Greenwich Council is right to push for transport improvements for Eltham - but could be backing the wrong scheme in wanting a Docklands Light Railway extension, Green candidate Arthur Hayles said.

Council leaders have approved a £1 million grant for a study into how the railway, which currently terminates at Woolwich and Lewisham, could reach the town centre.

But Arthur, who will contest Eltham at the next general election, said council leaders should be pressing for an underground link instead.

"If a DLR extension ran on the surface, it would bring more clutter and noise pollution to the borough," he said.

"What is really needed is an extension of the Jubilee Line from North Greenwich to Kidbrooke, Eltham and New Eltham," he said.

"This would bring Canary Wharf and central London within rapid reach of much of the borough. It would also encourage drivers to the Blackwall Tunnel out of their cars and onto the faster Tube.

"North Greenwich Station was designed for an extension, and almost all the work would be underground. Why not study extending the Jubilee Line to Eltham – instead of forgetting to consult the people of this borough?"

Kidbrooke's Ferrier Estate redevelopment has been branded one of London's worst planning decisions by a Green London Assembly Member.

Each year, Darren Johnson awards a "dodgy planning award" for the scheme that will have the worst effect on the capital.

Greenwich Council and Berkeley Homes' redevelopment of the Ferrier was one of four up for this year's prize, he said.

"The mayor gave no objections to this regeneration project, which will slash the number of social rented homes from 1,730 to 730," Darren said.

Some 4,400 homes are being built in the Kidbrooke redevelopment scheme - but the lack of rented homes was criticised by Arthur Hayles, the Green parliamentary candidate for Eltham.

"At least 1,910 of the 4400 new homes were to be affordable, yet now we are told that the amount of rented social accommodation will dwindle to 730," he said.

"Under the mayor's draft London Plan, he number of affordable homes in London should be increasing, not decreasing.

"How can Greenwich get its waiting list down if the amount of planned rented social housing is reduced in this way?"

Greenwich borough currently has 7,902 households on its waiting list, the latest government figures show.

Boris Johnson's backing of London City Airport's application to double its flights was also criticised by Darren Johnson, as well as his approval for a 63-storey tower on the Isle of Dogs, which would be taller than Canary Wharf's One Canada Square.

The winner of the 2010 Worst Planning Decision Award will be announced in March, the day before the mayor hosts the London Planning Awards in City Hall.

Greenwich Council is consulting locals on plans to pave over College Approach and part of King William Walk as part of a scheme to make the area more attractive for locals and tourists.

Peninsula ward candidate Darryl Chamberlain said the idea was a good one - but plans put to the public before Christmas contained too little information.

"This is a good idea, but the council seems to be rushing this through so work can be finished in time for the Olympics," he said.

"It needs to stop and think properly about a decision that will have a huge impact on Greenwich and surrounding neighbourhoods.

"The Olympics will only last for a few weeks, but if the council gets this wrong it'll affect Greenwich for years."

Options put forward are based around turning Norman Road, Creek Road and Greenwich High Road into a full or partial one-way system, with various degrees of priority given to local traffic, buses or cyclists.

But Darryl said the plan had no vision for what a pedestrianised town centre would be like.

"Creating a public space between the market and the river is a good idea, but it needs to think through what it wants to do with all that space, especially if Cutty Sark Gardens is redeveloped," he said.

"Perhaps market stalls could work there, or creating a place for children to play. But while the council might like the idea of a 'cafe culture' in town centre streets, it doesn't seem to have any idea of how it wants to get there.

"What could be bustling on a Sunday afternoon in July could be a sad and miserable place on a Monday night in January."

Council officers also needed to look more closely at how the plans affect public transport, residents around Norman Road, and the pedestrian and cycle link with Deptford at Ha'penny Hatch, he added.

Residents had until Friday 15 January to comment on the proposals. More details can be found on Greenwich Council's website.

The company ran an emergency timetable on Wednesday 6th, Thursday 7th and Friday 8th January, with trains on all lines cut to just two per hour, with services ending at 8pm. The emergency timetable ensured season-ticket holders would not be entitled to compensation for being unable to travel.

