Waltham Forest’s Liberal Democrat councillors will fight to retain ticket office staff at local tube stations.

Last week Transport for London, which is controlled by the Mayor of London, announced cost cutting proposals to axe 450 ticket office staff and reduce ticket office opening hours across the networks.

Local transport campaigner, Lib Dem councillor and parliamentary candidate for Leyton and Wanstead Farooq Qureshi said:

“Waltham Forest has some of the busiest tube stations in outer London. These proposals mean more inconvenience and hassle for tube users. Passengers need to be able to talk to a real person if they have queries or problems.This is especially important for those who are not regular travellers or find it difficult to use the machines.”

Liberal Democrat members of the London Assembly believe the cuts will make many passengers feel unsafe and could have a negative impact in tackling crime and anti-social behaviour in and around tube stations.

Farooq Qureshi has a strong record of campaigning on local transport issues including the need to ease rush hour congestion at Leyton and Leytonstone underground stations by opening additional exits, the need for better connections from Leyton and Leytonstone High Roads to the rest of the borough and Stratford, improved accessibility for disabled passengers at Leyton and the refurbishment of Leyton Midland and Leytonstone High Road stations.

Passenger numbers per year for Waltham Forest tube stations are:

• Walthamstow –> 14.2 million passengers per year
• Leyton -> 12.7 million
• Leytonstone –> 9.9 million
• Blackhorse Road –> 6.1 million

Source: TfL website

During his election campaign Boris Johnson promised to retain staffed ticket offices. His transport manifesto Getting Londoners Moving committed the Conservative Mayor to: “halting the proposed Tube ticket office closures, and ensuring there is always a manned ticket office at every station” (page 2) and claimed “I will also defend local ticket offices” (page 9).

Lib Dem Cabinet Member for Environment, Cllr Bob Belam, announced a new scheme telling drivers exactly where CCTV enforcement vehicles will be deployed.

The initiative, believed to be the first of its kind in the Country, aims to promote safer driving, reduce road accidents and lower the number of penalty charge notices issued to motorists for transgressions such as stopping in a box junction.

Details of where the boroughs five CCTV enforcement vehicles will be are available for viewing on the Waltham Forest Council website at www.walthamforest.gov.uk.

CCTV vehicles are deployed in the identified areas because residents have complained about congestion, accidents and other issues in their vicinity,

Cllr Bob Belam, said: “The main aim of our traffic enforcement team is to improve safety for all of Waltham Forest’s roads users. It is not about making money at the expense of motorists.

“We hope this scheme will encourage people to drive more carefully, especially at the locations where we issue most of our penalty charge notices, and help us to improve traffic flow and reduce accidents.

Waltham Forest Council’s CCTV vehicles are responsible for recording moving traffic violations, such as stopping in box junctions, driving in bus lanes and making banned turns. They are also used for parking enforcement purposes.

The statutory penalty charge for a moving traffic violation is £120, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days.

Labour Report No 1:            

Pool and Track site to be sold to fund leisure  centre at Arcade site.

Labour Report No 2  (Just days later…)

Now land at Pool and Track or  other “unidentified assets” to be sold

Labour Leader says:   

Pool will be closed but not track

Labour councillor responsible for sport says:                                  

We never suggested the track would close

…and that:  

“There is no confusion”.

* * * * *

Users of local sports facilities have been left anxious about the future of the Pool and Track in Walthamstow after Labour Leader Chris Robbins appeared to confirm that at least part of the facility will be shut down.

Liberal Democrat councillors are fighting Labour plans to rescue the Arcade site development by borrowing millions of pounds and selling off land and council assets. 

Labour’s proposals — which were published on the Council website - involved the “disposal of the Pool and Track site for a replacement facility with the Arcade development”, including a Leisure Centre “to replace the current indoor facilities at the Pool and Track”.

However after protests from Liberal Democrat councillors and residents, definitive references to the sale of the Pool and Track were quickly removed from the final Cabinet report, with mention only being made of the sale of “either land at the Pool and Track site or alternative assets to the same value that have not yet been identified”.  Labour councillors forced through the report despite Liberal Democrat opposition in the Cabinet meeting.

Hopes for the future of the Pool and Track seem, however, to have been dashed after comments from Labour Leader Chris Robbins suggested that at least part of the facility will still be closed.

