Forum Topic

Age does weary us.

The young staff manning the recent Heathrow Airport Expansion Display on Ealing Common were surprised that although the Elizabeth Line had step free access to the trains the stations' forecourts at Ealing Broadway and West Ealing had no facility to pick-up and drop-off the disabled, those with luggage, pushchairs and the walking elderly. This is contrary to the British Standard for the design for station forecourts for access for the disabled.Only two Tube stations have step-free access in Ealing. One Acton town has a lift that cannot be used to drop off passengers illegally because LBE have a CCTV camera operating there. This generated fines for drivers who try to drop off passengers who have difficulty with stairs.Ealing's transport portfolio holder and senior officer assume that they might never get old like Peter Pan and need some help to be able to access our trains. I have written to Rt Hon Nusrat Ghani MP Accessibility Minister just  10 days ago complaining of this stupidity. The other body who might help are Transport for London who have a party in Dean Gardens this Saturday 20th July. The focus of this is to spend large amounts of dosh to improve the park but wasn't large amounts spent on it recently when it was out of action for 9 months. Perhaps they are Peter Pan-like too. Certainly they are like Nero hoping to feed cyclists to lorries and buses down the Uxbridge Road; another numptie idea.And all this electronic parking stuff ..all designed for the young. Now with libraries under threatPerhaps now is the time to up sticks and go to Torquay or Eastbourne. Clearly we aren't wanted in Ealing.

Arthur Breens ● 2451d47 Comments

Spot on Philippa.Independents and community-led councils are the only way to stop the in-fighting and political ideology that precludes common-sense.

N V Brooks ● 2424d

I hope everyone who has commented here has completed the consultation:  http://socsi.in/9bXS1, action not whingeing is required.

Libby Kemp ● 2424d

Exactly right Philippa.

Arthur Breens ● 2424d

If there was less party politics at this level there might be more constructive progress.

Philippa Bond ● 2424d

I trust that the smug souls and the apathetic of Northfields who voted out the excellent Councillors Theresa Mullins and Fabio Conti are rightly ashamed of their decision.Still, Dave Millican still battles on for us.

N V Brooks ● 2425d

Of course they have to toe the party line, rather than represent the interests of the people in the wards who elected them.Take Councillor Paul Driscoll, elected in Northfields last year on a ticket that boasted how the Labour Council has saved the library here after the collapse of Carillion.Fast forward to last Thursday and the scrutiny committee meeting held after opposition councillors called in the library strategy which will see Northfields library closed. What do we see? Why, Cllr Driscoll mysteriously ‘substituted’ for another Labour goon from a different ward. One presumes Driscoll wants to be able to say his hands are clean when it comes to the crunch and our library disappears. How convenient for the spineless twerp!

Simon Hayes ● 2425d

No, a quiet word is had with them that they will be de-selected, and that does the trick.Local Democracy under Comrade Bell is alive & well, dontcha lovit!

Rosco White ● 2425d

There will be no "Kiss and Ride" at any of the stations if Bell and the Transport Officers get their way. And should any Labour councillor speak in public or vote against them on this or any other matter, they will get an immediate and threatening tweet telling them off.

Libby Kemp ● 2425d

Paul, you beat the same old drum again and again, and stil unconvincing.There are only too many cars on the road at certain times of the day in Ealing. The slow pace of traffic is entirely down to poor road layouts and a plethora of traffic lights and other poorly designed junctions.There are not more cyclists on the roads because there are too many cars, there are numerous reasons why people don’t cycle. It’s simply not the answer you and Bell claim it to be. Perhaps it suits a minority but even some of the cyclists I know don’t always want to ride for reasons other than traffic.Like many people who just don’t understand planning issues you take a very simplistic view of the world. People don’t ‘hang around local high streets’ for the reason that they are usually in a hurry or there simply aren’t the shops and services there that they need. Northfields Avenue is rapidly deteriorating as a centre, and it will be worse when the library closes (as it will).As I’ve said many times before it’s not illegal to own a car. Until such time that it is I will defend the right of every individual to drive one.What is a problem is the size of some of these cars, and I’m all for moves to be made to take size back to more sensible levels.I know you are utterly convinced by your own arguments, but most of us have to live in the real world!!

