Happy New Year. In no particular order or likelyhood of coming true, here's my political wishes for 2009:

Wishes for Edinburgh

1. The SNP/Lib Dem administration get themselves together to make sure Edinburgh gets the most of the tram scheme, and show a bit of leadership on this one. Otherwise lines 1b/1c and 2 will never get built.

2. They quit playing politics with regeneration cash.

3. They cut excessive spending on roads and start prioritisiing and spending more on promoting active travel modes like walking and cycling. It took the Greens to stand up for cyclists in 2008.

4. Roads projects like the farcical Portobello roadabout project need to be sorted, and soon. It's amazing that the current administration can make such a huge congestion cock-up in one of the few parts of the city that isn't affected by the tram works.

5. Public transport cuts are not acceptable. Lothian buses should recieve extra funding if needed to maintain routes that are suffering because of the tram works.

6. Planning. No more permission for excessivly tall buildings,  a greater respect for the built heritage of Edinburgh, the views into and out of the city, and no more expansion of out of town shopping areas or the airport.

7. It would be nice to see more of our local councillors blogging. Cllrs Rose, Burns and Aitken all do a pretty good job as a blogging opposition. There other council bloggers in the Labour party too, notably those in the Labour party. It's a shame, and frankly quite surprising that more councillors don't do this., particularly those in power. The leaders report isn't enough.

8. Edinburgh becomes the first local authority in Scotland to introduce parking charges designed to discourage ownership of high emission cars - and encourage low emission car use.

Holyrood

1. Opposition to new nuclear plants in Scotland is maintained and further progress on renewables is made.

2. Implementation of free home insulation for all programme as part of a Scottish Green New Deal. This would help to tackle rising fuel poverty and unemployement.

3. Less subsidies for home owners and building companies. The millions saved should be put into the free home insulation programme. Support for RSL's to purchase homes and rent them back at social rent levels to struggling families should be maintained or increased.

4. Abandon the 2nd Forth Road Bridge project. Invest in the current one - money saved to be invested in national sustainable transport projects and improving rail services.

5. Introduction of a reverse vending scheme for as many categories of food packaging as possible, combined with a disposable plastic bag tax to help pay for introduction of reverse vending scheme.

6. A ban on all new faith schools with a commitment to cutting the numbers of them in the long run.

7. SNP abandon proposals for a local income tax of any kind and Greens win the argument for a Land Value Tax.

8. Local authorities to be given new powers to regulate bus services.

9. Climate change to be taken seriously. The SNP can't keep building new roads, bridges and permitting the building of more energy inefficient buildings whilst claiming to be world leaders on climate change.