key priorities for the network – connecting village centres, travel interchanges and parks – they drew up key routes that would connect existing cycle routes to those areas, and have put forward those proposals to the highways engineers in charge of the Active Travel Fund plans.  Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “It’s really important to have a vision for how we are going to join up the existing cycle routes that we have, and with new work that is going ahead. “For example, the routes in Greenfield are going to connect a new Tameside loop route. I’ve proposed that the next extension should connect…
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05Aug 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Govt record on electric vehicles “frankly embarrassing”

Govt record on electric vehicles “frankly embarrassing”

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have slammed the Government as new statistics reveal just 292 new “rapid” electric vehicle chargers were installed in the last three months, in spite of Tory promises to dramatically increase the number of fast chargers. The news comes as the Prime Minister’s COP26 Spokesperson Allegra Stratton said she was sticking with her diesel car because of concerns about range and recharging - suggesting she would buy an EV if “the stop times for recharging improve so much that it’s half an hour.” Rapid chargers will charge an EV from 0% to 80% in roughly the same time Ms Stratton desires, rather than the 8 hours that a standard “fast” charger takes. Earlier this year, the Conservatives cut grants available to new electric vehicle owners and the number…
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02Jul 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

GM Pension fund must go green

Borough news
The Greater Manchester Pension Fund must divest from fossil fuels, not only to protect the planet, but to protect the pensions of thousands of people across the region. At the next full meeting of Oldham Council (Wednesday 14 July 2021), the Liberal Democrats will propose a motion to deliver exactly that. Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani, who will be proposing the motion, said: “It is time the Greater Manchester Pension Fund did the right thing by our environment and pulled out the money invested in fossil fuel industries that massively contribute to global warming, and instead reinvest it in green technologies which do good.” The Fund is currently one of the biggest investors in fossil fuels with over £1.7 billion in the oil, coal and gas industries. “As an employer, Oldham Council…
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17Jun 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
It’s time to ‘jump start’ electric vehicle charging points

It’s time to ‘jump start’ electric vehicle charging points

Borough news
Oldham Liberal Democrats are concerned that Oldham is failing to keep up with the increasing demand for electric vehicle charging points as Britain makes the radical move to go green from 2030. In January 2021, the Department of Transport reported 31 public charging points in Oldham, or 13 for every 100,000 people, less than half the UK average of 31; and this was four less than in October 2019. The energy company Centrica also identified Oldham as one of 126 local councils with no plans to install on-street electric vehicle chargers. Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, is dismayed that Oldham is falling behind, especially as it is a Council and Borough committed to be carbon-neutral within ten years. Commenting, Councillor Sykes MBE said: “For example, at a…
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16Jun 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Oldham Liberal Democrats call on public to support Clean Air Day

Oldham Liberal Democrats call on public to support Clean Air Day

Borough news
This Thursday 17 June is National Clean Air Day, and Oldham Liberal Democrats councillors are asking residents of the borough to support the event to help improve our health and our environment. Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Leader of the Oldham Liberal Democrats, said: “Many people will have noticed the lack of traffic during Lockdown and many more people took up exercise, walking and cycling, since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Now as we see the removal of the remaining lockdown restrictions, it would be great if we could avoid going back to our old habit of turning to our car for every journey. “Many of the short journeys we take in our daily lives, whether popping to the shops or for the school run, can be made on foot…
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05May 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Lib Dems commit to £2bn for hydrogen bus fleet revolution

Lib Dems commit to £2bn for hydrogen bus fleet revolution

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have announced that they would create a £2 billion fund to oversee the conversion of every bus fleet in England to hydrogen or electric powered vehicles. Liberal Democrats have proposed a £20 billion “Clean Air Fund”, which not only includes money to convert buses, but also to fund more bus routes and invest in walking and cycling. The policy comes as the party has promised to ‘decarbonise england, creating greener, cleaner communities’ ahead of the May local elections. They are also calling for the conversion of the rail network to ultra-low-emission technology by 2035 as part of a significant investment in public transport. Much of England’s buses are diesel powered, which is responsible for the high levels of particulate matter found in air pollution. The funding would…
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03May 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Put cabbies in driving seat to net zero future with £1bn fund

Put cabbies in driving seat to net zero future with £1bn fund

Parliamentary news
Ahead of the local elections, the Liberal Democrats have set out their vision to clean up Britain’s air by calling for a £1 billion fund for taxi drivers to switch to electric vehicles, as part of their proposals for Clean Air Zones across Britain. The Liberal Democrats propose ten new Clean Air Zones across the country by the end of 2022. The Clean Air Zones would combat deadly air pollution which causes 40,000 early deaths each year, with transport being the biggest emitter of harmful gases. The Conservatives pledged in their 2019 manifesto to set “strict new laws on air quality”, but this has yet to happen. Outside of London only one other council has established a Clean Air Zone, Liberal Democrat controlled Bath. Under Liberal Democrat plans, taxi drivers…
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30Apr 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Tim Farron slams Tories for failing to create environmental regulator

Tim Farron slams Tories for failing to create environmental regulator

Parliamentary news
Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron put forward a Ten Minute Rule Bill that would have created an independent regulator to hold the Government and public authorities to account on their environmental targets. This regulator would have had new powers and resources to ensure compliance with the targets. However, yesterday the Bill has fallen with MPs not having the opportunity to debate it. The Conservatives had promised to create a new environmental regulator, replacing the role the European Commission played before Brexit. However the proposed “Office of Environmental Protection” has been criticised for lacking meaningful enforcement powers. Furthermore, the Environment Bill that will create the OEP has been delayed several times since it was first introduced in 2018, and is now not expected to return to Parliament until after the Queen’s…
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