Manx National Rally 2019

First visit of the year to the Isle of Man for the Manx National Rally last weekend.  After picking up my Manx radio set at a wet TT Grandstand on Thursday evening it was an early night ready for a long day on the Friday.

Friday: I was assigned Start Radio for the Shakedown Stage on Begoade Road just outside Onchan.  After the usual variety of set up and official cars had passed I was informed that the “convoy” would follow 00 into stage.   Convoy, what convoy? I asked.  Apparently, the Porsche GB Club were on the island for their “Tour de Manx” and had arranged to drive through the Shakedown Stage before we opened it to MNR competitors.  Lead by a Porsche Macán Turbo, a convoy of 911s of various vintages went off at 10 second intervals for a leisurely, well they set off leisurely, drive through to the Creg ny Baa. 

After that we set the 0 car off and then waited for competitors… and waited… there was a distinct possibility we’d breach the 20 minute rule and have to send for 0 again, but eventually 2 cars turned up in time and we started the stage, by the time those two came back for their second run a few more crews had hauled themselves out of bed and we had a good field, indeed we had to go to 30 second starts for 10 minutes to clear the queue. Mix of rain and sun continued throughout the afternoon.

Back home for a quick tea then it was down the other side of the island to Bishopscourt to take up position as Finish Radio for Stages 2 & 6.  We had more or less constant rain for SS2, although my sister (Manx 14) reported it was bone dry up on the Druidale stage.  No dramas, apart from a few cars arriving at the finish with bits of Manx scenery attached to wheel arches, and a few missing body parts (car not human).  We lost 1 car on SS2, 109 in, 108 out.

#104, Toyota GT86 of David Huxley and James Proudfoot, before their nose cone adjustment

We hadn’t long dealt with the last car before Spec Safety was back in the now SS6, and in the fading light we had our second run underway with a reduced field of 91 cars. The beautifully prepared Toyota GT86 of David Huxley and James Proudfoot had its front bumper dislodged in stage, so scraped its way across the finish line and then spent the rest of the weekend with a plain black nose. Again we lost 1 car in stage so 90 crossed the finish line before we closed the stage at just before midnight.

Saturday dawned bright and sunny, and after breakfast it was a drive to the south of the island, avoiding the extensive roadworks on Douglas Promenade – it’ll be fun there for the TT invasion in a couple of weeks! – I was teamed up with the Buccaneer Crew, with Karen Spencer Stage Commander, as Start Radio for the St Mark’s Stages SS11/SS15. 

Jason Pritchard  and Phil Clarke in Car #1 prepare to lead the field into SS11 St Marks

The attrition rate started to take hold early and the 90 cars out of service had reduced to 87 by the time they got to us, and SS11 claimed another 4.

another beautiful Toyota GT86,  #88 of Nigel Greensall and Edward Stone

An hours break relaxing in the sunshine eating our lunch bags kindly provided by Manx Auto Sport before we kicked SS15 off.  Alas we soon had the first of 2 stage stops after just 13 cars had been sent in. After a 14 minute break we restarted the stage, but we only managed to put another 16 cars in before a second stoppage. A 17 minute break this time which was uncomfortably close to the maximum gap permitted. However we managed to get cars rolling back in in time and able to complete the stage without further incident. Both stoppages were thankfully not serious, with superficial damage to both cars and crew OK.  We put 73 cars into this penultimate stage of the rally. And 70 made it across the finish line.

#11 Ford Fiesta R5 of David Hardie and John McCulloch after being recovered by Corsair Recovery after their roll on SS15

Congratulations to Jason Pritchard and Phil Clarke on their victory

Another beautiful sunny day on Sunday and it was lunch on the promenade at Laxey before getting the afternoon ferry back to Liverpool.  A flat calm crossing too, could have been in the Med!

Seán Robertson – Gemini 38

Vote for Better

Next Thursday you, the people of Liverpool, have the opportunity to Demand Better from your councillors and the council. 

