Forum Topic

Longfield Ave survey data

I see today's headlines and now would like to see the survey detail.In the past this has been difficult and sometimes so called research has been conducted in a completely different area and was irrelevant to the problem under discussion. Any one with any ideas?

Arthur Breens ● 2952d7 Comments

I really liked the subtlety and journalistic craft in the heqadline for the Ealing Today story:Council Changes Tack On Longfield Avenue PedestrianisationFor those of you not familiar with sailing (or who didn't read all the Arthur Ransom Swallows and Amazons series of books as a child) "tacking" is a sailing process for moving into on on-coming wind where the boat is manoeuvred by sailing left and then reversing and sailing to the right into the oncoming wind at a shallow angle so that the boat moves slowly forward while sailing distances into the left and then the right of the oncming wind. Repeated enough times and you get there very slowly into the wind. In changing tack you change the direction of the boat from left to right, or right to left as you zig-zag into the oncoming wind setting your sails into a shallow abgle.So, the Editor has got it spot on, it is a change of tack. Many suspected, a few knew, and we all have now had it revealed to us that the council intends to pedestrianise Longfield Avenue as part of some glad-handed property development scheme. The council is still heading towards this, it is just having to move more slowly into the oncoming wind to get where its wants to, and so has "changed tack". Though the objective remains the same.Very well implied, Editor!

Mark Julian Raymond ● 2862d

Told you so. Didn't take long.http://www.ealingtoday.co.uk/default.asp?section=info&page=eaperceval004.htm

Brian Woodgate ● 2882d

It's basically a fiefdom built with taxpayers' cash, but which is wholly averse to democratic accountability.The answer is torches and pitchforks.

Brian Woodgate ● 2949d

Its done & dusted, the ridiculous decision by the fools at Ealing Council have implemented a permanant ban.I agree with all the forum authors response to this post, a cash cow.Ealing Council & TFL cause congestion & pollution.They are 2 faced as I witnessed their own contractors working in Northfields Ave, making a dangerous obstruction with no lights & the wrong signs out. When I took photos ( wish I knew how to place here), the workers got uptight.AND Cllr Joanna D, Popes Lane lights. That is a danger, why so long for action to be taken??Councils foolhardy schemes are up & running in weeks, needless cars ticketed in seconds but that sites been dangerous for months. Why???

Peter Yale ● 2949d

crashmap.co.uk is the governments official statistical tool measuring road traffic collisions. You can look at statistics for the past 18 years at this road junction and see there is no significant "hotspot" which could possibly justify these road changes. There are other areas in the borough which require urgent remodelling however, no money is ever spent on these as no money would ever be generated from genuine road improvements.

Kris Smith ● 2949d

Brian,You have to ask what type of Perceval Castle culture continuously hides data from the people who are paying the wages of these officers who work there.

Arthur Breens ● 2950d

The council will be doing their best to keep all the data under wraps. I guess it'll have to be a formal freedom of information request.In any case it's all nonsense. The measure is effectively to ban traffic, so of course traffic will be reduced and the road will become safer. By that logic just ban traffic from every road and there will be no accidents anywhere, ever.I suspect the intention was nothing to do with safety, but is really a step toward a long-term objective of pedestrianizing the road, that would create a more sympathetic environment for Dickens Yard and other future developments in the planning. The resurfacing of the road with tiles a few years ago was the first step.And of course it's a cash cow.

Brian Woodgate ● 2951d