In trying to quell public protests at the handling of the closure, Cllr Robbins confirmed to the local press that the pool will be closed once a “replacement” leisure facility has been built.  This would seem to leave the borough’s athletics track as a stand-alone facility.

Lib Dem Cllr Bob Carey, a member of the affected Chapel End ward, has now raised the issue with Cllr Geraldine Reardon, the Labour councillor responsible for sport in the borough, at a Full Council meeting.  He sought clarification over the future of the pool facility, investment in the track and raised resident concerns about accessibility to a pool facility at the Arcade.

Cllr Reardon told councillors that there was “no confusion” over the future of the facility, but refused to confirm the Labour leader’s comment that the pool would be closed once a replacement was built, claiming that no decision had been made.

Local Liberal Democrat councillors will continue to seek answers over Labour’s handling of our Pool and Track.

High St councillor James O’Rourke has been speaking to the local press about a ban on traffic along Walthamstow High Street.

An ‘experimental traffic order’ was introduced by the Walthamstow Town Centre Task Group — a group set up by the high St Liberal Democrats - in August which stops unauthorised vehicles using the High Street in a bid to improve safety for pedestrians.

New signage and barriers have been put up to further enforce the order, which only allows vehicles loading and unloading to market stalls and shops along the High Street.  Street cleaning vehicles are also able to use the High Street to clean the area after the market has been held.

Speaking to Martyn Dalton of the local Yellow Advertiser, Cllr James O’Rourke welcomed the latest additions to the High Street.

Cllr O’Rourke said:

“The experimental traffic order clearly demonstrates that we have listened, engaged and acted with residents, visitors and traders who have asked us to make the High Street a safer environment.

“Unfortunately it was very difficult to enforce the order as there wasn’t proper signage, but now motorists and pedestrians can see that the order is in full operation.”

Cllr O’Rourke has told local people that his long-term aim for the area is to see an enforceable pedestrian zone introduced in the High Street in order to protect residents and shoppers.

A full investigation into what action the Council took to prevent increased flights over the borough will take place — thanks to ongoing pressure from your local Liberal Democrats.

A motion moved by Forest ward councillor (and Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for Leyton and Wanstead) Farooq Qureshi means that the Chief executive of Waltham Forest Council will now investigate the expansion of neighbouring London City Airport and ask what consultation exercises took place regarding the impact on local residents. 

Read the full report on the Council motion from the Waltham Forest Guardian here.

The local Guardian has praised the Liberal Democrat campaign, commenting that the “Lib Dem move should ensure answers” over the expansion of City Airport and increased flights over the borough.  Liberal Democrat councillors have been working with ‘Fight the Flights’ campaigners to raise the profile of the issue.

Councillors last night voted to delay their decision on whether to allow a major new development in the Hale End and Highams Park ward.

The planning application by Tesco includes a supermarket, housing and car parking.  With all three Liberal Democrat ward councillors in attendance at a packed Town Hall meeting, Cllr Jane Morgan (pictured left with Nick Bason) spoke on behalf of local residents, detailing the many letters and emails the local Lib Dem team had recieved on the issue and detailing resident concerns about the development.

Adressing the planning committee, Cllr Morgan said:

“We’ve had many communciations from those who do not neccesarily object to the idea of a Tesco, but who have expressed concerns about the scale of this particular application.

“Any scheme of this nature will produce costs as well as benefits.  The proposal aims to create houses and jobs, and they are needed in our area.  Investment in the Highams Park economy is also needed.

“But do these possible benefits outweight the costs of the current scheme?  many of our residents our concerned that the current scale of the development means they do not.”

The planning application will now come back before councillors at a later date. 

See the full text of Cllr Morgan’s speech to the committee below:

Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Cllr Farooq Qureshi has organised a public meeting in response to resident complaints about noise and pollution from City Airport.

The Leyton and Wanstead candidate is angry that the expansion of the airport has been kept from residents, and has seen a rise in complaints from residents about noise and pollution from the increase in planes over the local area.

Local Liberal Democrats have revealed that Newham Council granted permission for an increase in flights from City Airport from 76,000 to 120,000 a year.

The meeting will be held at the Quaker Meeting House on Bush Road (off the Green man roundabout) at 7pm on Friday 2nd October.  Feel free to come along!

London Liberal Democrats have spoken out after reports of cuts in spending on upgrading local tube lines.