Labour have run the city council for the last 9 years and whilst they have done some good things, they have also failed in many areas. Most of their failures are because they refuse to listen to the people and see anyone who has an alternative point of view as the enemy.  There is no attempt to seek consensus.  It’s Joe’s way or no way.  I was a member of the Labour party for 25 years, helping to rebuild public trust in the party after the disaster of Militant.  However the emergence of Momentum, Militant in modern clothes, drove me away with their blind focus on an ideology which does nothing for the needs of the people they are meant to serve.

Again this year Labour want to take your vote for granted.  They have failed to produce a manifesto, why?, because they are riven by infighting, with some candidates who support the Mayor, others who want to get rid of him; candidates who worship Corbyn and others who prefer not to mention him.  They have no programme to offer because they can’t agree what the programme is. 

Nationally, on Brexit they have taken fence sitting to a whole new level, the majority of Labour voters, like the majority of people in Liverpool, see the benefits of remaining in the EU and building a future for all, but the party leadership is doing nothing to stop a right-wing Tory Brexit which will only benefit the hedge fund managers.

Our membership of the EU brought many benefits to Liverpool, including our award winning Cruise Terminal, the Arena & Convention Centre not to mention Capital of Culture 2008 – all delivered with EU funding and all delivered by a LibDems Council

Here at the LibDems we have produced a manifesto for 2019 – read it here – we are the only party in these elections to do so, so you can clearly see our offering to you, the people of Liverpool:

- Major changes in the way the council is run, ensuring real scrutiny and oversight of the Mayor and Cabinet.

- A renewed pledge to abolish the position of the Elected Mayor of Liverpool.

- Working to improve the representation of groups currently underrepresented in the council, both in the chamber and as members of staff, to build a council that better represents the city it serves.

- A pledge to protect both the World Heritage Status AND the parks and green spaces of Liverpool.

- Radical proposals to improve the health of residents in our city - from improving the amount of exercise students get in school, to improving access to green spaces for people across the city, setting ambitious air quality targets and tackling period poverty.

- Using the new local plan to drive planning priorities with the needs of the city in mind, not big developers. From improving the quality of housing in the city, to fighting for more affordable housing where we need it most. Fighting for great neighbourhoods for all.

If you agree with our aims, then don’t let Labour take your vote for granted.  Vote for positive change.  #DemandBetter and vote for your LibDems candidate on Thursday 2nd May

Thanks

Seán

Seán Robertson
LibDems candidate for Clubmoor

TT 2019 via Liverpool

Hi, I’m Sean Robertson, Deputy Sector Marshal at Mountain Box (Sector 9) on the TT course, and an Ambassador at Liverpool Cruise Terminal. Every year we welcome thousands of bikers through Liverpool on their way to the Isle of Man and I have updated my guide to Liverpool and the embarkation process to help your journey to the Isle of Man go smoothly and safely.

Location

The Liverpool terminal is situated at the Pier Head, next to the Royal Liver Building and the Cruise Terminal. Address is St Nicholas Place, L3 1DL

Access

From M62, M57, M58 follow signs for “Waterfront” not for the commercial freight docks. As you approach the tall waterfront buildings the Royal Liver Building is recognisable by the Liver Birds on top of the towers, head for this building, the access to the ferry check in is off the half roundabout next to this building. 

If you’re coming in on the M62 the speed limit reduces to 50 about half a mile from the end (with a very profitable speed camera, next to the “Motorway Ends 1/3rd Mile” overhead sign).

From the M53, go through the Wallasey Tunnel, when leaving at the Liverpool end keep right and follow for the Waterfront – the exit road from the tunnel is a favourite place for the police to do speed checks – 30mph. Once off the tunnel approach road and onto Scotland Road you'll be turning right at the next lights. Then carry straight on until the road veers to the left after the 3rd set of lights, get into the right-hand lane and turn right at the Liver Building.

From the A41 through Cheshire head for the Birkenhead tunnel. (Rock Ferry Bypass now has 50mph average speed cameras) As you approach the tunnel entrance get into the left-hand lane, the tunnel is 2 miles long, but towards the end there is a left turn, take this and when you emerge from the tunnel you’ll be directly opposite the Liver Building. Go straight ahead at the lights leaving the tunnel, then get into the right lane as you turn right at the next lights. 

For both tunnels, motorbikes are free, there is a dedicated motorbike lane at the toll booths, Cars are £1.80, and you pay in cash or use a contactless card at the booths (Birkenhead/Wallasey end only - both directions).

