The wheels go around at a cycling meeting tonight

I attended a meeting tonight where a couple of transport officers and a number of cycling campaigners and a lady from Transport for London discussed a lot of cycling issues.

The main items was a possible "Ealing Broadway Cycling Hub" located outside Ealing Broadway station on the edge of Haven Green.

The idea is to use some money from Transport for London to double the number of cycling racks whilst ensuring that bikes left can be done so safely (using CCTVand secure metal racks). I asked whether any of Haven Green (the grass) will be lost. The answer "No" was given.

Possible alterations will be made to the taxi areas to enable a space for the extra cycle racks as well as providing a new building where taxi drivers can go to the toilet.

Although the ideas are not firmed up it appears it could be a way to perusade more people to cycle. We await more detailed plans to see the designs etc. but I hope the plan comes off.

But on a related point there is still so much opportunity for the Council to push for a better transport interchange at Ealing Broadway station.

Then the lights in the meeting room went off. Sadly we had to end the meeting early.

Sometimes it's good to be positive

Most people would think that political parties just lay into each other all the time.

However when a new Mayor gets sworn in the opposite happens - people tend to say how good the outgoing Mayor was and how good the incoming Mayor will be.

In the two times I have made speeches to thank the outcoming Mayor or indicate what might happen in the coming year it is v easy to be positive. I think that depsite Mayors being from a different party than mine they are humans and they care about the area they live and the people they represent as their Councillor.

It makes me reflect and think "sometimes people should be more positive" - if someone if going to put themselves up for a role as the Mayor for an area then we should welcome that and give them our support.

Take Action Boris and Get Londoners Our Money Back

You might have heard that early today, while being interviewed by BBC London Radio, that Boris Johnson claimed that he might challenge Obama next week over the US continuing to refuse to pay the Congestion Charge.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-13467327

While such action might be welcome, it really is a bit rich for Boris Johnson to suddenly make such claims.


In the past he has publicly called the Congestion Charge a tax - which has provided wonderful ammunition for the US and other embassies that believe they can evade paying the Congestion Charge because they consider it a tax.

The London Assembly have also passed a motion calling for the Mayor to write to each country that refuses to pay the Congestion Charge and publish on the web the replies that he receives.   

The Mayor has refused to take this action.
Conservative London Assembly Members have also spoken in support of the US embassy not paying the Congestion Charge.

This is our money - if you don’t stand up for us then you should resign.

Mike Tuffrey exposes Mayor's poor record on building homes on publicly owned land‏

The Mayor’s record of building homes on London Development Agency (LDA) land has been exposed as a total sham by Mike Tuffrey, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly housing spokesman.

Following questioning of the Mayor by Mike it was admitted yesterday (Wednesday 18 May) by Boris Johnson that huge amounts of publicly owned land in London have not seen any new affordable homes built over the last three years, despite bold claims made in the Mayor’s housing manifesto in 2008(1).  The Mayor’s concession confirms his earlier reply (2) that a mere 1431 affordable homes had been built on LDA land which his own election manifesto said could contain 32,000.  The Mayor has also admitted that his separate pledge to ensure that the London Housing Company would be up and running and making good use of public land by April 2011(3) has not even been met. 

Commenting on the Mayor’s reply Mike Tuffrey said:

“The Mayor has completely failed Londoners by not delivering the promised mechanism to unlock these sites, and is now saying it may not even go ahead at all.   There is a huge chasm between what the Mayor said was possible and what actually has been achieved.

“The Mayor has had three years to come up with a mechanism to ensure affordable homes are delivered on land that is publicly owned.  Sadly his record so far has been a complete failure to unlock the immense potential of so much publicly owned land in London.”

Not enough though: Extra tube trains will help reduce overcrowding at Turnham Green station

Transport for London plan to increase evening rush hour trains at Turnham Green in a bid to tackle overcrowding at the station. They want to add an extra Ealing Broadway-bound train during evening peak period.

Over the past couple of years Liberal Democrat councillors as well as Caroline Pidgeon, GLA member in City Hall, have been pressing for a number of things including Piccadilly line tubes to stop at Turnham Green, better signaling, better signage and for the congestion to be reduced at the busy station of Turnham Green.