While Southeastern left Greenwich commuters standing, neighbouring company Southern was attempting to run a full service.

But with no change in weather conditions, Southeastern decided to run a normal service on Saturday 9th January, when many season ticket holders would not be travelling.

Peninsula ward candidate Darryl Chamberlain has written to Transport Secretary Lord Adonis, London Mayor Boris Johnson and Greenwich Council to ask them to seek a full explanation from Southeastern.

"Southeastern decided to abandon its normal train timetable before a flake of snow had fallen, and yet restored it on a day most season ticket holders would not be travelling," Darryl said.

"It's no wonder many travellers, who deserve a refund on their season tickets, are furious with a company that got £136m in subsidy from taxpayers last year.

"I'm pleased that Greenwich & Woolwich MP Nick Raynsford has asked to meet Southeastern's management, and I hope that he now realises the folly of his Labour party's policy of handing over our railways to private monopolies. It is a pity, though, that Mayor Johnson has remained silent, deciding to stick up for bankers instead of south-east Londoners."

The Green Party's transport policy backs renationalising the rail network, while privatisation is supported by the Liberal Democrats, Labour and the Conservatives.

Darryl also suggested measures be taken to make sure that south-east London's rail network is made more resillient during cold weather.

"Rail companies should not be able to use heavy snow in Gillingham as an excuse to cut trains in Greenwich," he said.

"Network Rail needs to look at making sure rail services can run in south-east London if there is disruption in Kent."

Free home insulation should be available for every resident of Greenwich borough, to help them save energy and cut bills each winter, local Greens said today.

With the current harsh winter set to leave many of the borough's least well-off people with crippling heating bills, such a move would help ease fuel poverty as well as cut the borough's carbon footprint.

A scheme is already up and running in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, thanks to Green councillors there submitting an amendment to the borough's budget. All householders there can now get free loft and cavity wall insulation, with the cost shared between the council and an energy company.

It is estimated the scheme saves people around £200 a year on fuel bills, and in Kirklees created about 90 new jobs.

Closer to home, a committee of Lewisham councillors has recommended a similar scheme get under way in that borough.

Peninsula ward candidate Dave Sharman said the scheme would particularly help people on low incomes.

"Fuel bills are a huge worry for many people, but much of this is because their homes are so poorly insulated. Look up at people's roofs during the snowy spell to see how many homes are losing heat - wasted energy is bad for people's bank balances as well as the environment," he continued.

"Free insulation would help ease those worries, and keep vulnerable people warm. And as insulation is the most cost-effective measure you can take to reduce carbon emissions, it'd be a wonderful legacy for the future."

Greenwich Council could use its long-established and widely-praised links with local employers to help people train for jobs installing the insulation, Dave said.

"The next time we get a harsh winter, thousands of Greenwich residents would be better prepared if the council adopted this scheme," he added.

notes:

1) For more insulation on the Kirklees scheme, see Kirkless Council's website. It is funded by £9m from the council, and £11m from Scottish Power, and the council expects to install insulation in 40,000 homes.

2) Lewisham's Sustainable Development Select Committee recommended a scheme for its residents in September 2009.

3) Greenwich Local Labour and Business, a council-backed body, works with employers and other groups to create jobs for local people.

We all want to see our streets made safer - but what can we, as local residents, do about it?

Many of Greenwich and Charlton's side streets should be places where children can play and neighbours can chat.

But instead they are rat-runs for traffic, provide cover for anti-social behaviour and contain trip hazards for those a little unsteady on their feet.

Everyone has the right to use their experiences of our streets to complain to Greenwich Council - but how do you go about it? If you live in Peninsula ward - east Greenwich, the Millennium Village and most of Charlton north of the railway line - Greenwich Green Party can help.

Our Green Party colleague Philip Connolly is experienced in dealing with these issues - and can even help local councils to in trying to obtain the funds that can make a difference.

