Red kite spotting in Mid Wales

A trip to Rhayader results in seeing 200 red kites.

A red kite has a wingspan of up to 2m. © Rob Williams 

When I was told about Gigrin Farm feeding station by a friend I didn’t quite comprehend how many red kites it was possible to see in one place.

At 3pm each afternoon a tractor chugs up a lane and enters a field surrounding by hides full of eager birders, awaiting the moment when these beautiful birds of prey will begin to descend and feed.

About an hour before feeding time the kites began to slowly make their way towards the farm, emerging over the horizon, gliding above the rolling hills and resting in the branches of nearby trees.

Once an engine starts-up you know you haven’t got much longer to wait before the amazing aerial display begins. It is a true spectacle.

Red kites begin to circle overhead as food is scattered across the field at 3pm. © Jo Price 

The pungent smell of meat hits your nose and the red kites begin to swoop down, snatch a morsel during flight and accelerate with grace and ease back up into the sky.

The food provided to the red kites is used as a top up or emergency ration and is not their main meal of the day. The predators will hunt for small mammals and birds, carrion and fish.

The red kites I saw were unlikely to have visited the feeding station the day before as there is a rolling population during the week.

There is a pecking order amongst the kites, often depending on age, so they do not all come down to feed at once. Instead, the groups will have gaps of several minutes between their arrival at Gigrin Farm.

Red kites aren’t the only birds of prey that can be seen at the feeding station, buzzards also arrive for the feast. © Rob Williams

Rehabilitating red kites

It is hard to believe that these majestic birds were once almost extinct in Wales and the UK. Efforts to protect them started over 100 years ago in Wales and continue today across the UK.

Gigrin Farm became a red kite feeding station in the winter of 1992/1993. Six kites were fed that winter compared with 400 in the winter of 2006/2007.

It is also a Rehabilitation Centre on behalf on the Welsh Kite Trust. This allows kites that have fallen ill or been injured to recuperate after having any required veterinary care elsewhere.

Threats to red kites

Red kites are scavengers and therefore feed on the carcasses of animals and birds that have been shot. This can result in lead poisoning.

Egg collection once posed a huge problem for breeding red kites and although the illegal practice still takes place stricter penalties exist to try and combat it.

A considerable number of Red Kites die as a direct result of ingesting pesticides and other poisonous substances. These can be poisons applied to meat baits or chemicals used in agriculture.

Find out more about Gigrin Farm red kite feeding station.

Discover how you can help red kites.

Cosmeston Lakes wildlife

A trip to photograph the bird and insect species of Cosmeston Lakes

An early morning bike ride to Cosmeston Lakes in the Vale of Glamorgan was a great opportunity to try photographing wildlife…and realise there was still plenty of practice needed (and some luck regarding the weather)!

• Cosmeston Lakes Country Park boasts a variety of habitats, including two flooded quarries which have become the main lakes at the site.
• Some areas of the park have achieved Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) status in order to protect the rare and diverse plant and animal species that can be found here.
• Cosmeston Lakes  is open to the public and is a haven for local wildlife, including many bird species such as the mute swan, mallard and great crested grebe.
•  Situated within the country park is also a reconstructed 14th century medieval village.

An early morning view – looking out across Cosmeston Lakes to see gulls resting. Photograph: Jo Price

The reeds which surround the boardwalks at Cosmeston provide the perfect habitat for invertebrates. Photograph: Jo Price

Plenty of mallard ducks can be seen on the lakes. Photograph: Jo Price

The reconstructed 14th century medieval village at Cosmeston Lakes. Photograph: Jo Price

If you look carefully, bird species can be spotted within the hedgerows lining the paths at Cosmeston Lakes, like this robin. Photograph: Rob Williams

This cranefly, or more commonly known as a daddy-long-legs, was found amongst the reedbeds. Photograph: Jo Price

This juvenile mute swan was very curious as it approached a lookout platform supporting a group of twitchers that were armed with binoculars. Photograph: Jo Price

Dolphin spotting in New Quay

A quest to see a wild dolphin off the Cambrian Coast

I have never seen a bottlenose dolphin in British waters before. On 31 August I travelled to New Quay, West Wales, with the hope this might change, but also with the realisation that these charismatic marine mammals were not necessarily going to show up on cue.

Tourists and residents enjoy New Quay beach while beyond the harbour wall, bottlenose dolphins breach the surface of the sea. Copyright: J Price

Armed with binoculars, a camera and Stugeron tablets I felt fully prepared for the two hour boat trip in Cardigan Bay’s Special Area of Conservation.

