Feb182017

ScotRail forks out £2k a day in compensation to disgruntled passengers

Scottish Conservatives
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18 Feb 2017

LiamARI

Train passengers are handed more than £2000 a day in compensation from Scotrail amid complaints of cancellations and delays.

Figures obtained by the Scottish Conservatives have revealed £587,527 was paid out by bosses between April and December 2016 to commuters.

The majority of these payments were for delayed trains, as transport minister Humza Yousaf faced pressure on the quality and reliability of Scotland’s trains.

Of the half-million total, £340,000 was given to those who complained of delay, with £52,000 handed to others as a “gesture of goodwill”.

The Freedom of Information request also showed there was £178,000 paid out under various Scotrail “policies”, which the organisation describes as full or partial refunds given out to those passengers who feel the agreed level of service wasn’t reached.

In total, more than 40,000 people successfully sought compensation in nine months.

The table also shows a radical increase in both passengers affected and the amount of money paid.

In April, there were 1963 people who claimed £24,244 in compensation.

But by December, when the trains crisis began to intensify, that rose to 9224 claiming £94,878.

Scottish Conservative transport spokesman Liam Kerr said:

“The rising cost of compensation appears to reflect the nosedive in quality and reliability experienced by passengers on Scotland’s trains.

“It’s no surprise the bill has surpassed £500,000 for the last nine months when you consider the problems on our railways.

“As well as passengers, you have to feel for the staff who are doing their best with no help from the Scottish Government, and they will be wondering how transport minister Humza Yousaf ever allowed it to get this bad.

“And even if this cost isn’t coming directly from the public purse, passengers and taxpayers – including those who never even use a railway – will end up paying.

“It’s vital the situation on Scotland’s railways is sorted out.

“What worries me the most is, as with so many other public services, the Scottish Government has been completely neglectful, focusing on a renewed drive for independence rather than the day job of running the country.”

Feb182017

Weekly Road Report – West End Ward

Fraser Macpherson
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DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL – WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

REPORT FOR WEST END WARD FOR SATURDAY 18 AND SUNDAY 19 FEBRUARY 2017

Blackness Road (at Wilkie’s Lane) – temporary traffic lights on Sunday 19 February for mobile platform operations.

Nethergate (West Marketgait to South Tay Street) – closed on Sunday 19 February for water supply connection works.

REPORT FOR WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 20 FEBRUARY 2017

Perth Road (at Arnhall Drive) – temporary traffic lights for 3 weeks for gas main renewal.

Blackness Road (at Glenagnes Road) – temporary traffic lights for 2 weeks for Scottish Water mains renewal.

Shaftesbury Road (at Seymour Street) – closed on Tuesday 21 February for 3 days for Scottish Water repair work.

Hunter Street – temporary traffic lights from Tuesday 21 February for one week for Scottish Water repair.

Forthcoming Roadworks

Nethergate (West Marketgait to South Tay Street) – closed for 3 weeks from Monday 27 February for carriageway resurfacing works.

Feb182017

Greens denounce Ministers' pandering to industry lobbyists on plastic pollution

Green Party
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18 February 2017

Keith Taylor MEP: ‘These latest revelations expose the Government’s shameful decision to kowtow to industry lobbyists and roll back important recycling progress.’

Keith Taylor, Green MEP for the South East, has issued a stinging criticism of government Ministers as documents reveal the influence of plastics industry lobbying on the decision to cut UK recycling targets. The revelations come as the latest ‘Great Winter Nurdle Hunt’ uncovers widespread plastic pollution on Britain’s beaches.

The UK government quietly reduced recycling targets for plastic waste last year, after dozens of lobby groups and plastic producers pushed for lower rates, according to documents obtained by Energydesk. 

Energydesk obtained 62 of the 63 responses to a government consultation on recycling targets.

The majority of respondents to the consultation were plastic producers or industry groups. Of those, all pushed for a reduction in the targets.

Keith, a member of the European Parliament’s Environment Committee, said:

“Plastic pollution is choking our oceans and our beaches, but the documents obtained this week demonstrate the UK Government appears more concerned with protecting the profit margins of multinational corporations and industry lobbyists than safeguarding Britain’s natural environment.” 

“It is extremely concerning that almost three-quarters of UK beaches are blighted by the raw materials of the plastic industry. These plastic pellets pose a significant threat to our precious wildlife and damage the health of our oceans and seas.”

“These latest revelations expose the Government’s shameful decision to kowtow to industry lobbyists and roll back important recycling progress. Far from being a party working for the many, the Conservatives prove, once again, they are the party of powerful and privileged vested interests.”