Philip is happy to provide a "street audit" to outline ways in which your street can be improved - to put you and your neighbours in getting what you deserve from Greenwich Council.

Peninsula ward candidate Darryl Chamberlain (pictured above) said: "The streets are the one public service we all use every day. We want to give practical help to people in making their neighbourhoods safer, and Philip can help us do that."

If you would like Philip to give your road a "street audit", please contact our local co-ordinator Dave Sharman via e-mail at davesh@btconnect.com.

Green Party members went door-to-door in east Greenwich, the Millennium Village and part of Charlton during the summer, leaving survey forms for residents to fill in.

When asked about their concerns, most people's most pressing worry was crime and anti-social behaviour, with 80% of the 506 respondents saying they were "very concerned" by it.

"This isn't an unsafe area, but years of neglect by Greenwich Council mean our streets can feel intimidating when they shouldn't be," Green candidate Marek Powley added.

"There's a dedicated police team in this ward working their socks off, with a huge area to cover, but their role isn't well understood.

"Greenwich Council spends cash delivering its propaganda paper, Greenwich Time, to residents - but why can't it help the police out by distributing information about what the police team are doing?

"Instead, the police have to do that job themselves - when we should be freeing them up to work in the community instead."

Marek thanked residents for taking part in the survey, adding: "We hope it shows we're a different sort of party. When was the last time Labour asked you for your views?"

Green policies also include opening youth centres so young people don't feel the need to hang around the streets, while neighbourhoods should be better designed to make them safer.

"Youth services have in decline since the 1980s - we support new youth centres, run in hand with the education system, to give teenagers something to do in the evenings," Marek added.

The local environment needs to be better looked after, too, as crime increases in areas where the streets are left unclean and dirty.

"When was the last time your street was swept?," asked Marek.

"Local people should feel proud of their area - but the council lets them down with infrequent street sweeping, leaving roads strewn with rubbish and making neighbourhoods feel intimidating.

"We will stand up for local communities, to make sure the council keeps them clean and safe."

Health services, unemployment, and climate change were also named as residents' national concerns in the survey.

Local issues raised included worries over rubbish and recycling, traffic levels, and redevelopment schemes in Greenwich and Charlton.

For some years, many mainline rail routes in north and west London have allowed young children to travel free with Oyster cards, cutting the cost of travel for families.

But with Oyster being extended to all rail routes south of the river from 2 January, the same perk is not being extended to families in Greenwich and surrounding areas.

For example, a family travelling from West Ealing to Paddington on First Great Western for a day trip into central London can take their children aged 10 or under with them for free.

But a family heading from Westcombe Park to Cannon Street on Southeastern will be charged up to £1 for each of their children under the new rules.

Documents released by the Greater London Authority reveal that Southeastern, along with other rail companies, were "unwilling" to extend free travel for south London families.

Darryl Chamberlain, the Greens' candidate for Peninsula ward on Greenwich Council, said Southeastern and the mayor were guilty of "mean penny-pinching".

"When Boris Johnson was campaigning to be mayor, he said he wanted to represent all of the capital," he said.

"Clearly south-east London wasn't part of that plan. Families in areas like Harrow, Islington and Hampstead will continue to enjoy free rail travel for their young children, but the mayor was too weak to strike the same deal for familes in Greenwich, Lewisham and Bexley."

He added: "The Labour party won't be able to speak up for local families, since its government privatised Southeastern in 2006, creating a greedy monopoly whose main concern is keeping its shareholders happy.

"The Greens are now the only party committed to renationalising the railways, and making sure unfair practices like this are eliminated."

The council is to stock meters which will allow householders to measure their electricity usage in just two of the borough's 13 libraries.

But Dave Sharman, the Greens' Peninsula ward candidate who campaigned to get the meters into libraries, said the council should expand the scheme to help residents who want to keep a check on how much fuel they use.

Dave asked at Blackheath library earlier this year about the scheme after neighbouring Lewisham Council decided to stock the meters at all of its libraries in October 2008 at the suggestion of the borough's six Green councillors.