Transport for London said this would start from December this year when they cancel the weekday Earl's Court to Olympia shuttle service.

Southfield Councillor Gary Malcolm said: “It has taken a lot of hard work to get Transport for London to commit to improvements. This will help but Liberal Democrats want to see the Piccadilly line tube stop at Turnham Green station all day, which would really make a step change to residents’ lives.”

Southfield Wins Council Recycling Prize Money

The Council announced the winning wards following their Recycling Rewards Scheme today.

The ward where I am Councillor, Southfield, came joint SECOND to neighboring ward South Acton, after it increased its recycling rate by 4.1%

This means that Southfield ward will receive £20,000 to fund initiatives to further increase recycling or other environmental improvements. The increase was due to increasing the recycling rate of green box, white bags and food waste containers.

Southfield Councillor Gary Malcolm said: “The Liberal Democrats want to see as many residents as possible recycle. It is very encouraging that so many residents are recycling more often. The £20,000 we have won will be spent on local environmental improvements including initiatives to further increase recycling. If you have any ideas of what the money might be spent on please email me or send me a tweet via @CllrGaryMalcolm.”

Chiswick's W4 Youth Club celebrate their busy year with Councillor Gary Malcolm

At a crowded High Road House, Chiswick High Road, W4 Youth and Chiswick Youth Football Club, the community youth project for 11-19 year olds in Chiswick, held an evening to raise awareness of their charity.

 

Ant & Dec confirmed recently they are the Patrons of the Charity. Around 100 people who attended heard a presentation from Sally Chacatté, Founder and Chairman of W4 Youth about the Charity's journey so far. They then watched a dvd produced by the young people describing some of the crime they have faced and how they think they need a youth and community centre in the area to combat this and give them somewhere safe to go and something good to do every day of the week.

A couple of those who attend youth club, drama, dance and boxing training clubs run on different days of the week by W4 Youth, talked about how these clubs have given them somwhere to go to keep them off the streets. Colm Tamney, an architect presented a building design for a Youth & Community Centre in Chiswick that the charity is planning to build once reaching its £1m fundraising target.

 

Councillor Malcolm says: "The Southfield ward forum gave the charity £10,000 because it is common sense that children need things to do in the evening and to help them meet each other and have fun. The items the money was spent on have ready given so much joy to so may people. If you are interested in finding out more about W4 Youth go to: www.W4youth.org.uk or email w4youth@yahoo.co.uk."

 

Brian Coleman tops lists of expense claims, again

Conservative London Assembly member Brian Coleman has often been in the news over the years for his expense claims (not to mention his attempt to ban questions of himself), so I hesitate slightly to says it is “news” that new figures from the London Fire Brigade show him topping the list of expense claims:
 

Assembly Member Brian Coleman April 2010 to March 2011 £3,480.20 Darren Johnson April 2010 to March 2011 £0.00 Gareth Bacon April 2010 to March 2011 £0.00 Mike Tuffrey April 2010 to March 2011 £0.00 Murad Qureshi April 2010 to March 2011 £0.00 Navin Shah April 2010 to March 2011 £0.00 Richard Tracey April 2010 to March 2011 £23.96 Tony Arbour April 2010 to March 2011 £378.86    Full details are over on the London Fire Brigade website, which also lists the expense claims from all the other members of the body. You’ll see some other familiar Liberal Democrat names there to go with Mike Tuffrey in the above list – Caroline Pidgeon (whose own views on Brian Coleman The Voice carried last year) and local councillors Terry Stacy and Ed Butcher. They’ve all got expense claims of £0.

Southfield Park Triangle Residents' Association

I was invited to attend the AGM of the 'triangle' residents association in my area. They cover the roads near to Hatfield Road and Greenend Road.

Their AGM took place early in the morning and with coffee it was a great start to the day.

They mentioned some updates to their website:
http://www.southfieldparktriangle.org/

It has a lot of information and history of the area. Take a look!

The committee led by Don Tanswell and his wife Suzanne do a great job. They help to organise lots of social events including quizzes, book clubs and summer parties in the local scout hut.

Since the organisation set up 2 years ago there has been a huge increase in community spirit. People chat with their neighbours which is suberb.

Other residents associations should take a look at what they do as I would have to give them 10 out of 10.