The FOCUS TEAM has learnt that, from Monday 4 July until Saturday 11 July inclusive, access to Lister Road from Leytonstone High Road will be closed to all traffic between 08 am until 5 pm.
This is to allow installation of a ‘Copenhagen’ style crossing.
Residents gathered outside the Town Hall to protest about road closures in the ‘Mini Holland’ scheme
The recent protest by over 1,200 residents against the road closures in Walthamstow and Leyton showed that the Council’s Mini Holland plans, including closing local roads, does not have the support of all residents despite the Council saying that they had.
Protesters not against the scheme or cyclists, but against road closures
The protesters went out of their way to say that they were not against the scheme or cyclists, but against the road closures. The Council’s plans have succeeded in causing division and anger across the Borough. The closing of roads has forced vehicles onto the already congested main roads like Lea Bridge, Hoe Street, and Leyton High Road and has resulted in a massive slow down of traffic, increased congestion and increased pollution.
Congestion and pollution bad for all
All of this is detrimental to residents, cyclists, pedestrians and bus users. Focus Team member Bob Sullivan, who was in the Town Hall listening to the Mini Holland debate, was appalled by the Labour Council restricting residents from hearing the debate, as they only allowed 12 protesters in, although the chamber can hold over a hundred. He was shocked by the arrogant, illiberal attitude with which Labour Councillors treated residents’ concerns. They were not prepared to review the Mini Holland plans despite residents’ requests and their own Labour MP’s request.
Council continues to ignore residents
They are, in fact, going to ignore residents and continue to put in similar divisive plans across Leyton, Leytonstone and Chingford!
Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat Candidate for the next Mayor of London
The attached Press Release issued by The Barking – Gospel Oak Line User Group gives welcome news that that electrification is going ahead, allbeit not very quickly.
This has long been championed by London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon, who is now the Liberal Democrat Candidate to be the next Mayor of London.
You can read the Press Release here: Barking-Gospel Oak Line Press Release
The Barking – Gospel Oak Rail User Group has issued a press release, highlighting that full electrification and/or more carriages are at least another three years away.
You can see the full press release here: Barking – Gospel Oak PRESS RELEASE
Waltham Forest E-Guardian 8:01am Friday 27th March 2015
Ticket offices at Tube stations across Waltham Forest will begin to close in the coming weeks.
The office at Leyton Station, scheduled to close in April, will be the first to go, followed by Blackhorse Road, Leytonstone and Walthamstow Central.
Closure works take around a month, except Walthamstow Central which could take up to three.
Labour London Assembly Member Jennette Arnold has condemned the move, claiming the move will leave passengers with less staff support.
Mayor of London Boris Johnson’s plan to close all the capital’s tube ticket offices will cost taxpayers almost £134million, Ms Arnold said.
She described the cost as “staggering”.
The £134million will fund additional ticket machines in 27 London stations, four new customer receptions and the conversion of 181 ticket offices for other uses.
Jennette Arnold said:
This argument isn’t about whether staff are based in ticket offices or not.
It is about whether there are enough staff in stations to provide the good service people in Waltham Forest have come to expect, particularly the elderly and disabled who often rely more on station staff for assistance.
The closures in Waltham Forest are expected to be completed by the end of the year.
An application has been lodged at the Town Hall to use the small kiosk, inside the station concourse as a minicab office.
Local traders in Church Lane are already concerned about the number of Gold Line cars waiting for passengers, and feel strongly that there is no justication in increasing the problem by granting permission for a second mini cab operator.
If you wish to express your view you may write to:
Building Control
Environment & Regeneration
Waltham Forest Council
Sycamore House
Forest Road
Walthamstow, London, E17 4SU
Telephone: 020 8496 3000
London City Airport
Waltham Forest E Guardian – 28 January 2015
An airport has refused to attend a public meeting as it plans to go ahead with flight path changes which campaigners claim will cause a “noise ghetto” for those living under it.
London City Airport is planning to implement new technology to enable a much narrower and concentrated corridor over Wanstead, Leytonstone and Leyton.
Campaign group HACAN East believes this will increase the noise level for people living in these areas and wants the plan scrapped.
The airport will submit its proposal to the Civil Aviation Authority by the end of February, and if the plan is passed, it could be implemented in early 2016.
In a letter to the airport from deputy leader of Waltham Forest council, Cllr Clyde Loakes, he requested a further public meeting on March 2.
He said:C
“I remain concerned that a significant proportion of residents are still unaware of the introduction of the RNAV technology and the impact that this will have on the quality of life of those living under the flight paths.
“I think it would therefore be useful if residents were able to hear from you directly about the next steps that will be taken and how the technology will be rolled out.”
But in reply, Jeremy Probart of London City Airport, ruled out attending a public meeting in the near future.
He said:
“There is very little that we can add to this currently, and feel that a public meeting, such as the one you suggest, would actually be counter-productive.
“We know that some people are opposed to the proposals (and the objections received have been incorporated in the report to the CAA) and a meeting in March would not be able to offer anything in the way of further information, which may simply serve to inflame, rather than to assuage.
“Therefore we will respectfully decline the opportunity you have outlined. If such a meeting were to take place, it would make sense to hold it after the CAA’s decision on the proposals and slightly before the replicated flight paths take effect.”
To sign the petiton:
Unlit ‘Give Way’ sign at the junction of Lister and Morningtton Roads
The FOCUS Team has alerted the Council to this unlit traffic sign at the junction with Lister Road and Mornington Road.
They are monitoring repairs.
A resident has advised that the light is out of action once again. The FOCUS Team has urged the Council to inverstigate.
Transport for London has recently outlined its vision for the future of the tube which, amongst other things, proposes changes to ticket offices.
As the statutory consumer body representing the interests of passengers in and around London, London Travel Watch wants to ensure that any changes to the way that London Underground operates are in the best overall interests of consumers.
To ensure that this happens, they have been running a six-week consultation on their website to give passengers the opportunity to review TfL’s planned ticket office changes so that they can tell us what tickets they buy, any difficulties they foresee and the mitigation measures they would like to see implemented at their local stations.
London Travel Watch will then feed back the survey results to TfL to give them a chance to make any amendments before the changes are introduced.