The Green Party came out in force on Wednesday to hand morning commuters leaflets highlighting Green Party plans that could save households in Barnet £1500 over four years, by lowering transport fares and cutting energy bills.

A range of additional Green proposals would leave residents in Barnet with even more money in their pockets as a result of lower food prices, rents and increased wages for the lowest paid (1).

Over the last 12 years, Green Party members of the London Assembly have already made Londoners better off by working successfully to introduce the London Living Wage, redirecting money away from roadbuilding plans and spearheading major investigations leading to improvements in housing and the environment.

A M Poppy, the Green Party’s London Assembly candidate for Barnet and Camden, said: “Our presence for more than a decade on the London Assembly has shown how Greens can make significant savings and a better quality of life for the people here.

“This austerity is a painful and unfair regime that hits the poorest hardest. Having Greens on the London Assembly means that Londoners have champions who fight for their welfare and welbeing, working to create a more affordable London.”

Under the Green party’s new proposals:

- Fares would be cut across the transport system, paid for by a new London-wide Pay-As-You-Drive scheme (2)
- Rents would be lowered through new co-operative and social renting schemes (3)
- Food costs would come down through an expansion of street markets (4)
- The income of the lowest paid workers would be increased through an extension of the London living wage (5)
- Energy bills would diminish through the refurbishment of over one million homes by 2015 (6).

Jenny Jones, the Green Party’s Mayoral candidate, said: “In the Green vision for London, the capital would become a more affordable place to live, work, travel and relax.

“During these times of increasing financial strain, only the Green Party is offering Londoners the possibility of tangible, realistic, everyday savings. In total our policies could save London households £1,500 over the next four years. For many, the money could be the difference between staying afloat and going under.”

Notes:

1. £1500 figure is saving over 4 years based on annual average transport savings of £200 a year (see 2 below) and energy savings from home refurbishment of £155 a year (see 6 below) allowing for conservative estimate of annual energy and transport inflation of 5% (total £1530.10). Lower earning households could save even more if household members are paid a Living wage and pay rent.
2. The Green Party’s proposals contained in a budget amendment tabled by Assembly members would save on average £40 in 2012/13, before the Pay As You Drive Scheme. The saving with the Pay-As-You-Drive scheme could bring average savings of £200
3. Move from average private rented home (£1,280/mo) into a social rented home (£386/mo) would save £894 a month. Better rights for private tenants rises are closer to CPI for two years, (estimate 4% instead of 8%) would mean new lettings would average £1615 instead of £1740/mo – a saving of £125 a month (baseline figs from the Valuation Office for private rent and DCLG for social rent).
4. Average savings on food would be £465, based on LDA estimate, June 2010, London’s Street Markets. Annual average saving verses supermarket prices.
5. Moving from the minimum wage (£6.08) to a living wage (£8.30) the average full time employee would earn around £4,000 more a year.
6. Average annual saving would be £155 Source: GLA, March 2011, RE:NEW demonstration projects summary report.
7. Photos of Green Party candidates, including Jenny Jones, can be found here.
8. A list of Green Party London policies can be found here.
9. A full list of Green Party candidates for the London Assembly elections can be found here.
10. A list of achievements by the Green Party in the London Assembly can be found here.
11. The Green Party of England and Wales promotes the policies of ecological sustainability, a fairer more stable economy, a more equal society, a higher standard of democracy and accountability of politicians to the communities they serve, and social justice on the global level as well as in our own country.
12. Caroline Lucas became the UK’s first Green MP in the 2010 General Election.
13. The Green Party is now the largest party on Brighton and Hove Council.