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport spokesperson (pictured), believes that the announcement serves as further evidence that it is time to “bite the bullet and seriously look at new ways of upgrading the tube.”

She added:

“We need to ensure tube upgrades are completed rapidly, but at far less cost. The continual closure of small sections of a tube line could deliver change in weeks as opposed to months.

“This new approach would also allow for far more work to be completed, including step free access at tube stations, which are now being dropped by the Mayor.

Waltham Forest residents have been hit by long term servce reductions on the Victoria Line from Walthamstow and weekend closures on Central line services from Leyton and Leytonstone into central London.

Caroline Pidgeon continued:

“At present Londoners face months and months of disruption while at great cost little work is actually completed during each weekend and evening closure of a line. There must be a better way forward to deliver the much needed upgrades to the tube.”

You can read more about the Liberal Democrats plans for London transport by heading over tp the London Assembly Lib Dem website.

The good work of the Higham Hill Liberal Democrat Focus team has been highighted again in this week’s local press.

The Lib Dem councillor team of Peter Woollcott, Patrick Smith and Sean Meiszner are leading the campaign to get more government funding to help local councils deal with potholes and worsening road conditions.  Routes in Waltham Forest have suffered particularly badly this year due to the worst winter in decades.

Councillor Bob Belam joined Councillor Woollcott (both pictured above) to draw attention to the issue.

Councillor Woollcott told the local Yellow Advertiser:

“Some of the roads are ridden with potholes which pose a danger to drivers an cyclists especially.  Not only can they cause accidents they can also damage vehicles which can then pose a danger later on”.

Article by Martyn Dalton, Picture by Roy Tillett, both used by kind permission

The Lib Dems Higham Hill Focus Team are campaigning to have a new bus route for local residents.

Councillors Peter Woollcott, Patrick Smith and Sean Meiszner want a new route to run from Tottenham Hale to Highams Park via Billet Road.  The bus route is required to forge a west/link public transport link in response to community expansion, with the new Banbury Park and Sutherland Road Estates, three schools - including Walthamstow Academy.  Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon has agreed to chair a meeting with TfL at Waltham Forest Town Hall to support the campaign.

Cllr Smith and Cllr Meiszner also attended a recent event at the Houses of Parliament to see Julia Goldsworthy MP and join the `Unlock Democracy’ national campaign to open up new income streams to local councils as part of the Sustainable Communities Act 2007.

Cllr Patrick Smith said:
“Liberal Democrats want Waltham Forest residents to gain the maximum financial help from Government. “This legislation is designed to ask local people to prioritise their community projects and give back power to the people on issues such as unpopular post office closures, affordable housing or a lack of local doctors and dentists”

The Liberal Democrat councillor team in Higham Hill are busy lobbying transport bosses for a new bus route through their ward

This week’s local Yellow Advertiser (pictured) features news of the attempts of councillors Patrick Smith, Sean Meiszner and Peter Woollcott to secure a new bus service along Billet Road in Walthamstow to cope with increased demand amongst residents.

Cllr Patrick Smith told the paper:

“We want to ensure that residents and visitors have proper access to and from the area.  Local services are not always reliable or convenient and we want something that will connect the area with the borough’s main transport hubs”.

Help for Londoners facing tough economic times and long term action to improve London’s environment are the key proposals put forward by the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group in their alternative budget proposals, which would lead to no extra increases in Boris Johnson’s council tax bill.

Mike Tuffrey, the leader of the Liberal Democrat Assembly Group said:

“Many families have already faced redundancies and many more face the daunting prospect of unemployment in 2009. The Mayor cannot stop people losing their jobs but the least he must do is provide help to stop people losing their homes.

“We believe that the Mayor’s draft budget contains too much short term thinking and not enough real vision for London.  If Boris has real ambitions for London we hope he will listen carefully to these bold proposals to tackle London’s immense challenges.”

Measures included in the Liberal Democrat Assembly Group’s alternative London budget include funding for:

· A youth worker with every Safer Neighbourhood Team, to work with those at most risk and so preventing youth crime at source
· Good value fares, such as a one hour bus ticket. 

· Further investment in walking and cycling, including completion of the London Cycle Network Plus, providing cycle maintenance points and a London walking map

· Moving ahead with the East London Line phase 2 extension

· Making more homes affordable to heat by meeting up-to-date  environmental standards

· Tackling fare evasion on London’s transport

· Reducing the amount spent on holding and publicising the Mayor’s additional public meetings

Waltham Forest residents woke up this morning to a blanket of snow which forecasters are suggesting is the heaviest in 18 years.

