malumbu

Obviously Khan will walk it. But it got me thinking tonight that Sean Bailey had been put up as a patsy. The Tories could have put up a stronger candidate but is suits their agenda to both use the current mayor as a scapegoat, but also that this will keep the outer boroughs conservative, where he and his centre left politics are generally not supported.

My term is up with my current supplier and they are offering me three options. My law they have to tell me what the cheapest one is and also encourage me to compare with other providers. Is there anyone out there who has views on what will happen to energy prices ie remaining on a variable package vs fixed. During spiralling costs fixed packages were beneficial. I expect less so now. I quite like having some choice in the matter. Alternatively nationalise the utilities. I expect we are stuck with the private model for the foreseeable future.

I used one of the switching websites, which was fine. I'd be interested in views on the various suppliers, and whether to lock myself into a fixed deal.

I've seen LTTs get up quite close to people at a nature reserve, and they are the least cautious of the small birds in our garden (although I expect that I could befriend a robin). Very cute as well, particularly as they feed in flocks and chatter to each other.

The usual excuses. Where there is a will there is a way. Love the people who have imaginative solutions for on street recharging. https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-8921085/Can-run-cable-charge-electric-car-pavement.html And ditto for bike storage https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-8921085/Can-run-cable-charge-electric-car-pavement.html Some positivity please.

Please refrain from just referring him to his first name. I too have no interest in reading about the current Prime Minister. Personally I prefer Bill (Shakespeare) and Charlie (Dickens).

I've switched a few times over the years. Personally I found it much easier when the sector was state owned - others may argue otherwise. Currently with Zebra who seem OK and are a bit old school which I like. No Smart Meter, which is a mixed blessing. British Gas had installed one but that was Mark I which were daft as you couldn't transfer to other suppliers. Only real value I had was that one of my appliances was permanently on - think it was the timer for the hot water, and may not have identified it otherwise. It was a bit of entertainment watching it go up when the kettle was on. That was about it. And an actuate clock. I'm a spendthrift and already do loads to cut down on energy use. Anyway - big questions - views on suppliers, views on whether prices will go up. I worked in energy markets years ago, when we became progressively more dependent on imports. I expect with Covid and global recession we will be awash, and as such not worth going into a fixed price deal.

Here's some money to take your drugs. Here's some money to stop smoking. Thought that having a better quality of life if you take your drugs and stop smoking would be a good carrot. Similarly - drive less and improve the environment. Back to your example, I expect that many who are being told to comply feel that they are victimised. By all means explain more, it is a nice break from the main issue that dominates this forum.

And far more schools have said that they do want measures. What is your point? It feels that many of you want to jump on any bit of evidence that supports your claims. It was a nice infographic by the way.

Alice, there are 11000 members of LCC, most I have met including Southwark LCC have been lovely. When rides resume I suggest you join one of them - more sociable and less speed/lycra than Dulwich Paragon. We rarely talk politics, which is nice. Here's also a link to Dulwich Paragon's chat on LTNs, sound like a group of eco fascists to me. https://dulwichparagon.proboards.com/thread/13547/dulwich-traffic-neighbourhood-review-consultation?page=1&scrollTo=89842

I became obsessed with idling cars and vans a few years ago. However I approached the driver, I'd still get the same answer. Two words one starting with F and the other O. Or very similar sentiment. I'd ask them very nicely, or sometimes less nicely. The funniest was a number of times with police vehicles. No understanding whatsoever with what the issue was. I formally complained a couple of times and got a nice response back from the cops but doubt if it made a lot of difference. I recall speaking to a coach driver outside Horniman Gardens from one of the Bromley schools asking them nicely to turn their engine off. And they just ignored me, the school didn't answer either. I did enjoy calling one company up, in the height of summer, asking them to tell their coach driver who had been sitting their with the engine idling to turn it off. Eventually I gave up as it wasn't a battle worth fighting. Most modern cars come with stop start technology but again I expect that many disable this. Perhaps you may understand that this contributes to my view of the sense of entitlement amongst most drivers. Maybe not those that post here, but I expect the majority. Engine idling is not a local authority issue as it is so difficult to enforce. The police have powers too, but this is considered not a priority for them. I have posted many times my views that many of you only seem to have been bothered about pollution since the LTN - nobody has convinced me otherwise. Did you know that there was a campaign nine years ago to encourage people to turn their engines off? I expect not - it was quite high profile - billboards and radio adverts. But had virtually zilch impact. I've attached one of the billboards and a report on the 2012-13 London air quality programme https://cleanair.london/app/uploads/CAL-312-caf-end-of-programme-report_January-2013.pdf And here is an article on Nigel Havers and his failed attempt to get people to switch off. Hello I am Nigel Havers, do you mind awfully switching your engine off? Go forth and multiply. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04qrnh6

You will probably find that the typical member of LCC has much more interest in the environment than the typical non-cycling motorist, so I commend that group for supporting such brave measures. Perhaps some of the non-cycling motorists would like to infiltrate the LCC but you will may go native.