Simon Hayes ● 2425d

It's the Tory Price Hikes!    :-)))))))))

Rosco White ● 2426d

Not helped by the fact that the cost of one of the most effective drugs for T2D has risen five-fold in the last five years.

N V Brooks ● 2426d

Apparently diabetes is costing the NHS £10 billion a year and rising...

Philippa Bond ● 2426d

Traffic issues are caused by... too many cars on the road..Too many cars on the road causes less cyclsts, which causes more cars on the road.Too many cars on the road causes issues with bus services, which causes more cars.More capacity for cars means more cars which means less of the above which means more delays and more pollution.More cars and more pollution means less people want to hang around local high streets, so more people get more ars to drive out of town.What part of this unsustainable picture are you not getting Simon!?

Paul James ● 2426d

It looks as though motor car travel as we knew it has had its day.  Although people like personal transport there is no longer the space together with the flexibility required for one person or many unless we are sharing cars or have another system.This is where better and greater subsidised public transport is needed.  The cost of the new modern hydrogen buses is very expensive too.There is a TfL consultation out now on a sort of dial a ride service.  They have something like this in Oxford and in other cities around the world.  We all need to be giving feedback on this as well as looking for a kiss and ride option at Ealing Broadway plus plenty of disabled parking.

Philippa Bond ● 2426d

Ealing plays a very good game of taking money away when it comes to roads. £11million last year from fines alone. That’s on top of CPZ and parking revenue, all of which is ring-fenced for transport in the borough.Now, according to the Local Implementation Plan which was hushed and rushed through earlier this year the Council is planning to spend millions on cycling infrastructure including bike lanes and bike hangers, the latter costing £5,000 apiece. This is all with the intention of encouraging more cycling because we’re all so unhealthy, according to Julian Bell.That’s fine for the minority for whom cycling is a pleasure but it does little for the majority who either can’t or won’t cycle. It’s not Bell’s place, or any councillors for that matter, to dictate how I should live my life. There are plenty of other activities that encourage a healthy lifestyle that the council chooses to ignore. Providing proper sports facilities in the borough, at affordable rates, would be a start. But instead it gives land to the likes of QPR for nothing on the understanding that there will be some community benefit. And the provision of leisure centre facilities is poor, with Gurnell earmarked for redevelopment this year. The replacement centre will lose open space outside because inevitably they plan to build flats on it.Of course, Bell likes cycling, and I guess he might like a dedicated cycle lane to be built between the house he rents from A2Dominion and the one he owns with his wife. FYI, a kilometre of segregated cycle lane costs £500,000 to build, so you do the maths when it comes to how much of our money is spent on such schemes.

Simon Hayes ● 2426d

It's the Tory cuts!  :-))))))))

Rosco White ● 2426d

In 2018 The Chancellor gave an extra £420 million pounds to Councils for potholes.  They play a game of taking money away from something and then giving it or some of it back as it had never been there in the first place and to give the impression of being benevolent.

Philippa Bond ● 2427d

What have other councils got to do with it? Ealing is responsible for maintaining most of the roads and paving in the borough. It has set aside £3.6million for that this year. It needs double that investment at least to start dealing with the problem. We don’t need underused cycle lanes, particularly when every cyclist I know says the potholes and cracks on existing roads make their riding experience a lottery.And you can’t keep bleating about fewer cars as the solution. That’s not going to happen when the services people need are either inaccessible or hugely inconvenient to get to by public transport.The traffic issues are caused by badly designed junctions coupled with interminable roadworks from utility companies and compounded by some very bad and/or inexperienced drivers.

Simon Hayes ● 2427d

Other Councils have pavements in a worse state.  Cars, delivery vans and lorries, skip lorries and scaffolding lorries driving over the pavement and kerb all take their toll.  Many more people are now working using their own work vans.  We need fewer cars on the road.  There just isn't room for everyone to drive - especially singly - if they really don't need to.  Most of us have a choice if only we'd be bothered to do something about it.

Philippa Bond ● 2427d

‘Don’t forget this is happening everywhere and in all work so if you trip over a damaged pavement your world can fall apart’All the more reason for the Council to allocate more of its parking and traffic fine generated revenue towards repairing and maintaining the existing road and paving infrastructure rather than spanking it on very expensive cycle lanes that a very small minority of Ealing residents will actually use.But then the pro-bike lobby can’t see beyond the end of their front wheels when it comes to transport policy. Maybe all that Lycra squeezes the common sense out of them!