Little did I know that while I passed the time before boarding, consuming a baguette on the harbourfront wall, I would witness the very spectacle I had journeyed to see.

It was a relatively calm day and in between two sailing boats, a pod bottlenose dolphins breached the surface of the water while hunting their prey.

I couldn’t quite believe that I could keep my land legs and still observe these amazing creatures in their natural surroundings from the shore. I was able to watch them for over half an hour as they repeatedly appeared and then disappeared again behind the crests of waves.

Bottlenose dolphins in New Quay Photograph: michimaya/Flickr

The display ended when we had to make our way to the meeting point to go on our dolphin tour. A low tide meant we had to be ferried out to Sulaire but once we all on board and accounted for we set off into the open ocean.

The journey would take us on a mapped route in order for the daily marine life survey to be carried out. The skipper and Marine Centre volunteer, with the help of the public on board, had the job of watching for any signs of cetaceans and seals inhabiting this coastline, plus any seabirds.

Eager eyes scanned the surrounding ocean and more often than not a buoy was mistaken for a glimpse of a marine animal taking a breath at the surface. We hugged the coastline and were told to keep a close eye on the bays. At this time of year Atlantic grey seals are beginning to give birth to their young.

Suddenly, the boat stopped. The skipper, who was a lot better at knowing what to look for than the rest of us, soon pointed out  two grey seals and a grey seal pup.

The male was bottling in the water so only his head was visible and the female lounged on the beach. They were so well camouflaged, the female could have been easily miscontrued for a rock. The pup itself was further up the beach than its mother and much easier to identify due to its white coat.

There were initial concerns that it may not have survived as it wasn’t moving or reacting to the sound of Sulaire’s engine ticking over nearby.

A grey seal bottling in the water beside the cove where his mate and pup are relaxing on the beach. Copyright: J Price

However, on our return journey back to the harbour, we checked it again and it had thankfully moved from its original sleeping spot, bringing relief to everyone.

The rest of the boat trip remained fairly quiet in regards to wildlife spotting, we saw shags relaxing on the rocks along the coastline and the skipper managed to see a pair of harbour porpoise for a brief moment. Harbour porpoise are a much shyer species than the bottlenose dolphin, they disappeared rapidly and weren’t spotted by anyone else on board.

Two bottlenose dolphins, two grey seals and a grey seal pup was much more than I had expected to see along this stretch of beautiful coastline only a few hours drive from my own front door.

Coming soon…wildlife spotting at Cosmeston Lakes.

Natural Legacy of Olympic Games 2012

London Wildlife Trust outlines its vision of a naturally wild Olympic park

London Wildlife Trust are advocating that the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (QEOP) is turned into a green space and wildlife habitat after the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Trust is hoping that the the London Legacy Development Corporation will be aiming to expand and enhance at least 45 hectares (ha) of wildlife-rich habitats and 102ha of other open space. Currently, 20 of the 45ha of wildlife-rich habitat have already been created.

The London Wildlife Trust said, “We envisage a parkland that fully integrates the buildings and infrastructure with the natural environment, providing opportunities for wildlife to thrive and permeate right throughout the Lea Valley from the city’s green belt down to the River Thames.”

Could the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park be home to water voles in the future?                           Photograph: nickpix2012/Flickr

Just some of the habitats the Trust want to see developed in the QEOP include grassland, wet woodland, reed beds and ponds. If successful, they expect to attract toadflax brocade moth, European eel, grass snake, black redstart, reed bunting, water vole and otter to the area.

The Natural Legacy proposed by London Wildlife Trust also wants to create a space the local community can enjoy and preserve.

Download a copy of A Natural Legacy of the 2012 Games.

England to go ahead with badger cull

Unlike its Welsh neighbour, England chooses badger cull over vaccination

Kill or cure? Photograph: Tatterdemelion/Flickr

The Badger Trust has lost its legal challenge of a badger cull in England which will result in pilot culls that could start as early as September in Somerset and Gloucestershire.

The decision to cull the badgers is aimed at reducing tuberculosis (TB) in cattle.

The Guardian reported that the trust is now considering an appeal. Pat Hayden, vice-chair of the trust, said, “How we feel is much less important than the impact on the species we exist to protect. We owe it to our members to do our utmost to protect badgers.”

DEFRA and the NFU were reported to be pleased with the judgement.

The RSPCA supported the trust’s legal challenge.

