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Documents to Consider
Eastbourne ECO Action Network independent survey
Between July and September 2021, EEAN conducted a survey, in person and online, aiming to find out what people of Eastbourne expect of the bus service provided by Stagecoach, and what their opinion is about the current provision. We created a presentation with our findings.
EEAN CIC & Transport Group Submission to Public Consultation
Eastbourne ECO Action Network (EEAN) welcomes the opportunity, to be consulted, on the long-awaited East Sussex Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP). As you will be aware, EEAN and Eastbourne Borough Council (EBC) are committed to a zero-carbon town by 2030. So EEAN’s approach has been to compare the LCWIP to the equivalent document, Eastbourne’s Direction Of Travel: Issues And Options For The Eastbourne Local Plan November 2019. Naturally, EEAN wishes both these plans to be aligned.
- Support cycling on the seafront
- Work with East Sussex County Council to increase number of designated cycle routes across the town
- Require cycle parking to be provided in all new development
- Require new development and public realm schemes to incorporate safety measures for pedestrians and cyclists
- Encourage implementation of Home Zones and 20mph zones within strategic development sites
Although there is much to recommend within LCWIP, there is no evidence that the current LCWIP and East Sussex Local Transport Plan, considered together, will increase walking and cycling numbers.
Department of Transport, March 2020
Executive Summary by Paul Humphreys, Transport Group
The Department for Transport (DfT) has published a Consultation paper on the future of UK transport, that calls for a major shift away from cars to cycling, walking and buses, as well as using vehicles differently. This consultation will result in a Transport Decarbonisation Plan (TDP), that will be published later in Autumn 2020. The overall approach is encouraging and ECO Action Network supports the initiative.
The scope is to create a credible implementation plan that puts the UK’s entire transport system on a pathway to deliver the necessary reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
The general approach seems to be in line with the notion of Avoid/Shift/Improve that is used in other similar research.
So in aiming to achieve carbon budgets and net zero emissions, across every single mode of transport by 2050, there are six strategic priorities:
- Accelerating modal shift to public and active transport
- Decarbonising how we get our goods
- UK as a hub for green transport technology and innovation
- Decarbonisation of road vehicles
- Place-based solutions
- Reducing carbon in a global economy
A report from the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change
A new YouGov survey commissioned by the Alliance shows high levels of concern amongst UK health professionals about the impact of food on the climate, and support for the health benefits of more environmentally friendly diets. Of those surveyed:
- Two-thirds (68%) are concerned about the impacts of society’s approach to food production and consumption on the environment/climate.
- Two-thirds (67%) agree that changing your diet in a way that reduces its environmental impact (e.g. by eating less meat) can also improve your health.
- 40% have already changed their diet/eating habits due to environmental concerns.
It will be necessary for individuals and organisations to change their behaviour to reduce food’s contribution to the climate emergency, and the NHS in England has recently set a target to become carbon neutral by 2040.However, UKHACC believes that the Government must do more to encourage, enable and support these changes.
The Alliance’s recommendations include:
- Advice & Information – Existing public information campaigns on diet should include climate messages, and health professionals & patients should be supported with clear, accessible information on transitioning to a climate-friendly diet.
- Food Labelling – Commission independent research into the most effective form of environmental labelling to implement to support consumers to make sustainable choices.
- Public Procurement – Amend public procurement rules to require all procured food to meet minimum environmental standards – using purchasing power to shift the market.
- Food Policy After Brexit – New trade agreements must include a clause requiring imports to meet UK environmental standards.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, April 2020
Executive summary by councillor James Murray, Education/Housing & Energy Groups
Executive summary by councillor James Murray, Education/Housing & Energy Groups
Main points
Replacing EU subsidies with this scheme, using Public Money for Public Goods. Also Phasing out the Countryside Steward ship scheme. Doing the same thing, just different priorities. Subsidising environmental activities and benefits created by landowners, tenants and farmers.
Priorities
Clean air, water, mitigating environmental hazards, mitigating climate change, thriving plants, wildlife and heritage. Support good practise, retrain bad practise, using the governments white paper Farming For the Future.
- Needs a high uptake
- Clear objectives
- Support services in place
- Dissemination of good practise
- Support existing good practise, not just new schemes
- Learn from local experiences
- Do away with red tape
- Delivering quick fixes on scale, such as wildflower margins.
- Specific local schemes or collaborative work only suited to certain areas of the country.
- Direct projects on exceptionally large scales looking to just create environmental benefits to the area and in turn the country, afforestation, peatland bogs restoration for example.
Test schemes are running now, pilots are due to start in 2021, full roll out in 2024. Progress on tests now 300 applications, 46 are active, 23 more due to start soon. Six-year transition period to allow for the changeover.
Tier 1. Embedding good practise and environmental issues in most farms. Once adopted as the norm, bring in legislation to support the changes.
Tier 2. Payment by results, creating a nature recovery network, creating support networks, local support and guidance for local planners and councils to allow for less red tape to enable schemes to get up and running quicker.
Tier 3. Getting farmers and landowners with bordering properties, working together to form land management programmes just look at environmental benefits, pairing them up with the private sector to use the land for carbon offset projects? Cuckmere and Pevensey Levels Partnership is one of these test projects.
Some questions around what people think of the proposals of how the ELM will work are stated but DEFRA are not looking for any projects or ideas.