Latest news with #petitions
BBC News
4 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Petitions protest against Dumfries and Galloway bus changes
Communities in Dumfries and Galloway have started petitions protesting against changes to their bus than 250 people so far have signed one opposing the merger of two services in in Mid Galloway and Wigtown West have joined forces with a petition against changes to bus timetables and routes, which have left them with fewer bus South West of Scotland Transport Partnership (SWestrans) said it was aware of the concerns. Transport Scotland said it recognised the importance of buses to communities, and added that local authorities had a duty to identify where there was a social need for services. A special meeting of Dumfries and Galloway Council was held on Monday to discuss residents' East and Eskdale independent councillor Denis Male said he had received many complaints about the 120 and 124 bus services, which serve Langholm town centre and Langholm to Samye said the merger of services had caused "a lot of problems" within the Galloway and Wigtown West councillor Katie Hagmann, who chaired the meeting, said the petitions showed the strength of feeling across Dumfries and Galloway about the state of bus said a report was needed looking into the potential of a council-run bus also agreed that a public transport needs assessment should be carried out for all local areas affected by the withdrawal or reduction of commercial services since June. More stories on Dumfries and Galloway buses SWestrans said it along with Dumfries and Galloway Council were committed to improving the bus network by listening to residents and working with operators.A spokesperson said: "As part of the recent planned procurement exercise undertaken by SWestrans and the council, 45 long-term contracts were awarded to trusted local operators to deliver the region's subsidised bus network, which comprises most routes in the region."Although most services were retained, we understand that some of the changes that came into operation on 7 August have caused uncertainty and concern to affected residents."SWestrans said the merging the 120 and 124 services and other changes were made due to a combination of lack of operator capacity and low passenger spoksperson added: "We are liaising with local community transport providers to explore what options are possible within the budget available and the capacity of the operators concerned."The Scottish government said it had given local authorities new powers, including around the running of their own services.A spokesperson said: "We encourage all local transport authorities to consider the full range of tools available to them, to ensure that everyone has accessible public transport regardless of where they are in Scotland."Reporting by local democracy journalist Marc McLean.
CTV News
7 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Chatham-Kent council approves tougher encampment rules, leaving only one possible site
Chatham-Kent council has voted to tighten the rules around homeless encampments — a move administration says leaves just one municipal property in Chatham where a camp could legally operate. During a meeting Monday night that drew a standing-room-only crowd for the second time in three weeks, councillors approved a series of bylaw changes one-by-one after hearing more than 20 deputations and receiving two petitions on the issue. One petition called for action on the camp, while the other urged the municipality to protect the people living there. The new rules amend Chatham-Kent's encampment protocol to: Prohibit encampments within 100 metres of any private property line with a habitable residence. Prohibit encampments within 100 metres of any business. Require a 25-metre buffer from construction sites. Require a 10-metre buffer from recreational paths. Require tents to be at least two metres apart. Task bylaw enforcement officers with handling encampment-related issues on private property. Direct administration not to proceed with purchasing land for a sanctioned encampment site. Require administration to continue reporting recommendations for community mitigation practices on an ongoing basis. Have all costs tied to enforcement, mitigation and community supports compiled and shared with the Premier, the ministers of health and municipal affairs and housing, and local MPPs. Allow administration to close or adjust recreation amenities inconsistent with the new rules. Administration told council the changes mean Thames Grove Conservation Area is now the only municipal land in Chatham that meets the new criteria for an encampment. The current camp on Grand Avenue East is located on Public Utilities Commission property and would not comply under the new 100-metre setback from homes and businesses. The vote follows weeks of heated public debate and a special emergency meeting in late July, where council considered but delayed a decision on the 100-metre setback. While some residents told council Monday the tougher rules are needed to address safety and quality-of-life concerns, others argued they will further marginalize people without housing unless long-term shelter and support options are in place.
CBC
11-06-2025
- General
- CBC
Stewiacke property bylaw ruffles feathers of chicken keepers
Social Sharing A Stewiacke resident wants the town council to change a bylaw she says has people who raise chickens walking on eggshells. Two weeks ago, Lynann Wamboldt received notice that she had 15 days to remove the 10 chickens she keeps on her property because they contravene a town bylaw. The bylaw requires that anyone keeping chickens must have a property of at least one acre (0.4 hectares) and can have no more than five chickens on the property. "The panic kind of set in for everyone when they found out. And we thought, OK, maybe we should start some action and see if we can maybe start talking with council and see if we can change to match what we have in HRM and Digby County and Chester areas," said Wamboldt. In the Halifax Regional Municipality, residents on land amounting to less than an acre are allowed to have up to 10 chickens. Wamboldt has started a petition seeking support for a new bylaw she intends to propose to council that emulates HRM's rules. Marc Seguin, Stewiacke's chief administrative officer, says council will respond to complaints about the bylaw at its meeting on Thursday. He said the town doesn't actively seek to enforce the bylaw but in this situation was responding to a noise complaint about a rooster on Wamboldt's property. Roosters are not permitted according to the bylaw. But other chicken keepers in Stewiacke who live on small properties are concerned. "I think it's quite silly, actually. When I heard that Lynann was starting a petition, I was very excited to go out in the community and get as many signatures as we could," said Amber Ratté, who also raises chickens in Stewiacke on a lot that's less than 0.4 hectares. Ratté said tending to her chickens brings her and her neighbours a lot of happiness, as she shares the eggs they produce. "They're my favourite part of my day," she said. "Currently my husband's away on deployment and they really keep me company and they keep my son engaged and they just are very educational." Wamboldt shares her passion for poultry and wants to continue what she's doing in the community as well. "I sell the eggs to co-workers, I gift them to families in need. If I know that someone's having a tough time, I may show up at their door and surprise them with a dozen of eggs and have that conversation starter," she said. Wamboldt said she hopes her proposal to council will start productive conversations. But as the 15-day deadline to remove her chickens looms this week, she said her options are limited. "I don't want to euthanize my animals. I've had them for over four years. Some of them are older and no longer laying and I'm just giving them this place to live until their time comes."