David Bowles, the RSPCA’s Director of Communications, said, “We believe culling is not a long-term, sustainable solution and will be of little help in reducing the disease. Vaccination could be a more effective and sustainable way of dealing with the disease, and one which does not involve killing most of the badger population in very large areas of the countryside.”

Welsh government, Environment Minister, John Griffiths, revealed in April that the now Labour-run Welsh government was scrapping the badger cull plan in favour of vaccinating badgers in Wales. First Minister Carwyn Jones said the decision to abandon a cull of badgers in Wales was based on science and the law, not politics, reported the BBC.

In Wales, a vaccination programme to prevent TB spreading through cattle in west Wales formally started on 11 June. It is the first time vaccination has been tried on such a scale in the country. The intensive action area (IAA) it is being carried out in is primarily located in north Pembrokeshire, but includes small parts of Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire.

To have your say on whether you think England should choose a badger vaccination scheme over a badger cull, vote in the envirocymru poll.

World Environment Day

Today is World Environment Day and the theme this year is Green Economy: Does this include you?

The United Nations Environment Programme defines the Green Economy as an economic environment that achieves low carbon emissions, resource efficiency and at the same time is socially inclusive. The Office for National Statistics have recently released UK Environmental Accounts to provide information on the environmental impact of UK economic activity and outlines the UK’s performance among the EU-27 (European Union 27 member countries).

Word cloud of key points in UK Environmental Accounts

Its key points are:

• Between 1990 and 2009 the amount of CO2 equivalent green house gases emitted for every tonne of oil equivalent used fell by one fifth.

• Between 1990 and 1999, the UK had the fourth largest reduction in greenhouse gas emissions intensity of energy intensity in the EU-27. This was a greater reduction than the EU-27 average. However between 2000 and 2009 the UK reduction was 23rd out of EU-27 countries, a smaller reduction than the EU-27 average.

• The main reason for the reduction in emissions in the UK has been from switching to using fuel types that emit less CO2 equivalent green house gases.

• Energy consumption from renewable sources of energy has trebled since 1990. However, in 2009 the UK was placed 32 out of 34 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries with around three per cent of total primary energy supply from renewable sources.

• Energy supply in the UK has decreased by 12% between 1990 and 2009. This was one of the largest decreases and UK supply remains well below the OECD average.

• In the UK in 2009, 6.7 % of electricity consumed was generated from renewable sources. This was 2.7 times below the EU-27 average of 18.2% despite the UK proportion increasing at 2.6 times the rate for the EU-27 between 1990 and 2009.

Green is Growth

Green energy to encourage economic growth 

Lord Smith, Chairman of the Environment Agency (EA) declared “Green is as important as growth” in a recent speech to the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA).

The UK could lead the world on wave and tidal energy generation was the key message from his speech. Lord Smith defined the challenges facing the UK on sustainable growth and examined the role of government, business, regulators and the green movement in achieving it.

Waves crashing on the beach at Porthcurno, Cornwall – can tidal energy bring green and growth together? Photograph: Wurz/Flickr

The Chairman said, “We are an island surrounded by waves and tides. This is the most obvious natural source of energy we can look to for a renewable future. Yet the development of the technology is still at an early stage and we need to give far greater emphasis and support to it.”

The Carbon Trust believes that practical and economic sources of wave and tidal power could provide 20% of current UK electricity demand. There are projects in Orkney, Northern Ireland, Cornwall and Devon.

Lord Smith argued against the idea that growth can threaten the environment and said that the imperative was to search for growth that is truly sustainable. He believed that neither green or growth need be abandoned and promoted the interconnectivity of the two.

To see his speech in full visit here.

Public green commitment

Despite Lord Smith’s speech noting that the environment has taken a slide on the political agenda, the public commitment to climate change is strengthening and here are the stats to prove it.

• The no. of householders classing themselves as “committed recyclers” has risen from 45% (2004) to 70% (2011)
• 74% of adults polled last year by YouGov thought the government should use more solar energy
• The no. of people thinking climate change is a “very serious problem” rose from 43% (2010) to 49% (2011)

More information

• Meet the Green Doctor and save energy in your home
• Coverage of climate change – why isn’t more being done?
• Cardiff Transition show and tell – how to live more sustainably

Fuel for thought

Alternative ways of thinking about alternative energy

It is pouring down with rain as you dash out of the supermarket, trying hard not to splatter your new suit you dodge puddles and hurry over a zebra crossing as headlights come to a sudden halt before your feet. The bags are banging against your legs as you pick up the pace, march down the rows of vehicles and scan them looking out for your own. Fumbling for the keys in your back pocket you then see it, sat there, waiting, loyal, just where you left it. A click of a button and you chuck your shopping in the boot and collapse into the front seat greeted by silence and safety. You watch as the weather hammers on the windscreen and distorts your view and turn on the ignition, the headlights, the windscreen wipers and hear the familiar hum of the engine. She is there to guide you home. What would you do without her?

