Saffron Walden Conservatives Reveal Their True Colours On The Environment (Saffron Walden Constituency Liberal Democrats)

Saffron Walden Constituency Liberal Democrats <info@saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk>

Saffron Walden Conservatives Reveal Their True Colours On The Environment

September 16, 2009 9:56 PM

Lib Dem Councillor Mike Hibbs with his bike at Rowntree Way Saffron Walden Conservatives showed their lack of commitment to the environment at last Wednesday's Town Council meeting, when Conservative Town Councillors declared themselves opposed to wind farms and voted to remove bicycle stands from the town.

The Conservatives, who have a controlling majority on the Town Council, voted to remove bicycle stands from the Market Square, Cromwell Road and Rowntree Way.

Liberal Democrat Town Councillor and keen cyclist Mike Hibbs commented "There is a debate to be had about what sort of bicycle stand to have and where to site them, but to remove them altogether is a spiteful snub to one of the most environmentally friendly forms of transport. Cycling also affords tremendous health benefits. Underneath the greenwash it's the same old backward Conservative Party."

Continuing their anti-environment theme, Conservative Town Councillors also voiced their opposition to wind farms, one of the least polluting forms of energy.

Saffron Walden's Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate Peter Wilcock commented "Of course wind farms must not be sited where they will cause undue disturbance to neighbours, but Britain can and must switch to renewable energy as soon as practicable. It is disgraceful that NIMBYs and a government that is obsessed with dangerous nuclear energy have made Britain lag so far behind our neighbours in the sustainability stakes."

The Liberal Democrat vision is to create a carbon-neutral Britain, where the country absorbs as much carbon as it emits, by the middle of this century - ensuring we leave a healthy legacy for our children. We are also committed to 100 per cent carbon-free, non-nuclear electricity by 2050.