Ryan Brown

Response to Proposed R1Bus Route Cancellation Affecting Clara Vale

We were very concerned to learn of the proposed cancellation of the R1 bus route that operates between Clara Vale and Blaydon, particularly for the impact it will have on services to Clara Vale. While Crawcrook and Ryton are served by other frequent buses that can also take passengers to Blaydon, and Nexus have said that they intend to implement a new direct service from Woodside Lane to replace the loss of the R1, Clara Vale is only served by two bus routes, the R1 and R3, and the loss of the R1 would mean the village only received one bus an hour.

However, we do understand that Nexus are in a difficult position as they only receive limited funding to operate bus services and passenger numbers on the route are very low due to the area served. Public transport is in serious need of investment from the central government to ensure that all areas receive reliable, quality services. You can read the plans for the R1 and give feedback to Nexus by following the link below. The consultation is open until Friday 19th May.

https://www.nexus.org.uk/consultation/item/planned-changes-nexus-funded-service-r1

National Party co-leader Carla Denyer visits Crawcrook

Gateshead Green Party were delighted to welcome national party co-leader Carla Denyer to the borough today (4th April 2023). Carla joined Crawcrook and Greenside local election candidate Jack Phillipson for a Q and A session with residents and some leaflet deliveries before speaking to BBC Look North and visiting other areas of the north east.

You can see the BBC’s report on her visit here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001ksk5/look-north-north-east-and-cumbria-evening-news-04042023 (at 11 minutes and 10 seconds, available until 7pm on 5th April). Carla explained that she has been touring all over the North East because “we’ve got a fantastic opportunity to get Greens elected”. This is certainly the case in Crawcrook and Greenside, where Jack ran Labour extremely close in 2022.

Jack Phillipson responds to a resident’s question during the Q and A

We’re very grateful to Carla for her support today and we hope we’re able to repay her support with our first Green councillor. Everybody enjoyed the morning, thanks in no small part to the wonderful sunshine. Our attention now turns to the remainder of the short campaign, as there is not long left until the elections on the 4th May.

Gateshead Green Party Responds to Boundary Commission’s 2023 Review Revised Proposals

As readers may be aware, the Boundary Commission has recently put forward revised proposals for constituency boundaries in the North East of England. The Commission has changed its initial proposal published in June 2021 so that, instead of preserving Gateshead borough’s existing two constituencies of Gateshead and Blaydon, the borough will be split into four. The proposed new constituencies are:

  • Gateshead and Whickham BC
  • Jarrow BC (includes Felling and Pelaw)
  • Blaydon and Consett CC
  • Washington BC (includes Birtley)

We feel that this separation is going to result in poorer representation for the people of Gateshead. As we explained in our response to the Commission, “Gateshead residents will feel that their MP is unlikely to prioritise their issues over those of [the] larger centres of population of Jarrow/Hebburn, Washington/Hylton and Consett”. We are also disappointed by the timing of the proposals, given that there was no indication of these substantial changes in the earlier phases of the review and that the final consultation phase allows just four weeks for responses, with no public hearings planned.

There is still time to respond to the consultation. We would encourage all those who believe that Gateshead’s residents should be represented effectively in parliament to do so. You can submit comments on the proposals at https://www.bcereviews.org.uk/. The consultation period finishes on the 5th December 2022.

You can access the full text of our response to the Boundary Commission below.

22GGP-Our-Objection-to-Boundary-Commission-Nov22Download

October 2022 Action Day

Last Saturday (October 22nd) saw the Gateshead Green Party holding our latest action day at Crawcrook. The main goal of the day was to gather opinions from residents about the issues that matter to them and to share information about our activities via our latest newsletter. Local election candidate for Crawcrook and Greenside Jack Philipson was joined by some experienced campaigners and some new faces as he went door-to-door to find out more about how the Greens can make a difference to the local community.

Some of the attendees

We assembled at the Lambs Arms in Crawcrook on a lovely sunny morning and, after a fortifying coffee, set off to deliver our sixty-second survey forms across the village. In general the response to the survey was very positive, with many voters keen to complete a form. Thanks to a strong turnout for the event, it was only a few hours before we had covered our target areas and were able to return to the pub for a quick bite to eat and a refreshing beverage, able to reflect on a successful day’s work. The information gathered will prove hugely valuable to Jack and his campaign group as they build up to next year’s election. Thanks to everyone who attended for their efforts! Look out for us around Crawcrook and Greenside on future Action Days, details of which are below.

Jack out delivering surveys

Upcoming Action Days

  • Sat 26 November 11am at Lambs Arms.
  • Sat 7 January 2023 11am. Including social lunch. Venue to be confirmed.
  • Sat 4 February 11am.
  • Sat 4 March 11am.