Simon Hayes ● 2427d

The ones that you have spoken to are going to be the ones who haven't had any accident or illness and ended up unable to work.  With months of waiting for physiotherapy on the NHS just for rehabilitation after an accident and no sick pay the situation can be very different.  Once the company has taken their cut and all the expenses such as car lease and insurance have been paid by the driver and taken into  account they may not be earning the minimum wage.  What happens when there are excess numbers of them circling and looking for custom and no fares?Don't forget that this happening everywhere and in all work so if you trip over a damaged pavement your world can fall apart.

Philippa Bond ● 2428d

I do wonder how many Uber drivers, Deliveroo riders etc you have spoken with personally to reach this opinion Philippa. As a result of business travel and opting not to own a car for quite a long period, I would estimate I have had a conversation with over 250 Uber drivers to understand if they feel hard done by or see their hours and compensation as a choice.Firstly, many of these hard working people come from far poorer countries and they are appreciative of the fact they can work and bring families up in a comparatively safe place . Secondly, many of those with whom I have spoken choose the “gig” economy thanks to the flexibility in hours they are afforded. They cite examples such as working at hours when the kids are at school but being able to do drop off and pick up. Thirdly, they appreciate the “work harder, earn more” idea.The Corbynist views on this subject are really not the views of the vast number of gig economy workers on the ground, at least in my experience. Simply believing that all these good people are somehow victims of a capitalist scam is utter nonsense, and certainly not how the people themselves see their work. Many of them take pride in what they do and it is condescending to assume the opposite.The opportunity to work is a great thing. What you do with that opportunity matters a lot. Personal ambition and accountability mean there is work and that can be a stepping stone to the next thing. If you are ambitious and work hard, you can improve your income to whatever level your natural talent enables. What a refreshing concept.

James Putland ● 2430d

Why exactly do you think that so many people are working in the gig economy with no job security working all hours?  They can be working all nights as a cleaner and then as a delivery driver during the day.  No sick pay.  Rents in London are expensive and the standard of accommodation is poor for a supposedly 1st world country.  Complain to the landlord that the roof is leaking and you can be evicted.

Philippa Bond ● 2434d

Totally Agree N V Brooks.Our wonderful Benefits System has transformed from a Safety Net into a Hammock.

Rosco White ● 2435d

Quite easily.Fewer low-paid people now pay tax on their income reducing the need for benefits.The living wage if increased would enable fewer to claim benefits.Or, they simply do what I did when in a low-paid job. Work all the hours God sends and get a second job to pay the mortgage.Many think that they have a right to everything and that if they don't have it then someone else (normally the Government) is to blame. They are supported in this delusion by those who believe that 'government cuts' are the root of all evil.

N V Brooks ● 2436d

I don't see how you can maintain that position when you create jobs so that you can just say that more people are employed even though they don't earn enough to live on and so they are also in need of benefits.

Philippa Bond ● 2436d

Irony is of course lost on you Philippa else you would be questioning why Ealing's reserves have increased to an all-time high of almost three quarters of a billion pounds.Delighted that central and local government involvement in people's lives is being reduced.Whatever happened to personal responsibility and accountability?  People actually taking control of their lives rather than relying on 'the state' (in other words other taxpayers) to wipe their noses for them.Of course there has to be a safety net for the truly indigent and this continues but is obfuscated by the sheer number of hand-outs for every aspect of one's life.But let us not let facts get in the way of you playing the same broken record eh?

N V Brooks ● 2436d

You are absolutely right Rosco.  It is the Tory cuts which have resulted in so many problems for the majority of the population. It is current Tory ideology to reduce the amount of state involvement in people's lives.  It's so tunnel visioned when you need to look at a bigger picture to see the consequences. Even Churchill believed that the state should provide both a ladder and a safety net.

Philippa Bond ● 2436d

As usual, you miss the point entirely Ms Bond.Anyway, it's the Tory cuts!

Rosco White ● 2443d

You do realise that "Consultations" and their accompanying costs are a Govt requirement when putting up Council Tax more than a certain small percentage don't you?We elect GLA members and we should engage more with what is being discussed instead of sitting at home and moaning about the decisions made.  The invitation is there for ideas and feedback. Why not take it?

