Rail privatisation has failed the public.

Last night Sheffield Green Party passed the following resolution.
"Sheffield Green Party supports the use of non violent direct action to assert our right to walk across the bridge at Sheffield Station, which was paid for with £7 million pounds of public money." Councillor Rob Murphy has also written to the press supporting the campaign, but explaining how the Green Party policies differ from the other two parties, whose privatisation policies got us in this mess in the first place. Many Green Party supporters will be attending the demonstration on Wednesday 20th at 5pm.

Dear Sir,

I would like to make clear that the Green Party completely oppose the gating of the footbridge at Sheffield Railway Station. However unlike the other parties represented on the City Council we believe the problem is a result of the government's policy of handing control of public services over to private companies. That a private company can stop the people of Sheffield using a bridge that has been paid for with taxpayers money, is a disgrace.
Once again rail privatisation has failed the public. Government subsidy of the railways has grown massively, fares continue to rise faster than inflation, and ticket prices are a confusing mess. The government has even been forced to buy new rolling stock for the train operators (Who find it more profitable to run overcrowded trains than to invest in extra carriages and passenger comfort).
The actions of East Midland Trains are damaging to Sheffield and it's public transport system, but that has little meaning to a large private company aiming for maximum profit from it's franchise. It is time for government to act, to prevent the gating of the walkway and to work towards regaining public ownership and control of our rail network.

Yours sincerely,


Cllr Rob Murphy (Sheffield Green Party Transport Spokesperson)

Results

This was the result in Manor Castle Ward.

Pat Midgeley (Labour) 1621 53%
David Croft (Lib Dem) 687 22%
Christina Stark (Con) 400 13%
Graham Wroe (Green) 357 12%

Thank you to those of you who supported me in any way- leafleting- putting up posters, and especially voting. I was very disappointed to come last- but my vote didn't go down very much (I was 13% last time)but the other two parties managed to take votes from Labour. What's most upsetting is that the Conservative candidate beat me without doing anything- there wasn't even a poster in her window! So the Conservative vote was purely on media coverage- the "David Cameron" effect. The Lib Dem vote again increased and their leaflet wrongly insinuated that the Greens always support Labour.

It was very clear that the postal vote was not Green. Postal votes favour the 3 main parties as people often vote before the election leaflets are distributed and are much more influenced by the national media. Despite our excellent election broadcast the Greens have struggled to get a fair representation in the national media. The Question Time debate not giving the Green mayoral candidate, Sian Berry, a platform is a a prime example of this.

In Central Ward our hard work paid dividends and we now have a third Councillor, Rob Murphy. Result

Rob Murphy Green Party 1611 40%
Mohammad Maroof Labour 1563 39%
Mohammad Azam Lib Dem 522 13%
June Ledbury Conservative 311 8%

It was nail bitingly close, but we have now managed to complete the team of 3 councillors in Central.

Throughout the city Lib Dems swept to power and how have 45 seats, Labour 36 and Green 3. The Independent lost in Stocksbridge and Anne Smith lost the only Tory seat in Dore & Totley. We now have an important role to play as the third council group with a clear alternative agenda to Labour and the Lib Dems. Other noteable Green results include

Rob Cole came second in Broomhill, 756 votes 27%
Gareth Roberts beat the Tories in Gleadless Valley 781 15%
Chris Sissons beat the Tories in Burngreave 638, 14%
Julian Briggs beat Labour in Crookes 698, 14%
Mervyn Smith came 3rd beating Con/UKIP in Nether Edge 780 13%
James Wilson came 3rd in Walkley beating Cons.540 12%
Jason Leman beat Labour in Ecclesall 615 9%

The full results are on the Council website

http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/your-city-council/elections/election-results/election-results-2008