General Election St Ives, Penzance and Helston candidates on climate change and transport
We invited them all to have their say
Richard WhitehouseLocal Democracy Reporter
(Image: Greg Martin / Cornwall Live)
The issue of the climate emergency and climate change have been higher on the agenda at this General Election than ever before.
In this part of our series we asked candidates to give us their views on the climate emergency as well as transport.
Here we have the views of candidates in St Ives. The Liberal Party and Common People Party candidates were invited to take part but have not responded.
Alana Bates - Labour
Through the school I work at I have been involved in gardening and tree planting projects to show the children how important the natural world is. We have also eliminated almost all of the single-use plastic in the school kitchen. I recently took some children from the school to the climate demo in Penzance.
Labour's policies put reducing carbon emissions at the top of our agenda, and inform all of our other policies. Labour will invest in a programme of locally-owned renewable energy sources, insulate millions of homes, invest in cheaper public transport to get people out of their cars, plant millions of trees and create 850,000 green jobs.
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We will nationalise the energy sector so we can re-invest in renewable energy sources. We will create 70,000 jobs in building offshore wind farms. I think cheaper bus fares would be particularly appreciated in this area.
Ian Flindall - Green
Ian Flindall
Carbon dioxide emission to the atmosphere must stop.
We must address this issue seriously with our European and global partners or all other aspirations of health and wellbeing are as nought. We will introduce measures at every level of the economy to improve energy efficiency and replace fossil fuel use with renewable energy.
From Hayle to Helston to Land's End we will boost renewable energy generation.
We will boost local food production for local consumption to reduce fossil fuel miles.
We will electrify our local bus services and fuel them from Cornwall's abundant renewable energy sources. We will increase the number of public charge points to enable electric car and van freedom.
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We will boost the work to link up our moorlands, clifflands and valleys with wildlife and woodland corridors. We will work with farmers and other stakeholders to increase biodiversity and carbon storage.
We will help all businesses to monitor and manage energy use.
We will build energy-efficient affordable housing and insulate existing housing and replace gas, oil and coal heating systems.
We will work with our European neighbours to develop a common climate change strategy.
Without these actions on a global scale we will see more wildfires, flooding, landslides, sea level rise and mass environmental migration.
Andrew George - Liberal Democrat
Andrew George
Andrew George is a lifelong environmental and climate campaigner. An enthusiastic cyclist and recycler, Andrew believes that Cornwall can lead the way in tackling the climate emergency.
Andrew has joined Penzance's schoolchildren on their climate strike marches. Cornwall should be proud of its children, who have the energy and urgency to stand up for our planet.
The Conservatives may have been outwardly supporting green initiatives and desperately greenwashing themselves as the election draws near, but they have consistently voted against every single measure to combat climate change.
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The Conservatives scrapped the Climate Change department, tore up sustainable homes regulations, sold-off the Green Investment Bank, slashed investment in green energy and trashed most of the progress made by the Liberal Democrats and Labour in Government.
The Liberal Democrats have pledged £20bn a year for five years to tackle the climate emergency. One goal is to generate 80% of our electricity from renewables by 2030. Andrew wants to turn Cornwall into the "green peninsula", an exemplar for green policy and renewables.
Penzance was the country's first town to be awarded Plastic Free status, and other Cornish towns have signed up.
We urgently need to focus on halting further harm to our planet and where possible, undoing the damage.
John Harris - Common People
Robert Smith - Liberal
Derek Thomas - Conservative
I am campaigning for a 'greener and healthier west Cornwall and Scilly' and I will work tirelessly for decisive action to cut harmful emissions and to protect and enhance nature. This is essential for the future of our planet, can cut living costs by use of electric cars, properly insulated homes and renewable energy (for example) and improve our health and wellbeing.
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Since the publication of the IPCC report just over a year ago warning that we have 12 years to reverse a climate catastrophe, I have worked closely in west Cornwall with local groups and with Cornwall Council on ways to cut carbon emissions to achieve the declared net zero target by 2030.
I have met Cornwall Council's transport team and lobbied Government with the result that a £23.5m funding package has been agreed over the next four years for a 'reduced bus fares' pilot in Cornwall. I have also launched the Woodland 2020 project which has the aim of planting 20,000 trees in west Cornwall by the end of next year.
