In September, Lyme Regis town council agreed the use of a car parking space so Belinda could establish a trial for a car club with a hybrid car, while exploring the different options for e-bike rental and e-car club schemes.
Outside the town council, Belinda is co-ordinating the Royal College of Art's 'Our Future Towns' sustainable transport planning research project for Lyme Regis.
Lyme Regis proved to have the best engagement at the initial stage of the three towns involved in the research (Biggleswade in Bedforshire and Haltwhistle in Northumbria), with especially encouraging responses from young people, thanks to excellent links with the Woodroffe School and the Community Support group.
The presentation of the research findings is scheduled for 'Sustainable Transport Day' on November 16th and funding is currently being sought for a second research phase next year.
In wider political involvement locally, Belinda helped to steer a merger between West Dorset for Europe and Dorset for Europe to strengthen campaigning work across the county. Campaigns include EU citizens rights, holding the government to account and addressing the democratic deficit.
Belinda and others from Dorset, Devon, Somerset and Cornwall for Europe groups are producing West County Bylines. The citizen journalism venture, launched on 23rd July had nearly 170,000 visitors by 9th October, with one article clocking up 25,000 reads. Please read and share the articles widely and get involved in West Country Bylines - Progressive, Internationalist, Speaking truth to power.
Back in Lyme Regis, Belinda organised the town's second Totally Locally Fiver Fest from 10th to 31st October. 44 Lyme and Uplyme businesses have joined the Fiver Fest, which offers bargains for £5 in shops, cafes and pubs including cream teas, face masks, fudge gift boxes, lunch deals, Christmas bundles and T-shirts, to encourage everyone to support their local independent businesses.
If you would like to get involved with any of these initiatives in Lyme then please send Belinda an email via dorsetgreenparty@gmail.com