“We cannot let the Government use the EU referendum as an excuse further water down essential recycling targets. The EU Circular Economy Package sets an ambitious and common EU-wide target for recycling 75% of packaging waste by 2030. Ministers must make a firm commitment to maintaining and implementing these ambitious targets post-Brexit.”

“Plastic pollution does not respect borders nor national sovereignty. For the sake of the health of our oceans and our beaches, to protect our precious environment and our beloved wildlife, Theresa May must also commit to maintaining a close relationship with our European neighbours to combat the problem.”

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Feb182017

How the world is changing

John Redwood MP
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The advent of Mr Trump on the world diplomatic scene is making some big changes.

Mr Trump has in many ways a very conventional US view of the world . He sees his main allies as the UK in Europe, Japan in the Far East, and Israel in the Middle East. He tells Israel he wants them to reach a settlement with the Palestinians, but he no longer insists on what that settlement might look like. He warns China on trade,and is friendly towards Taiwan. He  condemns the harsh words and warlike gestures  of North Korea. He is keen to tackle the persistent large trade surpluses run by China and Germany, which he sees as disrupting the world economy and fair commerce.  He wants a world of bilateral relations between nations, rather than complex diplomacy between jostling regional power blocs. The US has traditionally  been suspicious of international bodies taking too much power, and has often found itself in disagreement with the liberal consensus that tends to dominate in those institutions.

The biggest change he is proposing in US foreign policy is the reappraisal of the strength and helpfulness of the EU. Where Mr Obama saw the EU as a benign force, and looked to Mrs Merkel to be his best ally in return for his support for the supranational body, Mr Trump is concerned. He sees the dangers of an inadequately resourced European defence activity that weakens NATO further but still expects US military capacity to be the guarantor of the peace. He is concerned about the low level of the Euro allowing Germany to build a colossal export surplus. He sees how the current level of EU integration is creating a force against it in rising independence movements around the continent. He is doubtless not impressed that the IMF has run up large bills lending to the weaker member states of the Eurozone, when the zone overall is rich enough to  be able to handle its own financing.

Feb182017

Iraq: UN aid agencies preparing for ‘all scenarios’ as western Mosul military operations set to begin

UN – Top News Stories
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18 February 2017 – With military operations to retake western Mosul starting, United Nations humanitarian agencies in Iraq are rushing to prepare for the humanitarian impact of the fighting amid grave concerns that tens of thousands of families are at extreme risks.

According to the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the country, food and fuel supplies are dwindling, markets and shops have closed, running water is scarce and electricity in many neighborhoods is either intermittent or cut off.

“The situation is distressing. People, right now, are in trouble. We are hearing reports of parents struggling to feed their children and to heat their homes,” said Lise Grande, Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq.

According to estimates, between 750,000 and 800,000 civilians reside in the western section of Mosul.

However, few if any commercial supplies have reached the city in the past three months since the main road to Syria was cut-off.

Sources in the city also reported that nearly half of all food shops have closed and bakeries throughout the area have run out of fuel and many can no longer afford to purchase costly flour.

RELATED: UN fears new wave of displacement as fighting escalates in Mosul and Hawiga

Prices of fuel such as kerosene and cooking gas have skyrocketed and many of the most destitute families are burning wood, furniture, plastic or garbage for cooking and heating.

Families, children face critical shortage of drinking water, do not have enough to eat

According to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) there are critical shortages of food and safe drinking water.

Three out of five people now depend on untreated waterUNICEF Representative in Iraq Peter Hawkins

“Three out of five people now depend on untreated water from wells for cooking and drinking as water systems and treatment plants have been damaged by fighting or run out of chlorine,” said Peter Hawkins, UNICEF Representative in Iraq.

“Food prices in western Mosul are almost double than in eastern Mosul,” added Sally Haydock, the WFP Representative in the country, noting that many families do not have enough to eat.

Preparing to aid as many as 400,000 fleeing civilians

According to OCHA, UN and humanitarian partners are rushing to prepare for the humanitarian impact of the military operation.

“We don’t know what will happen during the military campaign but we have to be ready for all scenarios. Tens of thousands of people may flee or be forced to leave the city. Hundreds of thousands of civilians might be trapped — maybe for weeks, maybe for months,” said Ms. Grande.

Emergency sites are being constructed south of the city and stocks of life-saving supplies are being pre-positioned for the 250,000-400,000 civilians who may flee.

“Protecting civilians is the highest priority in a situation like this — nothing is more important […] The battle hasn’t started but already there is a humanitarian crisis,” the UN humanitarian official added.