Much of London’s transport network has been hit by the weather, with bus and tube services suspended across London.  However the winter maintenance programme agreed by your local Liberal Democrat Group on the Council has swung into action, with major routes being pre-gritted last night to ensure that conditions are safer during today’s conditions.  Gritters will again head out onto the streets this evening to combat the weather, which is forecast to bring more  snow and freezing temperatures overnight.

 Waltham Forest Lib Dems - working for you whatever the weather!

Responding to Boris Johnson’s consultation on his transport document Way To Go, the Liberal Democrat group at the London Assembly have launched their own proposals under the title ‘A Better Way To Go’.

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat Transport Assembly spokesperson said:

“Above all else the Mayor needs to focus on reducing the need to travel. Many Londoners spend three hours a day getting to and from work in intolerably crowded conditions. It makes no sense for London’s economy to have a workforce which is often stressed and irritable before they get to their desks each day.

“Many people are also facing longer and longer journeys to use key public services or simply to go shopping. There has to be a better way.

“We should be developing a capital city where people need to travel less often and less far. This means keeping essential public services like health, police and post offices local, not consolidating them into larger and more distant centres.

“We also need inventive ideas for developing vibrant local economies in outer London towns. We urgently need fast-tracked express coaches linking our town centres - it shouldn’t be a requirement to always have to travel in and out of central London to simply move around outer London by public transport”.

The Better Way To Go document pushes strongly for “green” transport initiatives, pressing for zero-emission public transport - like the Cross River Tram, the use of sustainably generated electricity, and giving pedestrians priority on more of central London’s smaller streets.

The document Better Way To Go contains the following key points:

· Proposals to reduce the need to travel by better strategic planning promoting local economies in outer London towns and keeping essential public services local.

· Connecting outer London towns by fast coach services removing the need to travel through central London.

· A Mayoral initiative to promote flexi-time and working from home for office staff.

· Pedestrianising the smaller streets between Trafalgar Square and Oxford Street, and making Oxford Street itself a pedestrian precinct.

· Completing the London Cycle Network, backing the cycle hire scheme and creating much more secure cycle parking.

· Urgent moves to make public transport zero-emission: a Cross River Tram, more hybrid-engined buses and black cabs, Tube electricity sustainably generated.

· Determined opposition to a third runway at Heathrow, with strong backing for high-speed rail alternatives to internal and short-haul continental flights.
 

The Liberal Democrat Higham Hill Focus Team has presented a petition to Waltham Forest Council calling for a new pedestrian crossing to be built within the ward.

Over 500 residents have signed the Lib Dem petition calling for a crossing to be built on the busy Billet Road opposite Sinnot Road.

Higham Hill councillor Sean Meiszner presented the petition to the Mayor on behalf of residents at Thursday’s Full Council meeting at the Town Hall.

Cllr Meiszner said:

“We would like to thank all those who have shown their support and taken the time to sign our petition”

“Like the many residents who have supported our campaign, we believe this crossing is necessary because of the high volume of pedestrians who use this area.

“Users of the doctor’s surgery, the nursery, the SureStart Centre and the Essex Hall daycare centre all need to be able to cross the Billet Rd in safety.”

Local councillors in Waltham Forest are supporting the launch of a new Liberal Democrat campaign for a tube and bus fares freeze.

Boris Johnson, London’s Mayor, is jacking up fare prices by an average of 6% in the New Year and in the case of some bus fares is increasing prices by a massive 11%.

Local Lib Dems are concerned that Waltham Forest residents will find it too expensive to travel in future because of Boris’s above inflation guaranteed price increases for years to come.

“London’s transport system has become one of the most expensive in the world yet fares continue to rise” said local Lib Dem councillor James O’Rourke.

Cllr O’Rourke represents High St ward, which contains three overground rail stations, two tube stations and the third busiest bus terminus in London.

Lib Dem London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon added:

“It is not too late for the Mayor to do a u-turn. He can still bring some festive cheer to London’s struggling transport users and poorest families, by halting his outrageous fare increases.”

A new website http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/merrychristmasboris has been launched, giving Londoners the opportunity to sign a petition.

