Forum Topic

What happens post 6th May next year?

The local Conservatives in the Hanger Hill constituency popped a leaflet through the door this morning. Worrying headline that says that the council won't rule out LTN's coming back after the election which they will win but hopefully with a reduced majority. There's also the news that the Gurnell pool won't be re-opening, almost certainly because they will try again to build on a scarce leisure facility. Hopefully the decision to build an 8 storey tower on the current care home site in Pitshanger Lane will be referred to a higher authority to reject an out of place scheme that will look completely alien. Well done Labour

peter king ● 1397d22 Comments

My theory on Gilligan is that the Prime Minister likes him because he gives him simple answers to complex questions. Sadiq Khan ditched many of the ideas that were initiated by Gilligan when Johnson was Mayor but they were resurrected. Gilligan apparently despises Sadiq Khan for what he sees as his lack of nerve of carrying through his plans but the chances are that TfL transport officers just pointed out they were unworkable. Gilligan has now crushed any opposition from within TfL which is entirely dependent on him for funding.The other consideration is that the regularity of Johnson's amorous fulfilment is partly dependent on how many green measures he can say he is introducing as his wife is apparently very keen on these kind of schemes.

Andy Jones ● 1393d

https://www.facebook.com/SlideinEaling/

Philippa Bond ● 1394d

If you mean the Slide Bus which was a good idea and beginning to work, it was the first casualty of the LTNs and Covid.The routes became completely inoperable without long detours delays and raised costs rendering the scheme unviable.It was very quietly dropped.But ought to now be reinstated as those viability obstacles are now extant.

Raymond Havelock ● 1394d

My post was about Demand Responsive Transport not LTNs.  I understood that Ealing and Sutton had been chosen because they had high car use. It is a shame that the trial came to an end  because of Covid. It needed more time for people to get used to it and it very successful in other places and other countries.

Philippa Bond ● 1394d

As I'm constantly out an about daily ( Usually on my bike) in what were 4 LTNs there is barely any difference in traffic. Yes the distributor/ Feeder roads built as such are busier but the main noticeable thing is delivery vans.But then again as LTNs were still live roads the weaving around of delivery vehicles and the revising and three point turning has reduced so it pretty much the same.It does seem quieter except at weekends. But the Uxbridge road is far busier as is Windmill Lane and is far more congested. The Bus Stand there is the culprit.But that's the rub. They imposed LTNs on what were quieter than average neighbourhoods and carved divisions in local community facilities.No thought to anyone with mobility issues or health issues or day to day life.Ealing is not full of mindless car users, but it does suffer a high rate of through traffic both East west and north south.But to punish local people and indeed on their livelihoods and well being and the support network of largely unpaid was and is reckless.It solves nothing. Maybe if they tried LTNs in real problem areas.But they did not. Inexplicable but doomed to failure.That said how does failed journalist and bandwagon rider Andrew Gilligan have so much influence over policy? His record is about as glorious as Julian Bell, then again how does he collect so many paid board titles with an equally glittering record of ineptitude?Theres the real problem, idiots in Local and central government who are unfit for purpose.

Raymond Havelock ● 1395d

Having the funding taps turned off may mean that there will be no new LTNs but it also will result in funding shortfalls elsewhere. The lack of progress on work in front of Ealing Station is probably down to the lack of money as a result of this dispute. It looks like other funding sources are being raided to get this done. What we don't know is how extensive the cut off of funding is - for instance is Ealing going to continue to get its fair share of money for basic road maintenance?

Andy Jones ● 1395d

Amen, Mr Hayes.Amen.We have now got shot of Najsarek AND BellEnd, hopefully the exploited residents of Ealing Borough are on a roll.Pay attention Mr Mason!

Rosco White ● 1395d

No, the areas in Ealing that were selected for trials were not ones that had high traffic flows. TfL produce heat naps showing where most traffic travels. In our borough the worst congestion has always been in Southall, which wasn’t included in the LTN ‘trial’.What Bell and his cronies didn’t anticipate was that residents in the areas they selected would disagree with the plans and that the level of disagreement would be so high. Their assumption was that we were stupid enough to swallow the twisted rhetoric that was constantly peddled. Liars usually get caught out eventually. Bell viewed Ealing as his personal fiefdom for years. He had no intention of giving residents a meaningful say and that ultimately cost him the leadership.Being at the back of the queue for funding is a blessing for many of us.

Simon Hayes ● 1395d

Only that I read in one of the blurbs about DRT that that was the reason that Ealing and Sutton had been chosen for the trials.

Philippa Bond ● 1395d

On what basis do you say that Ealing is a high car usage borough? I can understand that the number of vehicle movements will be high because we have a motorway going right through the middle but it terms of car usage by residents I thought we ranked quite low.

