High Speed 2 - it will improve our transport

My party, the Liberal Democrats feel that the benefits of HS2 far outweigh the negatives raised, that often relate to local circumstances. Despite there being a lack of detail we feel that projects like this, which will greatly improve transport, should be supported.

It is always easier to just go against a plan if it causes some negatively. My party believe Councils and the Government need to look to the future whether that be transport or other areas of life.
 
There is currently a public consultation which ends on July 29. To have your say visit: http://highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk

Sign our Ealing Broadway petition...

As many Ealing residents know, Ealing Broadway station is no longer fit for purpose. The rebuilding of the station for Crossrail is a once in lifetime opportunity to make it a proper transport interchange we can be proud of, like at Hammersmith.  Successive Tory and Labour administrations have failed to show leadership on this issue so I am launching a petition demanding a full integrated transport interchange at Ealing Broadway.

I spoke about this issue to the Ealing Gazette recently: read the article about Ealing Broadway station

After more inaction from Ealing Council the Liberal Democrats have set up a petition. It reads:
"We demand that the plans to rebuild Ealing Broadway station for Crossrail must provide a fully integrated Public Transport Interchange. It must have improved access and escalator links between buses, cycles, taxis and trains similar to Hammersmith."

Please sign here: Ealing Broadway petition

A boisterous Southfield ward forum tonight...

At the Southfield ward forum there was a lot of items on the agenda. It was the first time in a year where we over-ran - but very few people left so the extra items were well worth taking.

The first main item was a chance to hear from the founder of, and children from, Chiswick's W4 Youth, an organsiation who the ward gave about £10,000 to fund enquipment so local teens could get together and have fun. The feedback was amazing and tey have come on leaps and bounds from when we first gave them the money. It personally (and everyone in the room) must be the best £10,000 the Council has ever spent.

Next we discussed some items we are to spend some of the ward's budget on such items as a feasibility study into a crossing on Southfield Road near the Rec. Lots of people had lots to say especially about how to spend £20,000 we won due to an increased rate. My party want to see some of it used to further increase recycling rates. Any ideas please email me on gary.malcolm@ealing.gov.uk or tweet me @CllrGaryMalcolm

The third main item was when the meeting got rather loud and boisterous. We had invited a council officer responsible for trees to explain why the trees were recently severely cut leaving pretty much the trunk (with no branches or leaves). We managed to get the officer who patiently answered a lot of tricky questions to give a committment that Southfield ward would not have their trees pruned in Spring again (given the problems we have this Spring as well as 6 years ago as well).

Lastly the important issue of the user groups (playgroups etc) of the Priory Community Centre who appear to be getting the boot from the Priory Centre with no real chance for them to be suitably re-housed in Acton whilst the work that might take place to provide for a primary school takes place. The lady who raised the issue has set up an online petition. Please fill it in: www.ipetitions.com/petition/supportprioryca

I signed the paper versiom after the meeting had elapsed.

Special Council Meeting on Libraries and Cuts Affecting the Vulnerable

Today's meeting was a long one. I left to prepare for another meeting tomorrow night but the two main items discussed were on libraries and about cuts to the Council's Taxi-card service which allows many vulnerable residents cheaper taxi fare to get around.


In the libraries debate there was a discussion where the Labour councillor in charge of libraries appeared to say that four libraries were saved (in the short term) but maybe not in the future. There was a lot of talk about some being run not by paid staff but by residents doing it as a voluntary service. This sounds nice but very rarely does it ever work.

Next there was the item where the Council wanted to intitute a lot of cuts in the Taxi-card service. This would affect many disabled, elderly and vulnerable residents. The council are simply pushing up the cost that they pay which will mean many will not be able to go out as often. The item was added to the agenda as the Liberal Democrats "called in" the decision which means a committee would discuss it and make recommendations. Sadly the committee voted along party lines - so Labour rejected the proposals from myself and agreed to make the cuts. The amount of money the cuts would save is not that much and so when vulnerable people's life experiences are at stake sometimes you have to vote with your concience. Shame on Labour.

BBQ by the Southfield Park Triangle Residents' Association

This afternoon was a great day. Good weather and a local residents' association held a great BBQ with a raffle at the end.

There was a face-painting event but I refused to have mine done - perhaps I should have done so. Maybe next time!

At the event was the local police seargent and a PCSO as well as fellow ward Councillor Andrew Steed. We chatted about a local ward meeting we have this coming Wednesday.

The food was great. The combination of hotdogs / beef-burgers and a choice of cakes was very nice. Washed down with wine or beer. The table of cakes was amazing. So many residents donated cakes to the stall and there was about twenty different types of cakes. Being diabetic I only had one slice of one cake, but my eyes wanted some of each cake.

Then at the end there was a raffle. I missed out on the top 3 prizes but did win a bottle of vodka. So can't complain.

Liberal Democrats Warn Of Another Tram Plan For West London

You may be interested to learn that Ken Livingstone has pledged to return to the question of a new tram line to Ealing, if elected as Mayor next year.

The Tottenham & Wood Green Journal reported that Ken wants a new tram scheme for North and West London. He is reported as saying “trams could stretch from Wembley and Ealing to Wood Green, so commuters are no longer forced to travel into London and out again.”

No mention was made in the report of whether there was any reference to the north and west London light rail scheme, about which Ealing Council passed a supportive resolution originally moved by Liberal Democrat Councillor Jon Ball on 21st April 2010, or to the West London orbital underground plan.

Ealing Liberal Democrats vigorously opposed Ken Livingstone’s plan for a west London tram when he was Mayor, because it would have caused massive disruption to much of Ealing and failed to provide any net new transport capacity on the busy Uxbridge Road corridor.  We have noted his new comments and would again oppose any similar plan.

We do however urge the Mayor of London – and Ealing Council – to give priority to developing Ealing Broadway station as a serious transport hub for Ealing, with a genuine integrated rail/bus/tube interchange and orbital links such as could be provided by the North & West London light rail scheme, or the West London orbital underground proposal.

I say that Ealing badly needs a transport strategy that will serve the needs of the borough and its residents, and avoid the risk that Crossrail, when it comes, will merely turn the town centre into a massive dormitory for City workers. Ealing Broadway has to be the heart of the borough, and the station its gateway. This is now the time to bring forward a plan to achieve this.

Mayor urged to take immediate action to tackle the vile trade of children being trafficked into London via St Pancras International

Dee Doocey has been hard at work here. At Mayor’s Question Time Dee Doocey highlighted how lax the current checks were for young children being brought into London via St Pancras International.

You can watch Dee Doocey question the Mayor here.

Dee Doocey commented: “We need to close down each and every loophole that allow the vile trade of child trafficking to operate. I welcome the Mayor’s commitment to look at this issue and he must now act to ensure the Met’s excellent specialist team which tackles child trafficking at Heathrow will now have a permanent base at St Pancras International.”