Not denying that pollution is harmful. But in a modern society there will be pollution. The most polluted roads in London are those most congested carrying the most traffic, I've posted before, but these include Marylebone/Euston Road, Brixton Road, Putney High Street, A4, A40 etc. We'd either need to move the houses or bury the roads. A simpler solution is to drive less.

SE22_2020er - impressive, articulate and informed post. Certainly a lesson to me. I'll look forward to hearing more about your meeting with Rocks. I doubt if you could 'means test' a road user charging scheme, in the same way that fuel duty and Vehicle Excise Duty are not means tested. A number of organisations campaign for Road User Charging including London Living Streets: https://londonlivingstreets.com/2019/05/02/will-the-next-mayor-of-london-commit-to-per-mile-road-user-charging/ Sustrans https://www.sustrans.org.uk/media/5424/sustrans_manifesto_london_2020.pdf And the Campaign for Better Transport https://bettertransport.org.uk/london-road-charging-proposals-campaign-better-transport-reacts I'd urge those of you interested in cutting pollution and carbon emissions to join some of the national organisations and think beyond the confines of SE22. PS evening, First Mate. I'm not an eco fascist and believe that informed choice as well as financial and other incentives should be used to encourage less car use. Informed choice would include factoring in environmental damage.

There is no threshold for the effects of particulate pollution. We have legal limits but they are not 'safety' limits. Safe would be none, zero, zilch. To be 'safe' there would be no particulate pollution, which would mean no burning of fossil fuels through energy production, forms of domestic heating and cooking, incineration and the internal combustion engine. Particulate pollution did not suddenly arrive with LTNs. To achieve the near zero pollution society you would have to go back 100s of years. I doubt if the most recent example at an attempt to achieve this, The Khmer Rouge, would work at a Borough level.

You know my views Spartacus. As this is on the Lounge hopefully we can get more balanced debate than elsewhere on this forum.

You can also wee on the compost heap whilst you are at it! I think we have had this conversation before Sue....

In deed. Road user charging. But can you imagine the backlash? Need to reverse decades of 'car first'. I'm repeating myself. Whilst I was bringing in road user charging I'd also bring in average speed cameras. Can you imagine the backlash? Southwark making zillons on Brenchley Gardens. "rah-rah" Rahrahrah [for avoidance of doubt I am advocating both road user charging, and average speed cameras but understand that the majority of 'entitled' motorists would oppose both]

Over here, taking our women, then our funerals, and now our NHS. Haven't got anything useful to say, but worked with the funeral trade twenty years ago when the American's were buying up businesses. Not sure if that is still the case.

Love reference to flags which I have picked up on several threads. The first time during the early days of lockdown was when I referred to the briefings and the use of flags/emblems and the third Reich, and the National Front. This was supposed to be a heavy handed comparison. The lounge was very active at the time and many posters have disappeared, but the derision that I got. Good to see that there a are like minded people. Hugh Dennis got it right when comparing the current thing for having union flags behind you as being in a scout hut. I don't 'hate' the flag, but we are not a flag flying nation. It just doesn't matter to most of us. We don't have flag poles in our garden. My main experience was in deed in the scout/guide hut and monthly church parade. It's quite nice to see the flag when we win at the Olympic Games. I have more time for our continental cousins, who may fly their regional flag, national flag and the EU flag, being proud of all three (perhaps that is where we went wrong). Oh dear, you have got me started. But the press conferences do wind me up. The BBC Breakfast piece was hilarious and Jenrick took it the right way. Warning Gammon alert (see the comments in the Standard) https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/bbc-breakfast-union-jack-flag-b925080.html#comments-area The Mirror's readers comments are more balanced and some quite fun. Someone suggested it was upside down. That is worse than passing the port the wrong way.

As a civilised nation we should not be eating the stuff anyway - discuss!

Public executions? Now that would please the traditionalists. And the Home Sec would think it was an excellent deterrent.

No no no silly boy, I'm referring to the song/programme two pints of lager and a packet of crisps please. Also I often get my cans in 1/2 litres - caught that after my mate returned from Aus many years ago where tinnies came in that size.

Aghh, if that wasn't bad enough it led me onto watching Hislop interview Katie Hopkins. How on earth will I get to sleep tonight..... (nightmares not fantasies....)

Why are you so angry? Only made a genuine point about money needs to go into infrastructure rather than subsidising the cost of new cars. The stuff on road surfaces you deserved following your sarky comment. What is your solution to perfect road surfaces? Increased taxation? A good start would be to raise fuel duty to the mid 00s rates and reintroduce the escalator. Yes I fully understand that fuel duty is general taxation and doesn't pay for the roads, but 10s of billions could have been raised for the good of the environment and the public.