Electric buses unlikely to be coming to North East Lincolnshire after funding bid comes a cropper

It would take 240,000 trees to soak up the CO2 emissions from Stagecoach's 53-vehicle fleet services in North East Lincolnshire

A BID to make North East Lincolnshire an all electric bus borough has proved  unsuccessful.

The council pitched for funding to the value of £23.59-million to be put towards  the purchase of a replacement fleet for the existing 53 buses, operated by Stagecoach, plus associated infrastructure.

But to no avail.

A report on the initiative states: "Electric buses provide bus passengers with a number of benefits (in addition to the green credentials) including a smooth, quieter ride along with all the last technology for customer comfort and accessibility.   

"Stagecoach East Midlands is  the main provider of local bus services in North East Lincolnshire.

"Currently the fleet strategy involves transferring  vehicles from other areas of the Stagecoach Group. 

"It is anticipated that this policy will continue  in the medium to long term unless the council can make it more attractive to invest in newer, low emission vehicles, including electric buses.  

"For example, providing a new bus station may encourage investment in electric buses along with bus-friendly changes to transport strategy. 

"Investment in infrastructure including bus priority and parking policies (policies that discourage car use) may enable bus operators to build a strong business case for electric vehicle investment. 

"Investment is normally allocated to the strongest routes along with bus routes which benefit from supportive infrastructure measures.  

"If journey times increase due to congestion, then routes may become less commercially viable, and, in turn, this makes the business case for investment more challenging."  

The report continues: "Should electric buses be provided in North East Lincolnshire in the future, from an operational perspective it is vital they have a sufficient mileage range to ensure vehicles do not need to be changed mid service or charged halfway through a day. 

"Should this occur, it could lead to local bus services becoming unreliable, with short notice cancellations and/or services running late. 

"It would be important to work with local power providers such as Northern Powergrid to deliver a technical study in order to understand the impact of around 50 buses charging at any one time. 

"This would impact on electrical sub-tations, the electrical distribution network including electrical connections into bus depots."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Humber, Hull is an example where Stagecoach  can demonstrate continued supportive infrastructure measures, such as bus priority lanes, which in turn has led to strong passenger levels. 

As a result, the company is in the process of  investing in  electric vehicles in the city.

Once these are in operation, Stagecoach has offered to host a visit for NELC members.

According to one estimate, converting the existing Stagecoach operations in North East Lincolnshire to zero-emission electric buses would save around 4,000,000 kg per year of CO2.

Approximately, 240,000 trees would have to grow in one year to absorb the current bus fleet emissions in the borough. 

Sunday-afternoon rainbow in Cleethorpes - but where is that pot of gold at the end of it?

                                                                           

This impressive rainbow brought colour in mid-afternoon yesterday to the sky over  the country park in Cleethorpes.                

People should stop scaremongering about 'miracle chemical', says NELC's environment porfolio holder

Cornflowers, poppies and  daisies used to be common on roadside verges and on the edges of playing fields, but now many, if not most, have fallen victim to NELC's application of Glyphosate

CONTROVERSY  has bubbled up anew over North East Lincolnshire Council's extensive use of  a poison that destroys the vegetation that provides habitat for bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects.

As well as in parks and on verges, NELC sprays Glyphosate on pavements and in road gutters in order  to eradicate any plants it deems to be 'weeds'.

But some residents fret that, as well as destroying plantlife (that, after all, is its purpose), the poison also poses a health risk to humans and their pets.

At a scrutiny panel meeting this week, the council's portfolio holder for the environment, Cllr Henry Hudson (Con, Wolds), banged the drum for continued use of the controversial chemical.

He said people had been "getting silly" about use of Glyphosate (also known as Roundup).

"There's been too much scaremongering," he declared. "Glyphosate is not dangerous - it is totally safe.

"It is a miracle chemical!"

Support for this view came from cabinet colleague, Cllr Ron Shepherd (Con, Scartho), who runs a popular market garden in Bradley, with produce sold to the public at the gate.

He revealed that, under licence, he buys a more potent version than that available in shops and garden centre.

He insisted it was invaluable in killing the wild plant, horsetail, which otherwise would grow as much as three foot in a single season.

"It is also effective against dandelions, nettles, brambles and, to a lesser exent, thistles."

However, misgivings were sounded by some panel members not just about Glyphosate but also about the adequacy of last year's consultation exercise with the public.

"The process was too complex,"claimed Cllr Kevin Shutt (Lab, Heneage).

Worries were also sounded by Cllr Kathryn Wheatley (Lab, West Marsh) who said there were parts of her ward - notably Duke of York Gardens in Grimsby - where she certainly would not wish to see poison applied,

"I don't want chemical run-off entering watercourses which are important for otters and swans," she said.

Following a debate, which was sometimes fractious, the panel voted in favour of a Glyphosate-free six-month pilot exercise in six of the borough's wards to assess both the impact and the response of the public.