From the M56 follow signs for the Mersey Gateway Bridge, this is a toll bridge, it is free for motorbikes but if you’re in a car or van you need to pay (£2 for cars), there are no toll booths you need to log onto Merseyflow and pay your toll, you have until midnight the day after you cross the bridge, but you can log on and pay in advance and the toll will be taken when you cross.

Security

As with any large city, Liverpool has its share of crime, although statistically, and despite the stereotypes, it has one of the lowest levels of vehicle crime of any large UK city. However, if yours is the bike that gets stolen statistics are meaningless. Opportunistic and organised thieves will always help themselves to easy pickings and thousands of bikers who don’t know the area are an all too easy target. 

There are very few incidents near the terminal itself, probably due to amount of people around, but bikes have been stolen from outside hotels, especially away from the city centre.  If you are staying overnight make sure your bike is locked up away from the road.

Never leave your bike or belongings unattended. If you need to head off for food or the shops and cannot leave someone looking after your bike put it one of the nearby car parks. A few pounds are a small price to pay for peace of mind. 

These three are open and staffed 24/7.

• Liverpool Waters - Princes Dock - along from the Crown Plaza Hotel.
• Q Park - Liverpool One - enter/exit via The Strand
• Capital Building - enter/exit via Rumford Place behind the Mercure Atlantic Tower Hotel.

Terminal

The passenger terminal is on the floating stage, and marshalling area for bikes/cars has no facilities apart from the check-in booth. There is normally a burger van there during the TT. Toilets are in the passenger terminal on the floating stage, or in the hotels over the road - Crown Plaza or Mercure Atlantic Tower. 

Check-In (Bikes and Cars)

Once through the pair of check-in booths you’ll be directed round to the holding area, then down the grey bridge onto the floating stage. As you ride down the bridge to the stage your boarding pass will be collected so keep it handy, from that point the stage becomes a secure location so anyone not travelling will not be able to go down there, nor will you be allowed back up. Once on the stage you’ll be parked up in rows to wait your turn to board the ship. Bikes are sorted into “skinny” and “fat”, it’s not a comment on your waist, just whether you’ve got panniers fitted or not. Bikes normally go on first, then foot passengers, with cars put on last. If you’re on a bike and put onto the mezzanine deck, you’ll be first on but last off as the cars must be moved from the bow before you can move (you'll be given a wrist band to remind you and asked to remain seated until called to disembark)

Once on board the Manannan the deck crew will secure your bike to the railings on the deck, this is done by rope over the bike and around the foot peg, they'll put some cloth under the rope to protect your paintwork but if you want more protection take a bit of foam. 

Foot Passengers

If you’re travelling on foot its easier to get a taxi from Lime Street Station or you can walk from James Street (Wirral Line) or Moorfields (Northern and Wirral Lines) Merseyrail stations. You should head for the grey bridge linking the car check-in area to the floating stage, there is a pedestrian walkway on the left side of the bridge which takes you to the passenger lounge and check in. On your return journey, you’ll disembark over the car deck and after baggage reclaim on the stage, walk up Gate 3 (very steep at low tide) which brings you out opposite the cruise terminal (take care as you head from here towards the taxi rank as you’ll be crossing the exit route for bikes and cars)

Food

McDonalds* and KFC are on the Strand and are 24/7, but if you are here during the day, consider heading to the Baltic Triangle area. Thursday to Sunday I recommend the Baltic Market at Cains Brewery on Stanhope Street. A good place during the day is Brasco Lounge near to Liverpool Museum on the waterfront, just a few minutes’ walk from the terminal. If you want something more substantial head to Liverpool One or Castle Street.

* warning - a few bikes have been stolen in the past from McDonalds - don’t leave your bike unattended there!