Library users can borrow the portable meters for three weeks, in the same way they borrow books. Now the Greens' idea has been copied by authorities from Devon to Australia.

Dave said: "Green councillors in Lewisham proposed this idea, and it's good that Greenwich has finally picked up on this brilliant scheme. It's not as if they had far to go to see what a success this has been in Lewisham.

"But why is this only in three libraries? This scheme should be rolled out to all the borough's libraries so all residents have a chance to find out more about their electricity use, helping them save money and save energy."

The monitors, which clip onto domestic electricity meters, have been shown to save £25 to £75 from a £500 annual electricity bill, according to the Energy Savings Trust. 

Another Green initiative in Lewisham's libraries - battery recycling - should also be brought to Greenwich, Dave added.

Lewisham residents can take used batteries to libraries for recycling as part of the BatteryBack scheme, while in Greenwich people have to make do with battery bins in supermarket car parks.

"Local centres like libraries can play a big role in helping people live a greener libraries, and Greenwich Council should be promoting them with schemes like this," Dave said.

"In the case of the BatteryBack scheme, it is entirely self-funded so it will not cost council tax payers any more."

• For more information on the success of Lewisham's smart metering scheme, visit Lewisham Green Party.

Green candidate Dave Sharman has welcomed Greenwich Council's commitment to patch up East Greenwich Library - but wants assurances that it will stay open for the use of local people.

It is understood the council has agreed to repair the building, which has been neglected over the years and is subject to flooding in storms.

Dave was among local campaigners who met Greenwich Council's cabinet member for culture, John Fahy in September to demand the council give assurances on the future of the library, donated to the community over a century ago by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.

The long-term future of the library is still under question, with fears that it will be moved into the long-delayed "Greenwich centre" on the old Greenwich District Hospital site - which is likely to be up to five years away from opening.

Dave, who is standing for the Greens in Peninsula ward in May's elections, says if the council had not neglected the building in the first place, the bill for repairs would not be so high.

"It is good news Greenwich Council has agreed to repair this wonderful old building," he says.

"Generations of local people have benefited from having this precious community resource, and they're paying the cost - in more ways than one - of the council's neglect.

"Many people are rightly wary of the council's plans for the library's future. If elected, Green councillors will fight to keep this building in public use."

Local MP Nick Raynsford risks "electoral suicide" by continuing to campaign for a redevelopment of Greenwich Market, Greenwich & Woolwich Green candidate Andy Hewett said today.

The Labour representative told community website greenwich.co.uk he "had no doubt" the development, which includes the building of a hotel, would go ahead - even though local councillors of all parties united to throw out the proposals in August.

Mr Raynsford has been closely associated with the scheme, appearing in publicity from Greenwich Hospital - the charity which owns the market - to promote it.

"Mr Raynsford's comments in this interview are baffling, and to defy the wishes of the people of Greenwich looks like electoral suicide," Andy said.

"This development would have damaged the character of the market and harmed the small traders who depend on it for their livelihood.

"The last thing Greenwich needs is yet another ill-thought through development, but this seems okay in Mr Raynsford's book."

The proposed hotel would have been up to two storeys higher than the existing buildings at the market, bringing extra traffic congestion to Greenwich's already crowded streets.

"It's not often councillors from all sides come together to reject something, but in this instance they were absolutely right to do so," Andy added.

"By continuing to campaign for the redevelopment of Greenwich Market, Mr Raynsford shows contempt for local people.

"At the general election, local people will have the chance to show him what they think of his half-baked ideas, and will be able to elect an MP that will stand up for Greenwich instead of running it down."

Cllr Roberts, who has represented the ward since it was created in 1998, has been selected as Labour's candidate for Glyndon ward in Plumstead.

The Greens were just 250 votes behind Cllr Roberts in Peninsula in 2006's election, while his new berth of Glyndon is one of Labour's safest seats.