The automotive has created a lifestyle of flexibility, security and opportunity for you. In order for you to sustain that lifestyle the car itself must be sustainable and therefore live in harmony with the environment. It comes as no surprise to anybody when we are told that conventional fossil fuels are depleting, fuel prices are ever-increasing and that car manufacturers are under intense pressure to reduce carbon emissions in their vehicle production, design and performance. Who ultimately decides how we fuel the automotive industry looking forward? You. The customer. So what are your sustainable choices and how do they impact the environment?

Bioethanol

Bioethanol is ethanol liquid that is made from common crops, including sugar cane and corn and is considered an alternative to petroleum and diesel. A Bioethanol for Sustainable Transport (BEST) trial was implemented from 2006 to 2009 in nine participating destinations across Europe, Asia and South America. During the project more than 10,000 ethanol cars and 160 ethanol buses were put into operation and bioethanol fuel stations were opened. The project demonstrated that ethanol-powered vehicles reduced greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution. Sweden continued the implementation of the BEST project and now has the largest flexible-fleet in Europe. Closer to home, Somerset was a participating region in BEST.

Somerset county council installed 5 E85 (ethanol fuel 85% blend) fuel pumps on Morrison forecourts in the Somerset area, obtained planning consent for a 100,000 tonne bioethanol production plant by Green Spirit Fuels in Somerset and integrated 41 Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFV) in fleets operated by local businesses and authorities. The FFV’s provided an overall 70% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions once the energy used in growing the crops and processing the fuel had been taken into account. Somerset council said, “As well as raising awareness of the need to reduce transport carbon emissions, this project supports the local economy in the agriculture and local construction industry sectors.” Supermarket chains in the future could go one step further to produce bioethanol fuel onsite for their customers. It would be a secure fuel supply, conscious of climate change that meets the needs of the local population.

Bioethanol fuel pump, Oregon, US - could we be seeing more of these on supermarket forecourts in the future? Photograph: Flickr/neufcent9

Electric

Car manufacturers are increasingly positive about opting to release electric vehicles (EVs) into the marketplace. The Nissan Zero Emission statement said, “It is easy to imagine how fewer emissions, alongside infrastructure will make life in cities more attractive.” There is certainly a general assumption that electric cars are ‘cleaner’ than petrol/diesel/hybrid cars and therefore can justify a place within the car market. But can electric cars really claim to be ‘emission free’ if they are powered from an energy grid supplied by coal stations burning coal, gas or even nuclear?

Professor David Mackay, the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s Chief Scientific Advisor has carried out research into the efficiency of EVs in his book, Sustainable Energy – Without the Hot Air. In response to whether EVs can really be cleaner than fossil fuel cars, Professor Mackay said, “This is quite an easy calculation to do. Assume the electric vehicle’s energy cost is 20 kWh (e) per 100 km. If grid electricity has a carbon footprint of 500 g per kWh (e) then the effective emissions of this vehicle are 100 g CO2 per km, as good as the best fossil cars. Switching to electric cars is a good idea, even before we green our electricity supply.” Therefore, electric cars in terms of CO2 emissions are purely neck and neck with the most fuel efficient conventional fuel cars – not as green as we think.

Nissan Leaf, Nissan Leaf, electric vehicle, representing a small proportion of the car market share Photograph: Flickr/tomraftery

Biodiesel

At present, the aviation industry is very proactive in trialling blends of biofuel with kerosene to power aeroplanes. Customers are the main driving force behind the alternative fuel direction the aviation industry will take as they determine fuel from a sustainable source. So how does this approach apply to the automotive industry? Car manufacturers may have the power to plan their fleet but cannot make people buy a vehicle supplied with alternative fuel.

Biomass is an appealing option because as the feedstock grows it is absorbing CO2. However, in the long-term the fuel supplier and process needs to be suitable and sustainable. In regards to sustainability, feedstock shouldn’t compete in land terms for food. A livestock option that continues the development of biofuels without compromising land use and food production is algae that can be grown in the sea. Three quarters of the world is covered by our oceans, therefore it makes good sense to use that volume to generate livestock as long as the biodiversity of our oceans can be maintained.

