Tories say insufficient consultation over changes
Conservative Councillors in Cleveland, Elthorne, Ealing Broadway, Walpole and Northfields ward are angry that the Council have rejected their request to consult wider on improvement to the LIDO junction, which has the highest number of accidents involving pedestrians in the borough.
Cllr Anthony Young, Shadow Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment said:
''Whilst we welcome true safety improvements, we are mindful that we need to consider the impact of any proposed changes on the north/south traffic flow on Argyle Road, Drayton Green Road and Northfield Ave and the risk of displacement. This is why we believe that the Council should be consulting as widely as possible in order to get a balanced view.
''There is an online consultation on the Council website, but we do not think that this alone will be sufficient. We have therefore recommended that a consultation session be held in the Waitrose car park and that the consultation be advertised in Around Ealing and the local papers. This request has been rejected by the current administration.
The more input we have from both pedestrians and motorists who use the junction, the greater chance of finding a workable solution.''
Responding to the criticism, Ealing Cabinet member for Environment & Transport, Councillor Bassam Mahfouz said:
'' After the long struggle to convince Transport for London that there is a need to have a green man phase at this dangerous junction, we are pleased that a consultation document will be landing on the doormats of over 2,600 households around the vicinity asking for feedback on these critically important proposals.
''In addition to this, we are placing notices at the junction to inform passers by whether they drive, walk or cycle as to how they can also take part in this crucial consultation. This is well beyond the standard practise adopted by the previous Tory administration on consultations of this type.
''Furthermore, I am working with West Ealing Neighbours who are looking to organise a public meeting to discuss the matter and which I look forward to attending.
''Sadly the Conservatives have been negative from the moment we informed them that we had been successful in delivering on what residents had asked us to do.''
Consultation will be found here (once it is uploaded): http://www2.ealing.gov.uk/services/council/consultations/current_consultations/
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17 November 2011
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