Although Glyphosate will not be used, there will be nothing to prevent councillors or the public from removing weeds by hand or tool if, for instance, their growth is deemed to pose a hazard.

"What's the harm in that proposal?" commented panel chairperson Nicola Aisthorpe (Lib-Dem, East Marsh) who went on to remind colleagues: "Some weeds look quite nice".

Nowhere for wildlife - the base of trees could provide precious habitat for wildflowers and butterflies but it has been destroyed in favour of sterility in many parts of the borough including this verge on Taylors Avenue (above).

The Grimsby News says: If Glyphosate is "totally safe" why is is it a requirement for NELC operatives to wear protective clothing when applying it to open spaces? The portfolio holder is too gung-ho in his approach. There have been numerous examples, in previous years, of chemicals being deemed safe - only to be withdrawn later as their danger becomes apparent. And there is the wider question about the impact of the chemical on biodiversity - wildflowers and the bees, butterflies and birds that depend on them. Better for NELC - and for the community - to be safe than sorry.

Anxious time for Grimsby-area folk currently working or on holiday in Middle East

                                             

There are reckoned to be 300,000 UK citizens currently working or on holiday in the Gulf states (map: Wikimedia Commons)

THE flare-up in the Middle East has created worry for dozens of Grimsby-area folk currently working or on holiday in the region.

There are deadly missiles in the sky, and the situation will only get more dangerous if Iran and its allies continue to expand the conflict.

One member of Grimsby and Cleethorpes RSPB Group is on a fortnight’s birding holiday with a wildlife tour company in Oman.

There have only been reports of two drone strikes - both on Oman's commercial port of Duqm - but the UK Foreign Office is urging Britons not to go with 100km of the city of Salalah, the designated location of the last four days of the holiday.

Because airspace has been closed, many Britons wanting to fly home may have to wait longer than intended.

Meanwhile, in North East Lincolnshire  as elsewhere, consumers are waiting to ascertain the extent, if any, of the conflict on fuel prices and imported fruit, vegetables and other foodstuffs.

Only ten years left before Fuller Street footbridge falls down, claims councillor

 

The footbridge is said to be little used, especially after dark, except by foreshore dog-walkers. However, it is sometimes helpful to the police for crowd control when they are ushering away fans from Grimsby Town matches to Cleethorpes railway station.  

AN uncertain future beckons for the Fuller Street footbridge in Cleethorpes.

At a North East Lincolnshire Council meeting this week, Cllr Ron Shepherd, told colleagues: "It is  in a poor state - it has only ten years left before it falls down."

In February last year, a 15-year-old boy was questioned after a woman claimed she had been raped at the site of the bridge.

It is understood, there was no subsequent prosecution, but media coverage of the allegation prompted calls by Cleethorpes and Grimsby MP Melanie Onn and others for installation of floodlighting and CCTV.

However, following research on prospective costs, this will not happen.

The council has taken the view that it would be money squandered because crime statistics for the bridge are very low and, in any case, it is seldom used because, on its estuary side, access to the walkway is extremely difficult.

Continued Cllr Shepherd: "I am 6ft 2in, and I found it a challenge because access to the walkway is blocked by a wall.

"Particularly after dark, there is also a risk of trips and falls - and the ground sometime resembles a dog loo."

Instead of incurring expense on lighting and CCTV, the council is thus likely to install "advisory" signage, recommending  that those seeking to cross the railway track should use the purpose-built Suggits Lane, 560 metres away.

This structure is both illuminated after dark and monitored by CCTV.

* A  survey by Equans in April, 2024, noted that the bridge  is "not showing signs of stress, nor fractures, and is in fair condition though there is  surface rusting and moderate pitting due to its location and age". Any remedial work - at an estimated cost of £40,000 - would be centred around removing the paintwork, blast-cleaning  all rust and providing a suitable coating to all areas.

NELC faces £10,000 bill after arsonists strike at two Grimsby park play areas

 

North East Lincolnshire councillor Ron Shepherd at Quantock Park where a swing was damaged

TWO Grimsby have been damaged by flames after wheelie bins were set alight.  

At Barretts Rec, on Scartho Road, flames from three bins caused damage to the Tarmac near the swings and scorched part of an adjacent hedge.

At Quantock Park, in Scartho, a basket swing was destroyed after a bin was placed underneath it was ignited.

It is thought repairs will cost about £10,000.

Anyone with information is urged to phone  Humberside Police at  101 quoting the crime reference number 26000023827 for Barretts Rec and 26000004863 for Quantock Park.

Council mulls whether to designate two 'under-the-radar' locations as Local Wildlife Sites

A designation as official Local Wildlife Sites could be in prospect for these two locations -  bat-friendly Ainslie Park (above)  in Grimsby and a wildflower-rich patch of grassland (below) off Kings Road in Cleethorpes.  Both sites are regularly surveyed by North East Lincolnshire Council's ecology unit and volunteer naturalists.