Biofuel production raises the concern that land used for production could be threatened Photograph: Flickr/ corn field bkkkpewsey

Hydrogen

John Turner, Director, Valeswood Fuel Cells said, “Hydrogen is one of the most abundant elements in the universe and a highly efficient, clean and non-toxic fuel.” Riversimple, a revolutionary transport company based in Ludlow have certainly proved hydrogen is a worthy investment as an alternative fuel. They have created a two-seater Network Electric model that is powered by hydrogen fuel cells. It achieves energy consumption equivalent to 300 miles per gallon on petrol. At present the most economical way of producing hydrogen is from natural gas. A hydrogen fuel cell combines hydrogen and oxygen, which react in the presence of an electrolyte to produce electricity, plus a small amount of pure water or steam. A fuel cell does not store energy but processes it and is twice as efficient in using the hydrogen’s energy content as an internal combustion engine.

Kevin Kendall, Professor of Formulation Engineering at Birmingham University said, “The issues surrounding the widespread adoption of hydrogen technologies for transport involve both technical matters and concerns around public and political acceptance.” Riversimple has taken a novel approach to its business model and Intellectual Property (IP) strategy when it comes to problem solving technical matters and encouraging public acceptance. The company has opted for open licensing and the IP is held in trust by a non-profit organisation. This approach allows them to develop their vehicles with a concern for the environment, a focus on innovation, create simplified commercial relationships and share parts.

Photosynthesising

The photosynthesising fuel process has been inspired by natural photosynthesis in plants Photograph: Flickr/Rubin Holthuijsen

The answer to sustainable fuel for our vehicles could be found in your plant pots at home. Artificial leaf technology could be a future option for fuelling vehicles according to the research being conducted by a team of scientists at Glasgow University, led by Professor Richard Codgell. Professor Codgell said that the process they are developing has been inspired by photosynthesis, the method used by plants to harness the energy of sunlight. The team plan to manufacture a hydrocarbon fuel which could be used instead of oil through photosynthesising bacteria. The essence of photosynthesis has been broken down into four steps explains Professor Codgell, “harvesting light, using harvested light to separate positive and negative charges, using positive charges to extract electrons for oxygen and using negative electrons to produce fuel.”

The team are developing the concept of a solar battery that relies on renewable energy to supply an electric current that drives the fuel production within the battery. The process not only produces the hydrocarbon fuel but also stores it, therefore combating the concern of energy on demand. Richard Codgell agreed that this production is much more efficient than biodiesel as it does not require as much land. In five years time he is aiming to have a small scale working model. The transport industry has a need for a dense portable fuel and there is currently a strong push for cars to retain hydrocarbon for fuels, this could be the solution should it pass the test.

Raising the limit

As a public consultation into increasing the motorway speed limit continues – should we support a life in the fast lane?

It is Friday evening rush hour and you’re keen to jump in your car and get home as quickly as possible to start your weekend. There is only one thing holding you back. Traffic. And it doesn’t stop when you reach to the motorway. It gets worse. You filter tediously on via the slip road and stop-start all the way to your exit. If you’re lucky you’ll reach speeds of 50 mph maximum. Why are the government proposing an increase in speed limit when at peak times of the day, no more than a crawl is feasible on the majority of British motorways? Shouldn’t we forget the limit and concentrate on alleviating congestion first?  Envirocymru speaks to Friends of the Earth (FOE) to find out the environmental argument against the idea.

Traffic jam - an all too regular site on congested British motorways Photograph:Paul Appleyard//Flickr

Surely the proposal to increase the speed limit on motorways to make journey times faster completely contradicts the idea of persuading people to embrace a more sustainable living practice and use public transport? The move would act against the initiative to cut carbon emissions and encourage fewer vehicles to drive on British roads. FOE raised the point that it makes a mockery out of David Cameron’s aim to lead the “greenest government ever.”

FOE Transport Campaigner, Richard Dyer, said, “An 80mph speed limit will mean drivers burn more fuel – putting an extra strain on people’s wallets and business costs at a time we can least afford it. It will increase carbon emissions just as we urgently need to reduce them to help protect us all from dangerous climate change.” The Government’s own analysis suggests an extra 670,000 tonnes of CO2 per annum will be produced as a result of the raised speed limit.

