19Dec 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats brand Avanti ‘a disgrace’ and call for West Coast Mainline contract to be removed

Uncategorized
Liberal Democrats in Oldham have hit out at Avanti West Coast (AWC) amid “chaos and delays” affecting Manchester to London services. Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Leader and Greater Manchester Transport spokesperson councillor Howard Sykes MBE has branded Avanti “a disgrace” who are “hampering the economy”. Avanti bosses announced a new timetable aimed at restoring commuter confidence on Thursday (Dec 8) but delays and cancellations have continued, prompting Liberal Democrat councillors to call on the government to strip Avanti of its contract. Councillor Sykes said, "The performance of Avanti has been a disgrace, and frankly, the senior figures have acted far too slowly. They’ve just not delivered for people.“It’s not just damaging the lives of people because they have these appalling delays, cancellations, and poor journeys. It’s now hampering the economy.” “Liberal…
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20Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Conductors are still what is needed on Oldham tram line says Sykes

Conductors are still what is needed on Oldham tram line says Sykes

Borough news
Liberal Democrat Councillor Howard Sykes MBE has once again made the call for conductors to be introduced on the Oldham Metrolink network. He made his call again at a meeting of the Rail and Metrolink Committee on Friday 14 January in response to a detailed report on the trams detailing amongst other things crime and anti-social-behavior (ASB). “It was November 2018 when Oldham Council agreed with the Liberal Democrat suggestion for conductors and still nothing has happened,” stated councillor Sykes. “I welcome the proposal to provide CCTV at some tram stops in Oldham and other schemes to tackle ASB and make the trams safer. However I am worried this will not be enough and will also just displace activity away from these five town centre stops to elsewhere on the…
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07Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Deploy the Army to get food onto shelves and avoid Christmas chaos

Deploy the Army to get food onto shelves and avoid Christmas chaos

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to send in the Army to deliver food to supermarkets, as immigration chaos fuels a growing shortage of lorry drivers. The country has endured a summer of shortage chaos with empty supermarket shelves, restaurant food shortages, and even delays to flu jabs. The call from the Liberal Democrats comes as the Road Haulage Association warns of a shortage of 100,000 HGV drivers and the CBI have recently said there could be up to 2 years of Labour shortages. The Lib Dems have slammed the Government’s new immigration system, implemented in the middle of the Covid pandemic, which makes it impossible for employers to recruit lorry drivers, care workers and other key workers from overseas. Recent Home Office data shows that 20,000 fewer…
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18Feb 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
More frequent, more reliable train service for Greenfield

More frequent, more reliable train service for Greenfield

Borough news
Liberal Democrat Councillors want to see a half-hourly train service from Greenfield to Manchester and Huddersfield, and an hourly train direct to Leeds, to make rail travel more frequent and more reliable for passengers. Liberal Democrat Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, who represents Oldham on the Transport for Greater Manchester Board and is the Leader of the Opposition on Oldham Council, has responded to the Greenfield Rail Action Group to confirm that he supports the group’s aspirations for a better and more reliable train service to the only mainland train station actually located within the Oldham Borough.  Following the introduction of a new timetable in May 2018, rail services were thrown into chaos, and many passengers at Greenfield were left stranded waiting for trains that had a shocking record for punctuality…
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01Jun 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

An opportunity for green transport

Borough news, Campaigns
Councillor Howard Sykes, Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, has suggested a five point response to deal with the way that Covid-19 has impacted on our local travel.  Councillor Sykes said: “This could kickstart our local transport needs in a green direction.  The Council could be been given up to £500,000 by the Mayor of Manchester to make streets safer.  The five points are a solid guide on how to spend that money.” He suggested: A commitment to provide additional financial support to our local public transport network. Power for Highways Authorities to introduce dedicated cycle lanes.Councils should be able to solve problem areas by changing the limit where appropriate.Protection for Local Authorities using the enhanced Traffic Reduction Orders against legal challenge.Get the…
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11May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

GMTC deliberately blocking scrutiny over Coronavirus transport crisis

Borough news
The Liberal Democrats have accused the Chair of Greater Manchester Transport Committee (GMTC) of deliberately blocking scrutiny and avoiding input from across the region. The Chair of GMTC, Councillor Mark Aldred, has ignored multiple requests from Liberal Democrat members of the committee to constructively scrutinise how the region's transport will begin to recover from the Coronavirus crisis once lockdown beings to ease. Lib Dem representatives on GMTC, John Leech and Howard Sykes, accused Councillor Aldred of deliberately avoiding scrutiny and input from across the region and political divide. The Liberal Democrats set out five points that GMTC must urgently answer in order to address concerns about how the region's transport will begin to recover from the Coronavirus crisis: How will social distancing be maintained at the same time as getting people back on public transportAddress the budget implications…
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08May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Give transport workers PPE now, says cross-party group

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats are leading a cross-party effort to ensure Ministers renew guidelines and urgently upscale PPE for all transport workers in preparation for exiting the government enforced lockdown. Writing to the Transport Secretary and the Mayor of London, the cross-party group of parliamentarians have warned there have been too many reports of workers “taking matters into their own hands” by making their own face masks disinfecting buses and carriages themselves. In London alone, at least 26 transport workers have died from Covid-19 since the outbreak began. Thousands of health and social care workers – essential workers – rely on transport workers to get to and from work. Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesperson and Richmond MP, Sarah Olney, coordinated the letter. She said: “The Coronavirus crisis is an unprecedented threat. No…
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27Apr 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems lead cross-party call for urgent support for airlines in return for climate action

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats are leading a cross-party effort to secure Government agreement for an economic package to support the UK’s airlines in return to commitments to tackle the climate emergency.  Writing to the Chancellor, the cross-party group of parliamentarians have warned that without government support future fares may raise while “tens of thousands more will lose their jobs through no fault of their own.” MPs from across the political spectrum have signed the letter and agreed “if public money is used to save them, they must be required by law to do more to tackle climate change.” Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesperson, Sarah Olney, coordinated the letter. She said: “The Coronavirus crisis is an unprecedented threat. Thousands of families will face financial hardship, including many who rely on employment in the…
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14Jan 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Saddleworth Liberal Democrats slam bus cuts

Borough news
Saddleworth Liberal Democrats have slammed proposals for yet more reductions to bus services in Saddleworth.  The proposals by Transport for Greater Manchester seek to abolish services 353, 354, 355 and 407.  They propose to expand the Saddleworth rambler service (356) to cover some of the shortfall but it will see some areas lose bus services and a reduced service for more.  Councillor Garth Harkness, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Saddleworth North, said: “Saddleworth have already experienced cuts in bus services to Dobcross, Diggle and Greenfield recently with First bus unwilling to engage with local members and local people.  Cutting early morning services and evening services is not satisfactory at all. These proposals will see yet more cuts to services and no guarantees over reliability and capacity to cope. “During the consultation for the…
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15Sep 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrat heads shake at Greater Manchester Labour charging OAPs £10 to ride on public transport

Borough news
Liberal Democrat Councillor Howard Sykes MBE has criticised Labour bosses in Manchester for their hypocrisy.  Pensioners who currently enjoy free travel on public transport across Greater Manchester are being forced to pay an annual fee if they want to travel from A to B.  The new Charge will be £10, whereas before it was free.  This tax will be live possibly as early as January 2020. Councillor Sykes MBE commented:  “Pensioners currently enjoy free train, tram and bus travel weekdays, on weekends and public holidays.  This is a great way to enable older people access to the full network free of financial burden.” “This £10 charge is simply a Labour shakedown to stealth tax our elderly.  OAPs now have to pay for TV licences and struggle with heating bills in…
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