Just too hot
It’s been a tough week in Hastings if you struggle with the heat. Hastings missed the worst of the UK’s first “red heatwave” warning. Even so, Friends of the Earth research shows over 16,000 households in Hastings could be vulnerable to extreme heat. Often these will be the same households who suffer from fuel poverty, since badly insulated houses also heat up quickly.
In the short term we need to think about cool respite centres, as in France. Hastings Library is air-conditioned, and people are welcome to cool off there, but we need provision across the town. Time to repurpose some of the many smugglers’ caves, perhaps? There is a hot weather protocol that is triggered by heatwaves but this just involves checking on people, not really offering any respite.
We really need government action. The government’s own climate change committee warns, “At present, there are no comprehensive policies in place to adapt existing homes and other buildings to high temperatures, manage urban heat islands, nor safeguard new homes.”
And the Emperor’s clothes are melting. The High Court holds the Government to account.
The UK 2008 Climate Change Act requires the UK carbon account to hit net zero by 2050. The Government recently placed a report before Parliament showing how it was going to meet that target. However, in a remarkable ruling on July 18th, the High Court found that the Government’s strategy for getting to net zero is inadequate and unlawful. The Court ordered the Government to provide the detail needed for proper Parliamentary and public scrutiny within the next eight months. The Government has also been ordered to pay costs.
This heatwave sends a clear message. Climate change is here. The future holds sweltering summers, and wetter, stormier winters. We have to adapt, and quickly.
Making our roads safer
This week the Welsh government committed to making 20 mph the default speed limit across the whole of Wales.
In the past few weeks there have sadly been two fatalities on Hastings roads, one involving a pedestrian, and one two drivers. A speed limit of 20 mph in residential areas makes all kinds of sense. It drastically reduces pollution, and greatly cuts accidents and deaths. It reduces traffic noise and stop-start driving, without significantly reducing overall speeds. It makes life easier for pedestrians and cyclists. It generates big savings for the police and the health service. It’s also relatively inexpensive to set up.
Greens have been talking to residents across Hastings, building support for a town-wide 20 mph limit. We are seeking cross-party backing. However, there is resistance from East Sussex County Council, which has already rejected two proposals. We need to generate sufficient support that they will pay attention.
Meanwhile local Green councillors are undertaking Community Speedwatch training, which builds the evidence base for speed limits. The team is looking for more volunteers. How about setting up school-based Speedwatch teams to tackle the antisocial driving seen outside schools at pick up and drop off?
Let me know if you would like your road to be 20 mph. We will add it to the growing list.