Some of the other arguments for and against the proposal:

AGAINST

1.) Speed kills

Richard Allsop, Professor of Transport at University College London, supports the view that whilst many drivers would say they are more alert and prepared if they drive faster it is by no means sufficient to compensate for the effect of speed. Brake, road safety charity, chief executive Mary Williams OBE agreed and said, “Higher speeds equal less time to react and avoid a collision in an emergency.” An increase in average traffic speeds of just 3mph, a typical change for a 10mph rise, would be expected to cause more than 25 extra deaths a year on motorways and more than 100 serious injuries.

2.) Pleasing the minority

Senior transport research expert at the University of Aberdeen, Dr Jillian Anable, believes the government proposal to raise the speed limit would please a vocal minority of one in five voters. She said, “The vocal minority who seek a higher speed limit on motorways are the Die-Hards: passionate and knowledgeable about cars in general, and with a strong emotional and physical attachment to their own car.” Could the possible change in legislation be considered a popularity proposal and a red herring targeting voters?

3.) Real cause of delays

When the government say the increase in the speed limit will support the economy, did they mean to say, the increase in the speed limit will result in more fuel consumption and therefore more duty to be paid on the cost of fuel. The government pot will benefit whilst motorists foot the bill. Could the move be to deflect the real issues that cause delays in journeys, such as road works, potholes, speed traps and the sheer volume of traffic on British motorways?

FOR

Motorway traffic moving freely at night - should we raise the limit and bring 50% of road users back inside the law again? Photograph: Bob McCaffrey//Flickr

1.) Out of date

It has been nearly 50 years since the last motorway speed limit was set and the main thread of argument for the proposal, initiated by former Transport Secretary Philip Hammond, has been that advances in technology have meant that cars are now significantly safer to drive and can therefore handle higher speeds.

2.) Safer cars = fewer deaths

The Department for Transport (DfT) has issued statistics confirming that as a result of technological progress in vehicle design there has been a fall of more than 75% in the number of people killed on Britain’s roads since 1965. Vehicles are more efficient and dynamic today than ever before, from the engine through to even the tyres. Tyre manufacturer Pirelli said, “All tyres are originally designed to meet the vehicle max speed requirements, which for most vehicles is in excess of 80mph.”

3.) Cutting down travel time

Transport Secretary, Justine Greening, has backed the campaign to increase the speed limit, urging it is important that people reach their destination, “as fast as possible” as reported by The Daily Mail. If this is her argument then why do we not implement a limitless Autobahn as in Germany or strict law enforcement of a 130km limit in France? “ According to DfT, “previous analysis shows that raising the motorway speed limit would generate significant economic benefits, worth hundreds of millions of pounds per year from savings of travel time.” Businesses can get reach their destinations faster, take on more work and therefore make more money.

4.) IAM onboard

The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has not condemned the scheme. Instead, it has called for the government to pilot an 80 mph speed limit on a controlled motorway to assess its practicality and safety. The IAM wants to see 80mph trialled initially on managed motorways where variable speed limit technology is used, like on the M25 orbital motorway. IAM CEO Simon Best said, “A fifth of motorway users already travel at this increased speed, and more than half exceed 70mph when they can, suggesting that a properly controlled 80mph limit may not show huge increases in carbon or road casualties.”

5.) Fuel spending

Automotive fanatics and members of the online forum PistonHeads, recently debated the issue on whether they agree with the speed limit proposal of 80 mph on motorways. They raised the interesting point that with fuel costs still on the rise, increasing the limit will not necessarily signal that everybody will driving with their foot to the floor. As Britain muddles through difficult financial times, drivers are watching their pennies. Does this mean that an increase in the speed limit therefore does not carry such a risk factor as opposition groups may have you believe?

Do you want to see an 80 mph speed limit implemented on UK motorways? Have your say on the envirocymru poll:

Anaerobic Digestion plant update

Strong opposition to Shanks plant proposal at Pontyfelin

According to a survey carried out by InTouch, a large majority of New Inn residents have expressed opposition to plans to construct an anaerobic digestion plant in their neighbourhood.

Shanks Waste Management propose to build a waste recycling facility that will process primarily household waste. The company is applying for planning permission to build in Pontyfelin Industrial Estate.

Of the responses received so far, 79% of local residents expressed strong opposition, 12% some opposition, 4% strong support and 4% some support.

The main reasons given for opposition were:

• Traffic
• Environmental concerns
• proximity to residential areas
• Noise
• The size of the development
• processing of waste from outside Torfaen
• effect on the property market in the area

The main reasons given in support were:

• local employment
• environmental issues in tackling waste disposal

Take the envirocymru survey and have your say on the Shanks proposal.