Philippa Bond ● 2443d

Always makes me laugh these "Consultations."Farce.

Rosco White ● 2445d

www.london.gov.uk        Londontalk

Philippa Bond ● 2446d

I know in the past we've had trouble picking up and setting down passengers on the forecourt because of the private parking enforcement but is it still accessible?  At one time it was closed off altogether.  Does this mean that taxis can't access it either?  Do they just stop on Haven Green now which is a long way with a suitcase?  Buses aren't that good to get on and off and they can throw you around particularly if you are even just a little unsteady on your feet - let alone have any baggage.  Ealing Broadway has always been the station to go to to get to the west country without having to trek into central London in order to come out again.

Philippa Bond ● 2446d

I spent a little time at and around Ealing Broadway Station tonight. I hoped to see proper drawings of the planned public realm around the station that is being consulted on now.Plenty of willing hoardings but no displays. So it is Chris Cole LBE transport chief UTR. Does everything under the radar. The quality of the consultation is so poor no wonder he doesn't want it on display.

Arthur Breens ● 2446d

Sadly far from being 'sorted out' the private forecourt at Ealing Broadway station still precludes anyone dropping off or picking up a mobility impaired passenger.Ealing COULD have done something when they reorganised the cab rank meaning a very short 'push' for someone in a wheelchair but there is simply not a station in Ealing (save for the northbound platform at North Ealing underground) where one can legally stop to drop-off.

N V Brooks ● 2446d

"The aim of the designer/engineer is to maintain a high quality experience for all drivers to make sure they return to shop and thereby sustain profits."This is completely unsustainable and not possible or desirable in our towns and cities in the UK.I'd go so far to say I blame the car for the destruction of our towns and high streets as they make them an unpleasant place to be and of course, people with cars drive off to out of town supermarkets anyway, so cars are doubly to blame for high street destruction.Not even in the USA where they often put aside acres of space for drivers does it work well.

Paul James ● 2447d

I recall years back Ealing council tried to but failed.I guess with the proposed development to hook up with crossrail this must've been sorted out now though.

Paul James ● 2447d

I wouldn't trust the DaFT led by the hapless and hopeless Grayling to put a two-piece jigsaw together let alone do something sensible like increase access to transport.

N V Brooks ● 2447d

Philippa,The consultation documents although surprisingly poor seem to show that all areas previously causing problems are now "in the plan". See LBE website current consultations.

Arthur Breens ● 2447d

So shouldn't the DoT and TfL compulsory purchase it?

Philippa Bond ● 2447d

It really doesn't matter how many lifts are at Ealing Broadway TBH as there is nowhere to set-down a disabled passenger. The forecourt is private property and is strictly enforced.While that stations may be accessible at some future date this is virtually pointless for users of wheelchairs or mobility aids as they simply cannot get near enough the the station in the first place.  The hapless Khan has little , if any, influence over the means of access outside the station, that is a matter for individual councils.Ealing does particularly badly (no stations). Hounslow are far from perfect but they have a number of fully accessible stations with set-down points(five) as do Hillingdon (four).

N V Brooks ● 2448d

Have you tried taking this up with the Mayor of London who is trying to get all the train and underground stations in London accessible to the disabled.  I understood that there were supposed to be 4 lifts at the new Ealing Broadway station.  Has the design changed?  I also understood that all the shops had changed hands now.  Is there still the problem with the private parking contractor sending parking fines to people who drop off passengers?

Philippa Bond ● 2448d

Thank you Libby and N.V. Brooks,Our problem is that in Ealing we don't have the quality transport engineers they have say in France. LBE's "engineer" (Mr Cole) even brushed aside the British Standard for the design of station entrances. This promotes a disabled bay adjacent to the station entrance. In other words he was saying this guidance wasn't relevant at West Ealing Station. He never explained why he had taken such an arrogant and stupid position to ignore its guidance.What he did say was that he wanted a wider pavement for passenger mingling. I said that I had delivered many thousands of leaflets for the Labour Party and for Ealing Save Our NHS at station entrances. In doing so I had witnessed the "rush hour" but no mingling. Ealing Broadway may be  different. Mr Cole refused to accept or consider this evidence. What he did say was that blue badge holders can park anywhere anyway. No that is stupid as well.As a designer you try to plan what people and motorists do. That is exactly what happens in supermarket car parks. Designated bays are provided for the disabled and for those with children so they don't interfere with the passage of other drivers entering or leaving the car parks. They may interfere with the smooth flow of other vehicles if left to their own devices. The aim of the designer/engineer is to maintain a high quality experience for all drivers to make sure they return to shop and thereby sustain profits.I will write to Cllr Rooney to try to explain the weakness of the chap in charge of Ealing Broadway Station Forecourt design as evidenced in our discussions re West Ealing Station. She might then be able to help produce a better design for Ealing Broadway. For a start a better consultation design might help.