"It's a shame Chris Roberts won't stay in Peninsula and fight for the policies he believes in," Peninsula Green candidate Darryl Chamberlain said.

"That's Greenwich Labour all over - they're very good at being bossy, telling people what to do, and shoving propaganda through people's letterboxes every week in the form of Greenwich Time.

"But when it comes to the crunch - they're petrified of having to answer to local people, who are tired of filthy streets, seeing services run down and feel like they don't have a say in what goes on in their neighbourhood.

"Now there's a credible, independent alternative to Labour breathing down their necks, the party's leader has run away.

"Green councillors will stand up for the people of Greenwich and Charlton, to protect local services and the local environment. Labour are too distant from local people to do that - and that's why Chris Roberts has fled almost as far away from Peninsula as he can get."

Darryl is standing alongside Dave Sharman and Marek Powley in the ward, which covers east Greenwich, the Millennium Village and parts of Charlton. The council election is due for 6 May 2010.

The governors recommended staying put and refurbishing its present sites in Maze Hill and Westcombe Park Road, instead of following a Greenwich Council-backed idea to move the school to a site close to the Blackwall Tunnel, one of London's most polluted spots.

But for the plan to go ahead, the last remaining gasholder on the peninsula needed to be decommissioned - and with no timetable for that to happen, John Roan's governors have pulled back from the scheme.

Parents founded The John Roan Campaign to fight the proposals, which the council tried to push through without any consultation.

Peninsula ward candidate Darryl, a former John Roan pupil, says: "This is wonderful news - John Roan School is a cornerstone of the local community and it's good to hear of plans for a much-needed refurbishment of its current sites. I was lucky to have gone to school next to Greenwich Park, and I'm pleased that it looks as if future generations will be able to do the same.

"But Greenwich Council should never have come up with this proposal in the first place - who in their right mind would site a new school next to the entrance of the Blackwall Tunnel? The council has wasted money pursuing this crackpot idea, which it didn't even consult anybody about, when it could have gone into redeveloping the current sites years ago. Its leadership has treated local families with contempt.

"With Greenwich's population rising sharply, the area will need a new school to take the pressure off John Roan and its neighbours. It should look at finding a new site on the peninsula, and giving the community there a secondary school it can be proud of, in addition to keeping John Roan where it is."

The governors are now awaiting formal approval from Greenwich Council for their decision.

Darryl will be standing for the Greens along with Marek Powley and Dave Sharman in Peninsula ward - which covers east Greenwich, the Millennium Village and part of Charlton - in the council election on 6 May 2010.

• More information: Building magazine covered the John Roan fiasco in January this year.
• The full announcement from John Roan School. (PDF file)

Olympics organisers need to raise their game in talking to locals about the impact of the 2012 Games on their communities, Peninsula ward Green candidate Darryl Chamberlain says.

The choice of Greenwich Park for equestrian events and Woolwich Barracks for shooting contests has divided locals, with many fearing damage to the park and traffic congestion across the area.

But with a voiciferous campaign against the equestrian events in full swing, organising body LOCOG - which is about to apply for planning permission for its 2012 plans - needs to do more to reassure people.

LOCOG recently announced the park would be shut for four weeks in July and August 2012, with a longer closure needed close to the National Maritime Museum to build a temporary stadium.

Last month it opened an information centre in Greenwich town centre to show off its plans for the park - but this was only a temporary measure as part of a short period of public consultation, and it closed after eight days.

"The Olympics will be a once in a lifetime event, and it's important the concerns of local people are addressed," Darryl says.

"But Greenwich Council has used its weekly newspaper to bombard people with propaganda, and tried to stage-manage a public meeting last year.

"LOCOG's most recent event was restricted to local amenity societies, who in turn barred journalists from attending so what went on couldn't be reported.

"People deserve to know what's happening and to be able to ask questions. We need a new open meeting, free from council interference. It's good that LOCOG has placed relevant documents on the London 2012 website so people can read their plans, but this should have happened months ago and not just as the planning application's about to go in.