Nearest Services and Facilities

Chemist - Boots, Church Street, L1 1DA 

Tesco - Strand L2 0PP - Daily 6am to 11pm

Tesco - Old Hall Street L3 9RQ - Daily 6am to 11pm (also Sainsburys opposite)

Cashpoints - at the above supermarkets

Hotels - many in the city centre, the nearest are:

Crown Plaza (opposite the terminal)

Mercure Atlantic Tower

Malmaison

Ibis (opposite Albert Dock)

Jury’s Inn (Kings Dock)

Shops - the open air Liverpool One Shopping area with 170+ shops is opposite the Albert Dock. Shops are open Mon to Fri 9:30am to 8pm; Sat 9am to 7pm; Sun 11am to 5pm

Fuel

Nearest petrol stations are:

Costco - Cardholders only - Waterloo Road L3 7HY - Store hours

BP - Great Howard Street L3 7AT - 7am to 10pm

BP - Sefton Street L8 6UD - 7am to 10pm

Shell - Scotland Road L5 5AQ - 24 hours

Shell - Derby Road L20 1AD - 24 hours

Shell - Edge Lane L7 9LD - 24 hours

Cruise Terminal

The cruise terminal is next to the Isle of Man terminal, and the ships berth on the same floating stage. Take care when cruise ships are in port, passengers are mostly American or continental European, who won’t be used to hundreds of bikes going past on the “wrong” side of the road. The larger ships can carry over 3,000 passengers and we can have up to 40 coaches heading to the terminal from shore excursions, plus hundreds of passengers walking back into the terminal especially in the late afternoon when our busy time is between 3pm and 6pm.

During cruise ship operations the section of Princes Parade adjacent to the cruise terminal is closed to traffic and pedestrians, but there is an alternative road around the back of the terminal 

During TT 2019, the following ships are scheduled:

Events

The following events are happening in Liverpool during the TT period:

• 25th to 26th May – Rock n Roll Marathon – see Website for road closures
• 31st May – Castle Street Food & Drink Festival – local road closures near to the town hall
• 31st May to 2nd June – Bordeaux Wine Festival – no road closures for this but the site is adjacent to the ferry terminal – so it will be busy with pedestrians.
• 1st to 2nd June – Mersey River Festival – see Website for road closures and be aware of the waterfront area near to the ferry terminal being very busy with pedestrians

Going Home

When disembarking from Manannan on the way home you’ll leave the stage via the shorter of the bridges, this can be VERY steep at low tide (1 in 4), so take care. When you get to the top and into St Nicholas Place lots of bikes will pull over to group together, so it can get very congested here, especially with taxis and cruise ship traffic, if you are going to wait to group up, try riding around the back of the cruise terminal where there is much more space on Princes Parade.

From St Nicholas Place you’ll come to the first set of traffic lights. 

• For the M62 or Wallasey Tunnel and M53. Turn left then get into the middle or right lane to head up Leeds Street then follow the signs to the motorway or tunnel.  
• For the Birkenhead tunnel (A41) go straight ahead (between the Mercure hotel and church) this road leads to the tunnel entrance
• For the M57 or M58, turn left and head north for 4 miles until you get to Seaforth and then follow the signs for the motorways.
• NOTE if you are used to leaving the terminal and going straight up Chapel St and over the flyover to head for the M62, don't, the flyover is closed awaiting demolition. Go via Leeds St above. 

I hope the information above has been useful. If you spot anything that needs correcting, amending or adding to, please leave a comment and I'll get it updated.

Ride safely. Look after yourself, your bike and belongings and have a great TT

13/04/2019 – Version 1 uploaded

Local Election Blog #2

Since submitting my nomination to stand for Liverpool City Council in the Clubmoor ward the only response I’ve heard from the Labour side is that they are “hoping to see Labour wiping the floor with the LibDem candidate” – obviously Jeremy Corbyn’s call for a “kinder politics” is lost on Labour in Liverpool.  I’m told that Clubmoor is a safe Labour ward and that nobody else stands a chance.  But is that true?

Well the raw figures point that way.  At the last election the Labour candidate won in Clubmoor with 83% of the vote.  However as with all statistics that doesn’t paint a true picture.  With turnout of 23% that means only 19% of the Clubmoor electorate voted Labour.  Just 4% voted for the other parties and 77% didn’t vote at all.

Labour may be complacent about winning the ward, but I think having over three quarters of the local community not voting is a sad reflection of the way the people of North Liverpool are simply taken for granted by the Labour Party.  Well this is your opportunity to look at your area and your city and ask yourself “is this good enough?”  I certainly don’t think the way the current Labour council is running this city is good enough. 

