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Coastal View & Moor News Issue 19


The Folly of Four Lanes End and the Beacon Moor Windfarm


by Michael McLaren


opinion they deserve a pat on the back for their good work. Now this good work was quite a few years ago and many people have since forgotten how dangerous the crossroads were – the old accident black spot.


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or many years the crossroads at Four Lanes End on the A174/B1268 and Hob Hill Lane between Skelton, Upleatham and Saltburn was designated an accident black spot. Far too often cars being driven down the B1268 from Upleatham would be driven into cars coming either to or from Skelton along the A174. Many cars were crashed and sadly too many people did not survive to tell the tale.


The local council realised they had a serious problem with the Four Lanes Cross road and installed a set of traffic lights to control the comings and goings. The councils plan to make the junction safer worked really well and in my


Infinis, in their questionable wisdom, have applied to erect four large ornaments, sorry wind turbines, in the area local to the cross roads. These marvellous green energy, box ticking monstrosities are proposed to be erected at Beacon Moor within a good sight of the crossroads. (and most of Skelton, Saltburn, Upleatham, Brotton, Hartlepool) and surrounding Many people will be distracted, I know because I am, and I fear the local emergency services will once again be called to scrape bits of people off the road. Can I point out I am in favour of harnessing real green power, electricity generated properly, reliably and at good cost. The tide ebbs and flows twice a day. This ebbing and flowing is guaranteed come rain or shine. This is real green and reliable energy. Looking at the real facts and figures most wind farms are supported by widely ambitious figures for wind speed and other facts often environmental that although are important in real terms would not affect the electrical


output from the site – the sole reason for the windmills being there other than to tick a government ‘green energy’ box.


There is a mismatch of supply and demand. During periods of high pressure weather systems, those that bring cold winters and hot summers, wind speeds are at low levels but demand is at its highest. In other words when demand is highest wind power makes its minimum contribution.


The average UK consumption is about 40,000 MW. The government target is to increase supply from renewables from the current 1% to 10% by 2010. To meet this target through wind power, we would need to install an additional 8,000 modern 2-MW turbines (with 0.5 MW realised output, assuming 25% load factor) over the next four years - that is 2,000 wind turbines to be installed each year, or approximately eight every working day, year in year out. Even if this were technically feasible, it would not reduce our dependence on fossil fuels or nuclear energy because wind turbines, being weather dependent, need backup from traditional power stations. We contacted Infinis who declined to comment but did supply us with a publicly available report on generation costs of different renewable electricity technologies.


Plugged into a greener Redcar & Cleveland


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LECTRIC vehicle drivers in Redcar and Cleveland


can relax and recharge their batteries thanks to the installation of the first of 12 new charging points across the borough.


The scheme part of the ‘plugged in places’ initiative provides local authorities in the region with the opportunity to apply to One North East for match funding to install charging points in their area. Redcar & Cleveland Council have taken the lead and the first charging point is now in place for the public to use at Belmont House car park in Guisborough. Charging points will also be installed at the following locations over the coming months: • Guisborough Forest & Walkway centre car park - Pinchinthorpe


• Redcar & Cleveland House Car Park - Redcar


• Windy Hill Lane car park - Marske


• Cat Nab car park - Saltburn • North Road car park - Loftus • Westgate - Guisborough • High Street - Redcar. Cabinet Member for Highways, Planning and Transport, Councillor Helen McLuckie said: “As the major


vehicle manufacturers reduce the cost of electric vehicles and improve their performance and reliability it is important the Council does all it can to ensure the infrastructure is in place to support it.


“These new charging points will establish an improved network in the area making travel by electric vehicle much more attractive for the public.” Drivers of electric vehicles can register to use the charging points by visiting www. chargeyourcar.org.uk The website also provides information on charging point locations, journey planning and links to the switch to EV vehicle trial.


The North East is at the forefront of low carbon technology and was chosen as one of three areas to trial the roll out of electric vehicle technology, along with London and Milton Keynes.


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Redcar paying more for fuel


Located in the heart of Saltburn, ArtsBank showcases the work of North East painters, sculptors, photographers and craftspeople. The beautiful Victorian building and huge range of artwork combine to make ArtsBank a unique gallery with something for everyone.


ArtsBank


Visitors can now also relax in our new café. The perfect place to take a break. Buy the very best affordable art. Hand crafted in the North East of England.


Gallery & Café WWW.ARTSBANK.CO.UK


an Swales has written to the major supermarkets in the area to ask them if they can explain why people who live and work in Redcar are paying more money for their petrol than people who live 9 miles away in Middlesbrough. Tescos, Morrisons and Asda regularly have price wars on the cost of petrol in the area, with one of them always managing to out do the other two. However, it has not gone unnoticed that the price of fuel seems to be creeping up in the Redcar area compared to other local towns.


Ian commented: “This is just not right. The government have cancelled the 1.92p inflation increase on fuel altogether and delayed the 3p increase until the 1st August 2012 to help people cope in this difficult economic times. It was not so that big


companies could continue to make more money out of people.


“It seems unreasonable of these large supermarkets, who we know are making bumper profits, to not pass on this freeze to the people of Redcar. It is for this reason that I have written to the major supermarkets to see what they have to say on the matter.


“I will write to the minister to raise this issue and continue to keep the pressure on the big supermarkets’’.


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