Tonbridge and Malling Green Party

Tonbridge High Street: One of our members, Frances Long, has been promoting a petition for the pedestrianisation of Tonbridge High Street. Tonbridge and Malling Green Party recognises that the air pollution in central Tonbridge, particularly at the roundabout near the rail station, is amongst the worst in the county. Pedestrianisation at the weekends is one step towards dealing with this problem. The petition was presented to Tonbridge Forum in February, with the promise it will be considered so watch this space!

20mph is the limit: Recent canvassing in Castle ward has highlighted the need for a borough-wide 20mph speed limit in residential areas. Residents have told Green Party canvassers about their experiences of "boy racers' using their roads as race tracks. We will continue to campaign for the introduction of new speed limits and appropriate traffic calming measures throughout the borough.

Flooding and climate change: Large areas of Tonbridge and Malling remain under threat from flooding. How would we cope if we had experienced even more rainfall than in November 2009, and the Medway became the scene of a once in a 1000 year flooding as experienced in Cumbria? Climate Change is putting more moisture into the atmosphere as a result of increased evaporation because of higher global temperatures. This is causing more extreme weather events. November 2009 was the wettest since records began for the UK. Kent has experienced more severe and more frequent flooding in the last decade. And the drier summers have increased, as a result of the overall rise in global temperatures.

We can all help to create less carbon emissions in our daily lives: walking and cycling rather than using the car (and its more healthy); remembering to switch off lights and other electrical devices (and it saves on the bills); buying local food wherever possible but we also need to keep up the political pressure locally, nationally and internationally.

Local Food: We would like to join 'Produced in Kent' in encouraging Kentish people to buy local produce. A report by the New Economics Foundation demonstrates that street markets produce twice as many jobs per square foot of retail space as food superstores. The New Economics Foundation also found that an average basket of goods bought at a street market was 53% cheaper than at the nearest supermarket. The future for Tonbridge town centre has to be to back its markets properly, not to try to entice superstores to the High Street. The council should improve the problematic pedestrian access to the Saturday market.

Tonbridge and Malling Green Party deeply regrets the demise of the Tonbridge Farmers' Market and would like to see it return with more varied stalls, better marketing and a better location. For more information about Kent's Farmers' Markets: www.kentfarmersmarkets.org.uk

Drilling for oil: After seeing the shocking sights coming out of the Gulf of Mexico, few people would have thought that big oil would also have its eye on rural Kent. However, proposals to drill for oil at Bidborough could lead to a local 'oil rush' with a lorry every two minutes passing down narrow country lanes that are currently marked as 'Unsuitable for heavy goods vehicles.' The drill site is in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, a Special Landscape Area and part of the Metropolitan Green Belt. Tonbridge and Malling Green Party is disturbed that the proposal is in breach of both national and local policies for landscape protection.

We should be investing in clean, renewable energy not trashing our countryside in a desperate search for every last drop of oil.

...and some good news (we hope): The decision to scrap the South East Plan could be good news in the fight against the huge freight depot proposed for Borough Green, Wrothem and Platt. The scheme would not only bring a little bit of industrial Dartford to this quiet corner of the Green Belt, it would massively increase lorry movements in this already congested area. However, the fight is not yet over. Until the the consortium, comprised of Borough Green Sandpits and Cemex, formally withdraws its proposals, local campaigners will continue to oppose this ill thought out scheme.

More information at: http://stopbig.org

To get involved:

Between now and the borough elections next year, Tonbridge and Malling Greens will be canvassing opinion throughout the Borough to help us respond to the issues that concern local people. To get your issues on the agenda, contact: Steve and Hazel Dawe, Tonbridge and Malling Green Party, 27 Audley Avenue, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1XF
email: greenparty@gn.apc.org
or phone us on: 01732 355185 or 0845 257 4236