So what are the LibDems offering? Our manifesto, (read it here) the only party putting their plans forward by the way, outlines our plans for the city:

-Major changes in the way the council is run with an improvement in scrutiny and oversight of the Mayor and Cabinet

-A renewed pledge to abolish the position of the Elected Mayor of Liverpool.

- Establish a methodology to ensure that the council, in terms of both political and managerial leadership, is representative of the gender, faith and ethnic balances in the city as a whole.

- A pledge to protect both the World Heritage Status and the parks and green spaces of Liverpool.

- Proposals for improving health including encouraging all schools to develop ‘mile a day’ walking programmes and programmes for helping people buy and cook healthier food and drinks.

- Use the new Local Plan to reduce the number of student homes and will work with the Government and other agencies to deal with the problems of half-built developments all over the city and  available land for housing for families and not student pods or more one bedroomed flats.

I hope you read our manifesto and see that we have a strong plan for running the great city of Liverpool a better way. Building a sustainable future for the whole community.

Demand Better. Vote for Liverpool Liberal Democrats.

Sean Robertson
LibDems Candidate for Clubmoor

Local Elections 2019

This year's local elections will be a new experience as I'll have my name on the ballot paper having been nominated to stand for the Liberal Democrats in the Clubmoor ward in Liverpool.

I'm definitely not going into these elections with dreams of a landslide victory, Clubmoor is a solid Labour stronghold, but with the local party having ditched a long serving councillor and chosen a new candidate at least I'm not going up against an incumbent.  I also won't be producing any paper leaflets, you get enough rubbish put through your doors without me adding to it.

Why the LibDems? Well having been a member of the Labour Party for a quarter of a century, I thought the long dark days of Militant, and making promises we couldn't keep, were behind us. Whilst the Thatcher government deserves much of the blame for the near death of Liverpool in the 1980s, the then local Labour Party was another side of the same coin, driving business and a generation of people away from the city.  Pragmatism and the building of a business friendly approach saved Liverpool, making it one of the fastest growing cities in the country. However the decline of the 70s and 80s was so deep that the rebuilding of our city and its reputation still has a long way to go.

I was a supporter of Joe Anderson and I approve of much of what he has done, but I couldn't sit back and watch the  Momentum takeover of the local party put at risk what has been achieved by both the LibDems and Labour Councils over the last 30 years.

Having left the Labour Party I looked around at another party that best met by political instincts and found that home with the LibDems. Especially with their pro-European identity. Now I'm certainly not blind to the damage done to the party during the coalition government, indeed I lost my job in the civil service less than one year into that regime. But I'm can also see that they acted as a brake on the more extreme aspects of the Tories ideology, and what has happened since 2015 is testament to that.

What about me then, raised in a one parent family, missed a lot of school time when my mum had a mental health illness, left school with no qualifications, but was determined to dig my way out of the hole I was in, and have worked in both the public and private sectors all of my working life. I was born and lived in Seaforth until my early 20s, moved south to work in London for a year, which turned into 20 years! before returning home 8 years ago.

I'm also a strong believer in putting something back into the city and community so I spend most weekends volunteering in the tourism, culture and sporting sectors.

My main focus if elected to the council would be jobs. Once you've got a job, paying a real wage, then everything else becomes easier.  But getting investment into the city to create those jobs is only part of the solution. Issues around transport, childcare (and adult care), health care etc all impact on your ability to get and keep a job.

I'd also want to hold developers to account for what they building, some of the recent new buildings are just plain shoddy, and simply not good enough for a city like ours. The number of failed projects which leave empty frames in the city and developers walking away with their pockets full of other's money is a scandal which must be stopped.

Whilst there is no justification, or need, to building on our green spaces, we cannot afford to just leave them empty and unused. They must be seen as assets for the public good, safe spaces for children and adults alike to play in, socialise in and enjoy.

Finally, I can promise you one thing - honesty. Whilst I've never run for, or held political office before, I have always been interested in politics, and something that infuriates me is when politicians refuse to give a simple answer to a question. That won't be me.