"It's also good that they had an information centre in Greenwich, but a permanent exhibition should be set up so locals and visitors can see what's happening and ask questions. LOCOG needs to work harder to gain the trust of local people."

Traffic pollution at the Woolwich Road flyover in Greenwich - the second most polluted spot in London - must be reduced, says Green candidate Dave Sharman.

Dave is planning a campaign is tackle the threat to our health posed by the flyover, which carries traffic to and from the Blackwall Tunnel over the A206.

He says Greenwich Council and Transport for London need to take action to improve the air quality in the area, and to improve the appearance of the junction.

"Over 1,000 people die prematurely every year in London as a result of poor air quality, far more than die in traffic accidents," Dave, who is standing for the Greens in Peninsula ward, says.

"Air pollution is the invisible urban killer and we should be doing everything possible to clean up the air we breathe.

"Let's find a way to reduce these fumes - join me in a campaign take to action on this disgraceful situation."

There are 47 monitoring stations in the capital, and the level of PM10 particulate matter exceeds current standards at six sites, including the Woolwich Road flyover.

Instead of tackling the problem, the Government is planning to seek exemptions from European air quality standards.

Parents need to know what the future of John Roan School is, two years after Greenwich Council unveiled plans to move it to a polluted spot on Greenwich Peninsula.

In 2007 the council announced it wanted the centuries-old school to leave Blackheath to move to a location next to the Blackwall Tunnel.

Parents were outraged at the plan, about which they were not consulted, and launched a Save John Roan campaign.

Since then, there has been no news from the council, and the school is being forced to use temporary buildings as Greenwich's growing population puts strain on its facilities.

Peninsula Green candidate Darryl Chamberlain - a former John Roan pupil - says it should stay where it is - and a new school for the Millennium Village should be considered instead.

"People like me grew up with the benefit of going to school in attractive surroundings next to Greenwich Park," he says.

"Forcing local children to move to one of London's polluted sites would be an outrage. The council should keep John Roan where it is, and consider opening a brand new school on a decent site on the peninsula, not right next to the Blackwall Tunnel, to give Greenwich's children proper school facilities."

The Age of Stupid stars Oscar-winner Pete Postlethwaite as an old man living alone in a devastated world in 2055. Looking back at archive footage from 2008, he asks why we didn't stop climate change when we had the chance.

The powerful film had its Leicester Square premiere in March, which saw Postlewaite confront climate change secretary Ed Miliband on stage over the government's lamentable record in encouraging new, coal-fired power stations at the expense of cleaner forms of energy.

It also features real-life stars like windfarm developer Piers Guy, battling against prejudice to get windfarms built in the UK; and Nigerian student doctor Layefa Malemi, who has to raise funds for her studies by fishing in oil-infested waters near her poverty-stricken village.

Now there are two screenings in south-east London over the next week, if you missed the film the first time around.

The Amersham Arms in New Cross (opposite New Cross station) is showing the film in its upstairs gallery on Thursday 12 November from 7.30pm, while Blackheath and Greenwich United Nations Association will be showing the film at The Old Bakehouse in Blackheath Village (behind the Age Exchange centre, opposite Blackheath station) on Monday 16 November, also from 7.30pm.

The Green Party's spokesman for Greenwich & Woolwich, Andy Hewett, says: "This is a film anyone should see if they're interested in seeing how climate change will affect their lives."

Green Party leader Caroline Lucas says: "I defy anyone to come out and not feel like they've got to make a difference".

The Age of Stupid is directed by Franny Armstrong, founder of the 10:10 campaign to cut carbon emissions by 10% in 2010.

For more on the film, visit The Age of Stupid's website.

Meet our Green Team for Peninsula ward - our three candidates hoping to make history by becoming Greenwich's first Green councillors.

Dave Sharman, Marek Powley and Darryl Chamberlain  have been picked to contest the ward for the Green Party in next May's council election, in its drive to bring honest politics to the borough.

Only the Greens can topple Labour in the ward, which takes in east Greenwich, the Millennium Village and part of Charlton, after coming a close second in 2006's poll.