London Lib Dems are asking the Mayor to abandon the planned increases to help struggling families and commuters during the economic crisis.

The freeze would be funded by making savings in Transport for London’s budget and by extending charges for the most polluting cars.

Pensioners and eligible disabled people in Waltham Forest were today hit by a double whammy as the Mayor of London Boris Johnson revealed that not only would their 24 hour Freedom Pass not be able to be used on Network Rail trains before 9.30am, despite this being a key election promise, but that the London Boroughs face paying out millions of pounds to fund
Mayor Boris Johnson’s’ 24 hour commitment.

At present people aged over 60 and eligible disabled people in possession of a Freedom Pass can travel after 9.30am for free on the transport network.  Boris Johnson has repeatedly promised pass holders that as from January 2nd they could use all of London’s transport network - including the overground rail network at any time.

However at Mayor’s Question Time held in the London Assembly today, under
questioning from Liberal Democrat Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon, the Boris Johnson admitted that the cost of extending the Freedom Pass to 24 hour use would have to be paid for by Council Tax payers in London boroughs.
The Mayor also said that it was not yet possible to confirm whether people could use their passes on the overground rail network before 09.30.

Caroline Pidgeon AM said:

“This is a double whammy for Freedom Pass holders in London.  Not only will they not be able to use their passes on the rail network before 9.30am, but they face the prospect of higher council tax bills because Boris expects the Boroughs to bear all the costs of a 24 hour freedom pass.”

“This is effectively a duff Christmas present from the Mayor, one with the parts missing and no batteries in it! 

“The Mayor must live up to his promise to fully fund the 24 hour Freedom Pass”

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson has published his draft consolidated budget and put it out for consultation.

Mike Tuffrey Leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the London Assembly said:

“A zero rise in the GLA’s precept from next April will be welcomed by many Londoners, but let us not forget that from January all of us who use public transport in the capital will be paying fares that rise by twice the rate of inflation.

“The budget Boris Johnson is proposing makes several large assumptions, including that the Met Police will be able to make large savings in their budget, a number of which have yet to be revealed, when they haven’t been able to meet all the savings targets for this financial year yet.

 ”On the transport network passenger numbers are expected to rise when all the indications are that in previous times of economic difficulty passenger levels have decreased rapidly.

“The actions of Boris Johnson’s and his advisors over the last six months haven’t exactly installed confidence that he has produced a budget that adds up, is sustainable and is not storing up major problems for our public services in London in future years.

“We will be watching closely to see if the Mayor can actually produce what he promises.”

A new CPZ has been proposed in the borought - and local Liberal Democrats want you to hear your views.

The proposals include the junction of Leytonstone High Road, Cann Hall Road and Crownfield Road, which could effect some roads in Cann Hall.  In the current proposal are Eve, Steele and Belton Roads on the north side of Cann Hall Road, whilst on the south side Argyle, Borthwick, Blenheim Roads could be included up to the Borough boundary at Janson Road.

There is also consultation on traffic schemes taking place.  The consultation area stretches from Millais Road to the borough boundary with Newham, and across to High Road Leytonstone.

Leyton and Wanstead Liberal democrats say:

“What do you think? Many residents in these roads have complained for years about not being able to park in their own roads, due to overflow of traffic and parking from the High Road and the Thatched House area.”

“Whatever your views please let us and the council know. Your voice and views are very important.”

Liberal Democrat activists in Waltham Forest have been busy - solving the case of the phantom bus stop!

Investigative work by on behalf of bemused local residents has revealed that a bus stop which disappeared in Cathall Road had never been put there by Transport for London - but by an enterprising public transport user!

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat transport spokeswoman at the London Assembly, said: “I was contacted by Paul Olford, a long-term Lib Dem activist in Leytonstone, about a bus stop which had mysteriously disappeared from Cathall Road.

“I contacted TfL and after some investigating, they discovered the bus stop was never meant to be there in the first place.

“The sign had just been stuck on a lamppost and bus drivers were mistaking it for the real thing.”

And bus passengers will be disappointed to learn that there are no plans to replace the phantom with a real stop, as it’s located on the brow of a bridge and would be too dangerous.

TfL confirmed: “Someone had stuck the round London Buses sign on a lamp column so that it resembled a bus stop.

“We do not know who did this but it was not with the permission of London Buses.”