Arthur Breens ● 2449d

At least you got a response.There re NO fully accessible mainline or underground stations in Ealing where a disabled passenger can be set down with fully step-free access to the platforms. North Ealing comes close but only if you are travelling towards Uxbridge.Shameful.Brentford is now about the best choice as there are drop of points at both platforms and there is fully step-free access for those with a mobility impairment.And they wonder why people drive!

N V Brooks ● 2450d

Following on from the Crossrail Scrutiny meeting I wrote to Councillor Rooney questioning Ealing’s attitude to their Public Realm responsibilities. To spoil the ship for a ha'porth of tar is what Ealing is in danger of doing, by not planning for Kiss and Ride drive throughs. Billions have been spent on Crossrail, and it is not just the disabled who need easy access to the station.  Ealing Broadway will be a major station for accessing trains to Heathrow, people have luggage and not all use black cabs, people will be given lifts and what about people arriving by Uber? Positioned correctly Kiss and Ride are not difficult to manage, they are operated successfully at hundreds of stations and airports all over Europe.  Most people have mobile phones so passengers departing the station can call in their rides, who with the change in parking restrictions would be able to park relatively close to the station.Allowing Kiss and Ride could have a significant effect on the decision to drive to Heathrow and other rail termini or take the train and not just for those with mobility problems and heavy luggage.As a councillor please insist that the possibilities of Kiss and Ride is looked at again before the entrances to Ealing Broadway and other stations are finalised.  A consultation with residents, many of whom have town planning, transport and architectural backgrounds may shed a fresh light on this problem. And this is the reply from Councillor Rooney.“I understand your concerns however I'm afraid the issues with implementing "kiss and ride" at Ealing Broadway relate to the lack of space due to the position of the station entrance on the bridge and issues around security. The area around Ealing Broadway is very restricted in terms of road space and yet it has a large number of requirements – buses, taxis, pedestrian crossings, loading for shops and offices.  There simply isn’t room to include everything in the kerb space available.  Additionally, if “kiss and ride” were to be provided, it would almost certainly be abused in the way the existing loading areas are.The intention of the public realm scheme is to make the space in front of the station a high-quality gateway to the town centre.  This also has to incorporate certain security requirements, as Ealing Broadway is a category A station, and this means that the old “slip road” drop off area cannot be replaced and we are not permitted to allow vehicles that close to the station entrance. Officers are continuing to work with TfL to see if some of the bus stops can be relocated or amalgamated so that space could be provided for a kiss-and-ride point, but so far they have been unable to reach an agreement.It is also Council policy to discourage short-distance trips by car, which could be cycled or walked, as these significantly contribute to traffic congestion and air pollution.  With the frequency of the trains at all 5 Crossrail stations (including West Ealing) in the Borough increasing and all the stations being made accessible for people with mobility issues, this does provide a range of alternative stations with good train services in the near vicinity if drop off is a particular requirement.I hope this information helps, however please let me know if you have any further questions.”I am not happy with Councillor Rooney’s reply and I think if enough people protest we may get somewhere, they do have c. £19 million to be spent on Transport projects. This would be a very worthy cause.

Libby Kemp ● 2450d

No they cannot.The forecourt of Ealing Broadway station (from which I have been unable to travel for the last none years because of the steep stairs down to platform level) is private property and the Blue Badge concession simply does not apply.Equally, not everyone with a mobility impairment has a Blue Badge.

N V Brooks ● 2450d

Surely anybody with a blue badge can be dropped off as blue badge holders can pretty much stop where they like as long as it's not dangerous?

Paul James ● 2450d