Coal prices

A._Badger

Interesting to see another government 'watchdog' proving itself as toothless and useless as we all know they are!

I really think the only hope on this one is if an MP or two could be roused to action - but my experience is that few of them care unless there are serious numbers of votes in an issue.

My guess is that too few of us burn solid fuel for any of the fat cats in Westminster to care. I'd like to be proved wrong, of course.

welshsue

Just signed petition as my coal has gone up 26% on this time last year, Calor gone up 45% and electric 66% (but part of that is they took standing charge off but hid it within rate increase!).
Something needs to be done to bring these prices down.

Stuckupahill

A._Badger wrote: »

My guess is that too few of us burn solid fuel for any of the fat cats in Westminster to care. I'd like to be proved wrong, of course.

Unfortunately I think you're dead right.
The only way to get anything changed is to prove that coal producers are price fixing - which is very difficult.
Am going to email a few of the local ones here (south Wales) anyway to ask why housecoal is so expensive - especially when according to their own websites the AVERAGE selling price for a tonne of coal is just 38 quid.

SEE

andygo999 wrote: »

Unfortunately I think you're dead right.
The only way to get anything changed is to prove that coal producers are price fixing - which is very difficult.
Am going to email a few of the local ones here (south Wales) anyway to ask why housecoal is so expensive - especially when according to their own websites the AVERAGE selling price for a tonne of coal is just 38 quid.

Quite right, they are buying in at £38 tonne. A disgraceful mark-up when passed to the consumer at what is averaging £300 a tonne:mad: I was told there were no controls over what can be charged, and it does appear they're all in collusion with each other. I emailed a few local coal mines yesterday and will let you know if they reply.

mardatha

So why doesn't Gordonw Brown, who comes from a mining community, get his silly a$$ in gear and instead of throwing money at bosses to provide pretend jobs, put the same money into opening up just ONE coal mine !! Thus providing more jobs and helping his balance of payments nightmare !!

Lady_Python

mardatha wrote: »

So why doesn't Gordonw Brown, who comes from a mining community, get his silly a$$ in gear and instead of throwing money at bosses to provide pretend jobs, put the same money into opening up just ONE coal mine !! Thus providing more jobs and helping his balance of payments nightmare !!

Simply because this government, more than any other, panders to the "environmentalists" (Greenies). The reason being, by keeping prices high, the "Global Warming-now-called-Climate Change" scam going it rakes in megabucks in tax and gives this government, along with the EU ever more ways to dream up more and more taxes. Plasma TVs seem to be the latest thing to get clobbered. At least I don't have one of those. Just an old-fashioned telly. Couldn't afford one of those fancy things even if I wanted one LOL.

Brown won't do anything about it simply because he and his government are too busy lining their pockets at our expense.

Still, it would seem from listening to the news earlier on tonight that the major parties are gearing up for a General Election. As far as I'm concerned, the sooner the better. I can't wait to vote this greedy, evil, corrupt lot out of power.

reeree

pink_princess wrote: »

I don t actually know,they knocked at the door two years ago(they were just starting up a round) offered it to us £2 pound cheaper than we were paying.
Its also better quality not so little bits,burns well (not that brick type yuk)
They come once a fortnight and we ve had no problems with it.
I want to get into paper brick making though make it even cheaper .(im a cheap skate lol)
HTH
PP

ive never heard of this before how do you do it, i pay £14 a bag for smokeless fuel and need 2 a week

Stuckupahill

Lady_Python wrote: »

Simply because this government, more than any other, panders to the "environmentalists" (Greenies). The reason being, by keeping prices high, the "Global Warming-now-called-Climate Change" scam going it rakes in megabucks in tax and gives this government, along with the EU ever more ways to dream up more and more taxes.

Do you any evidence to back this up or are you just making it up as you go along....?
According to one merchant i spoke to today it's quite the opposite to what you claim....
Coal producers (ie the ones who own the pits and dig the coal out) aren't excessively taxed. What's more a number of them have received Government grants (for development and to provide jobs etc).
It's the pit owners and the factors (agents who sell coal to the merchants) who are setting the coal prices...and there's no Government watchdog keeping an eye on them - more's the pity! They can charge what they like....so they do.
The small percentage of people keeping in a real fire is hardly enough to set world alight (!) when it comes to global warming.
It's the huge coal-fired power stations the environmentalists target - not little old ladies who like an open fire.
You really should stop reading the Daily Mail.......

ndg123

Lady_Python wrote: »

Have signed the petition (although I haven't had the confirmation e-mail yet) and will pass it on to as many people as I can think of.

We're opening up our coal fire soon which also has the added benefits of being able to burn a lot of rubbish so no maggots this year and I'll use the ash to dig into the ground where I grow some of our veg.

What really does annoy me is we're sitting on enough coal in this country to keep the home fires burning for hundreds of years and keep a lot of people in work, yet we're importing inferior coal from other countries - and all because a minority of people who have probably never had a job in their lives, or done anything worthwhile or have been born with the silver spoon in their mouths make a loud noise about the environment:mad:

Putting coal ash on your vegetable patch is not advisable due to the trace elements which may be present such as heavy metals. Wood ash is fine though.

surfsister

only 17 signed up so far come on guys n gals!