So if you, like me, struggle to see what the Labour administration is actually achieving in the city, if you want a progressive alternative, if you want someone to represent you on the council and not the other way round, then please vote for me in Clubmoor.

Thanks
Seán

The Independent Group

I'm writing this on Wednesday evening, 20th February, with the newly formed The Independent Group (TIG) standing at 11 MPs, so this may well have grown by the time you read it.

From the outset I must declare my background, I supported the SDP in the Crosby By-Election in 1981, indeed I helped with leaflet printing and folding for that vote, however I later joined the Labour Party in the early 1990s, voted for Blair and Prescot to be Leader and Deputy, and was standing in Downing Street on a wonderful May morning in 1997 when Tony Blair arrived as our new PM.  However I became increasingly disillusioned with Labour after 2010, see Corbyn as a totally unsuitable man to lead the party or be in government and left the party to join the Liberal Democrats a couple of years ago.  I'm not an active member however, and I won't agree with the LibDems on all their policies but they are closer to my views on most things, especially on the disaster of Brexit.

Another thing I have become disillusioned with is the tribal pantomime we see in the House of Commons, Prime Ministers Questions especially is grotesque, no questions are every truly answered and the atmosphere is toxic.  I have always believed that the majority of people in this country are "small "c" conservatives with a social conscience".  And with the move to the right and left by the two main parties, there is a huge voting space in the centre which has no-one speaking for it.  Watching MPs on various political TV programmes it is infuriating that none of them seem to be able to answer a straight question, or they are blatantly economical with the truth.

I really believe there is a vacancy in the centre ground crying out for leadership and something to vote for.  I was therefore pleased to see 8 Labour MPs stand forward yesterday and even more so to see 3 Conservatives join them today.  There will be many areas which these 11 people disagree on, but importantly many more where they can find common ground, and Brexit is uppermost in that list.

Commentators have been eager to find out what TIG stands for, what are its policies, but this is only day 2 and so it is understandable that these details are not yet in place.  I am thinking however of why are they being pushed into building a similar model to the frankly rotten system we have now?  Why aren't we thinking wider, thinking outside the box.  What is wrong with not actually having a formal party?  How about having a vibrant, diverse coalition of independent, local MPs, elected to represent their own constituencies first and foremost, but who can cooperate on the big issues of the day to form a cohesive governing executive?  There would be no whipping system on the government benches, and the government would have to find consensus within TIG to get legislation passed.  Would that be such a bind, actually having to put effort in to persuade, not threaten, MPs to vote through any Bill.

These are early days, and with politics in upheaval it is anyone's guess what happens next, but with Brexit looming over us we do not have the luxury of time.

Watch this space indeed.

90% of growth is outside the EU

It's a quote that Brexiters are fond of repeating. That most GDP growth is outside of the EU. And of course they are right, some countries are growing faster that EU members, but as with all statistics the devil is in the detail.

Ethiopia 🇪🇹
The worlds fastest growing economy is Ethiopia. Over the last decade it has seen GDP growth of circa 8% per annum. This is to be welcomed, but it does not make it a rich country

If Ethiopia became part of the EU, it would be the largest member state, both physically (4 times the size of the UK) and by population (102m). It would also be the poorest. Its per capita GDP is less than 3% that of Ireland's.

So who should we trade with, Ethiopia or Ireland? The answer is of course both. But do we?

China is of course Ethiopia's largest trading partner, as they are leading foreign investment into the country. But if we look at the top 20 exporters into Ethiopia we see 7 EU members - Italy, Sweden, Germany, France, Belgium, the UK and the Netherlands in that order. EU membership obviously doesn't stop us trading with Ethiopia, nor does it stop Italy doing so by 3 times as much as we do. And of course the EU and Ethiopia trade under the auspices of an EBA (Everything But Arms) agreement which gives Ethiopia duty and quota free access to European markets.

By contrast our exports to Ireland (£34bn) are massive compared to Ethiopia (£200m).  Indeed Ireland imports 10 times as much from the UK than Ethiopia does from the entire world. So while there is plenty of opportunity to increase trade with the latter, only a fool would risk our trade with the former in order to do so. Unfortunately in the shape of Rees-Mogg, Johnson, Fox, Farage etc one thing we are not short of is fools.