In Westminster I served on the Environment Audit Committee and support the Conservative Environmental Network (CEN) manifesto which outlines policies to help us decarbonise while in April I secured a debate pressing the Government to bring forward our first ever Environment Bill, enshrining environmental principles in law.
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Alana Bates
I think transport is a really big issue in Cornwall as the population is so spread out. The lack of reliable bus and train services, especially into the evenings, and the high cost make it impractical for most people. This means that most people rely on their car. Only Labour has a radical plan to transform this situation.
Labour will enable the expansion of public transport by bringing the railways back into public ownership, capping fares, and supporting the creation of municipal bus companies.
Labour will instigate a rolling programme to steadily electrify the railway, complete HS2, link it with other rail investments and upgrade the rail network in the South West.
We will invest £1.3bn in a publicly-owned bus company and reinstate 3,000 bus routes that have been cut in rural areas. We will also strive to make bus travel cheaper, and give free bus travel to under 25s.
Labour will encourage the expansion of freight services on the publicly-owned railway, freeing the roads of lorries. Labour will also position the UK at the forefront of the development, manufacture and use of ultra-low emission vehicles.
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Green Party transport policy focuses on reducing the need for transport, shortening the distance of travel and replacing fossil-fuelled engines with alternative fuels e.g. electricity from renewable sources.
Home working, local working and "staycation" will be encouraged, frequent flying discouraged.
Walking and cycling will be promoted along with the development of safe walking and cycling routes. We will install more electric car and van public charge points. The very small number at present in Cornwall is not adequate to cope with anticipated demand as diesel vehicles are phased out.
We need to rethink rural public transport. The perceived lack of convenience that keeps occasional buses empty could be overcome with some smart technology telling us on our phones exactly where the next bus is and when it's going to arrive. That convenience could be enhanced by being able to tell the bus company when you would like to travel so that when there's enough people calling a bus sets off. New buses will be electric and would be park up at a hub under community-owned wind turbines to charge. The main rail line into Cornwall will be electrified and the line to Helston considered for reopening.
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Cornwall mustn't be left behind. Andrew believes we can lead the way in greener transport, while still improving our links with the rest of the UK and beyond.
The Liberal Democrats have set the target that by 2030, every new car and small van sold should be electric. They also aim to convert the rail network to low-emission technology by 2035. There will also be a portion of the transport budget (10%) dedicated for national walking and cycling schemes.
Andrew is the champion of the iconic sleeper service between Penzance and Paddington, the Night Riviera. He also campaigned for the train care centre at Long Rock. The Liberal Democrats want to freeze all rail fares for commuters and season ticket holders, which would open up employment choices for Cornish commuters.
We mustn't allow Cornwall's far-flung communities to feel cut off. Andrew has long argued for free public transport for 16 to 25-year-olds, especially those living in rural areas. The Liberal Democrats plan to invest £4.5 billion on improving bus services over the next five years.
Recently, Cornwall has seen EU funding for transport improvements. Should we end up leaving the EU, Andrew will fight our corner in Westminster, to make sure our transport needs are not neglected and that there is a more resilient link for Scilly.
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Improving our transport infrastructure is key not only for our future prosperity but also for an improved quality of life.
The Penzance to Paddington rail-link has seen its greatest-ever investment in the past two years with new trains, improved stations and track upgrades to reduce journey times and increase capacity.
For most of us however, transport means travelling by road and the most used stretch of road in West Cornwall is the A30 from Camborne to Penzance. Government has agreed that the A30 should be dualled and I am pressing to get it included in the next Road Investment Strategy. I've used my influence as MP to secure road improvements, resurfacing work and repairs to potholes. This includes £1.3m for safety measures at Crowlas. I'm pressing Highways England and Cornwall Council to get on with the job.
For many constituents their journey does not end in west Cornwall. Which is why I meet regularly with the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company and others to discuss ways to make the sea link to Scilly more resilient.
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This year I sent out 12,000 surveys to rural households asking for views on bus services – poor reliability and a lack of affordability were key issues and I am pleased that the Government recognised the problem in Cornwall by announcing an extra £23.5m to reduce fares.