Andy Jones ● 1395d

It is a shame that TfL stopped the Demand Response Transport.  Of course numbers travelling dropped because of the pandemic but Ealing apparently is a high car usage borough.  :(

Philippa Bond ● 1395d

That's not untrue and certainly under Bell the council were one of the main cheerleaders. He was undoubtedly a true believer but also Ealing's financial position is not great so there was pressure to get as much funding as possible. Nearly all councils got some funding from the government for active travel schemes but not all went down the LTN route.However, Mason thought he could extricate the borough without any pain and the Minister had said that schemes should not be implemented in the face of strong local opposition so he thought holding the binding consultation would be a way out. Gilligan didn't and agree and was furious. From what I hear Ealing is very much at the back of the queue for funding now and this will remain the case until there is a change of leadership at Westminster.

Andy Jones ● 1395d

Some Councils chose not to implement LTNs, so it was entirely within LBE's ability to reject them.

Rosco White ● 1395d

The policy of LTNs implemented on a suck it and see basis was with Experimental Traffic Orders was devised by Boris Johnson's transport advisor Andrew Gilligan. Peter Mason and Ealing Council are currently on the naughty step because of the scrapping of the LTNs and funding is being throttled for the borough. The only way the old LTNs would be reintroduced is under duress with Ealing being made to do so by the government.Because of this the council election is irrelevant to what happens about LTNs. Labour is going to win possibly with an even bigger share of the vote because people tend to primarily on national issues even in local elections and if the latest polls results are sustained into next Spring the Tories may lose some of their few remaining seats.What is more important is what is happening at the Department for Transport. The weekend's revelations about Grant Shapps and his private plane may mean that his days are numbered. He is an unprincipled opportunist just like the Prime Minister so was willing to accept Andrew Gilligan's power grab. In the short term it may be that the new transport minister has a bit of spine and insists on Gilligan being got rid of. However, backbone wise the likely candidates are all deficient.On the current trajectory it seems less and less likely that the current Prime Minister will be in place by the time of the local elections. He has alienated even a few loyalists because of the Owen Paterson issue and if the stench of sleaze is as strong as it is at the moment the Tories will fear wipeout in May. Getting rid of Johnson will be an attractive option to them in the new year.With hopefully a more rational policy direction government and more discretion to local authorities I'm sure we will see more LTNs proposed but not implemented unless they are supported by the people they are supposed to benefit.

Andy Jones ● 1396d

& down a number of roads are those rubber strips. Connected to a box chained to lamp column.Collects data, my money says NOT beneficial to the humble motorist

Peter Yale ● 1396d

And our old "Friend of The People", BellEnd, sits on the tfl Board - wonder what credentials, other than Political, qualified him for that?

Rosco White ● 1396d

They said they would honour and accept the majority in a consultation.That majority was way higher than anyone expected.Needless to say , Highways via the Council and TfL have been instructed to carry out a series of surveys to engineer data to impose restrictions.If you move around the local streets you can see how that's being done.They have also not removed cameras and observation devices which indicates their intention to reinstate at the first opportunity.

Raymond Havelock ● 1396d

Won't we like we did before? Central government gave the money to Khan who dispensed it to his mates.

peter king ● 1396d

If they reinstate LTNs how will they pay for it?

Maggie Dodge ● 1397d

As far as I'm aware council tax discounts are mandated by Central Government regardless of the colour of the administration of the local council.

David Burke ● 1397d

Rosco writes>> Labour will win again.Sadly, I think you're going to be right.  I have a hunch, albeit without any evidence to support it, that Ealing Labour get repeatedly voted back into the Town Hall by a sufficiently large enough Ealing demographic who pay discounted council tax, or none at all.

Tony Heath ● 1397d

Labour will win again, they are VERY organised in Ealing Borough.The Local Conservatives keep doing exactly the same ole thing, year in, year out, and wonder why they can't gain power, especially when they're standing in front of an open goal. In business, when you have nothing to lose and everything to gain, that's when you experiment with bold, new, innovative and high risk strategies.Unfortunately the Local Conservatives are headless chickens, have zero "resonance" with residents, are VERY badly "led", and only wake up from their deep sleep for a few months every four years.I am STILL mystified why the many local Residents Associations have not communicated, joined forces, and fielded Independent Ward Councillor candidates.It only costs £150 to Register a Political Party with an Annual Confirmation payment of £25 and "No deposits are required for candidacy at local elections."  These sums are easily borne by RAs I'd have thought.Many residents are  desperate for a change in Administraton at LBE but it seems Apathy All Round is, and remains, the order of the day.https://www.democraticaudit.com/2013/10/14/rules-on-election-deposits-create-an-uneven-playing-field-and-protect-the-interest-of-the-largest-parties/

Rosco White ● 1397d