Darryl (pictured right), a former BBC journalist, says: "It's time for a change in Greenwich - the current council is complacent, arrogant, and out of touch with local communites."

Marek (centre), is a co-chair of the Young Greens. "People and businesses in Greenwich and Charlton deserve representatives that will stand up for them," he says. "The Greens are for protecting and expanding local services, so local people can control their future."

Dave is semi-retired, but sits on the managing committee of Blackheath's Mycaene House community centre and is a former volunteer director of Woodlands Farm Trust in Shooters Hill.

Candidates in other wards will be announced in due course. The poll, which is likely to coincide with a general election, is due to be held on 6 May.

Royal Mail management are trying to force through cuts to postal workers' earnings, often using threats and intimidation and wrecking their conditions of service.

"This is a difficult time to be a postal worker, but they continue to deliver a vital public service," says Greenwich & Woolwich parliamentary candidate Andy Hewett..

The Green Party supports the postal workers because Royal Mail is not complying with a 2007 agreement pledging there would be consultation and negotiation on a new phase of modernisation, together with maintaining reasonable levels of pay.

"It is vital that we defend the jobs, pay and conditions of the postal workers and continue the fight against privatisation of the Royal Mail. Competition and introduction of market forces leads to reduced levels of service, poorer pay and conditions and job cuts, in order to protect the profits of the private companies," Andy adds.

"We can already see this locally with post offices closing here in Greenwich, depriving people of vital local services. Not only is this potentially bad for peoples' health and wellbeing, it is also bad for the environment - carbon emissions are increased when people have to travel further for services which were once available locally.

"Competition is also bad for the environment. As more Royal Mail contracts are sold off to privateers such as TNT, there are potentially more vans from different companies delivering to the same addresses - increasing emissions, pollution and traffic - unsustainable in Greenwich which already has some of the most congested and polluted roads in the country.

"Privatisation has failed. Public services which have been privatised have not improved.

"The actions of the Royal Mail management and the Labour gvernment in trying to bully the CWU in this dispute have been shameful, but we know the Tories would be at least just as ruthless in their treatment of the postal workers. We fully support the right of the CWU members to strike, we urge the public to support them in their struggle, and we believe that the majority of the public do support them, despite any attempts to discredit the strikers made by politicians or management. Support the posties!"

 For more information:

• Visit the Communication Workers' Union website for more on the dispute
• See the Green Party's policies on workers' rights and on trade union laws
• A YouGov poll says the public wants the government to intervene
• Read a postman's account of what is happening inside Royal Mail.

Fight The Flights, which is backed by Greenwich Green Party, says Newham Council should have taken into account long-term government plans to cut aviation emissions, and had failed to consult neighbouring councils before making its decision.

Friends of the Earth is helping the group launch its case against the east London authority.

London City Airport's flightpath takes its planes over west Thamesmead, while take offs and and landings can be heard along Greenwich borough's riverside. Fight the Flights represents local people on both sides of the Thames who oppose the airport's expansion.

Fight the Flights' Anne Marie Griffin said: "Increasing flights at London City Airport is completely wrong – it will bump up carbon emissions and add to the misery of local people who are already suffering from poor air quality and noise disturbance. There are much better ways to bring jobs to this area.

"We appeal to members of the public who care about the environment and about our community to help us fight this decision by donating to help fund our legal challenge."

Friends of the Earth’s head of legal Phil Michaels said: "The decision to expand London City Airport is ludicrous and should be reversed – to tackle climate change we urgently need to curb flights, not increase them.

"This legal challenge aims to give both the planet and local people a voice in this sort of decision."

Fight the Flights also took park a protest on Tuesday to mark the launch of luxury flights to New York from the airport.

Just 32 passengers will be able to use each flight across the Atlantic, with planes having to refuel in Ireland because City Airport's runway cannot cope with planes with a full fuel load.

The British Airways flights have been condemned by both Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace.

For more on this story, visit the Friends of the Earth website.