RNZ News
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- RNZ News
Horse riders feel 'overlooked' by snubs for road protections
Equestrian groups and riders have been organising petitions for at least 14 years. Photo: Supplied Horse riders feel "frustrated" after years of inaction on repeated bids for greater safety measures to protect riders on roads and shared pathways. Equestrian groups and riders have gained support from tens of thousands of people for petitions over at least 14 years, to provide greater transport protections like road signage and better road education. In October, the New Zealand Equestrian Advocacy Network (NZEAN) and the Pass Wide and Slow NZ movement took a parliamentary petition to the government's transport and infrastructure select committee, with support from NZ Riding for the Disabled, Equestrian Sports NZ, NZ Pony Club Association and Te Hapori Hōiho. The petition with more than 7500 signatures called for safety provisions in legislation for horse riders in the Land Transport Act, and for their inclusion in road safety and shared pathways initiatives. NZEAN chairperson Shelly Warwick said sharing roads with cars could be dangerous for horse riders. She said excluding horse-friendly areas like Hanmer Springs and Kāpiti Coast, local authorities did not encourage riders to use shared pathways either. Riders were feeling "frustrated" their pleas for greater safety considerations locally and nationally had been "overlooked". "There have been petitions since 2011 asking for road safety considerations, and nothing has changed," she said. "And in that time, horses and their riders have been maimed and killed on our roads." NZEAN chairperson Shelly Warwick says sharing roads with cars could be dangerous for horse riders. Photo: Supplied A spokesperson for the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) said there had been three cases of injuries from road crashes involving equestrians in the past five years, excluding on shared pathways, but no road deaths. "One serious injury crash in 2020, one minor injury crash in 2020, one serious injury crash in 2024. In all three crashes the horse rider was injured," the spokesperson said. "There have been no fatal crashes involving equestrians in the last five years." However, the spokesperson said crash data was limited to crashes involving equestrians and non-fatal crashes were often under-reported. Since 2019, ACC confirmed there had been "low numbers" of new claims relating to road deaths of horse riders in 2020, 2021 and 2023, but the number which was fewer than four was suppressed for client privacy. ACC injury prevention leader James Whitaker said people riding horses had just as much right to use the road as car drivers. "If you are approaching a horse and rider in your car - share the space and carefully choose an appropriate opportunity to pass wide and slow," Whitaker said. "Riders should ensure their gear fits properly, especially your helmet and saddle, before going for a ride." "If you are approaching a horse and rider in your car - share the space and carefully choose an appropriate opportunity to pass wide and slow," ACC's James Whitaker says. Photo: Supplied ACC spent $3.6 million in costs relating to claims for injuries involving horse riders and vehicles between 2019 and November 2024. In that time, the highest number of new claims involving riders and cars was in Canterbury at 92 claims, 77 in Auckland and 72 in Waikato. NZTA said the New Zealand Road Code included guidance for motorists on sharing the road safely with horse riders, and guidance for horse riders to help keep them safe on the roads. Guidance from the Land Transport Act included riders keeping animals on the road margin to the left as far as practical, single-file riding, and they were prohibited to ride along a footpath adjacent to or forming part of the road. "NZTA reminds motorists to follow the rules and take extra care when sharing the road with horse riders," the guidance said. Old NZTA documents referred to "vulnerable road users"' as people at heightened risk including pedestrians, people on wheels like mobility scooters or wheechairs, or people on animals. However, the term was excluded from the Land Transport Act. Warwick said in efforts to improve driver awareness, riders wanted to be recognised as vulnerable road users, as pedestrians and cyclists were often referred to, though it was not a legal term. "Vulnerable road users, they use that terminology and yet they don't actually define who the vulnerable road user is, which is what we're asking them to do." An NZTA spokesperson said there was no legal status for cyclists, pedestrians or horse riders as 'vulnerable road users'. "'Vulnerable road user' is not a term currently used or defined in New Zealand transport legislation and rules for any road users. "A legislative change to include such a definition in transport law would need to be initiated by the Ministry of Transport." Warwick said riders felt they had "got nowhere" with numerous letters to transport ministers, on a local level with councils and appeals to government. "One of the questions that one of the MPs did ask, which was very poignant actually, was he asked directly to NZTA and to the Ministry of Transport, 'In the last 20 years, what proactive measures have you made to ensure the safety of horse riders on the roads?' And neither of them could actually answer that question." Drivers faced a $55 fine for failing to exercise due care to driven animals like horses. The next steps for progressing the parliamentary petition was to be reported and referred to the Minister of Transport.
