Two days left to give your views on London City Airport expansion

Sarah Ludford MEP and Cllr Farooq Qureshi have raised concerns over the expansion of London City AirportAre you affected by flights from London City Airport? Many Waltham Forest residents have told the Liberal Democrat team that they have noticed a difference in the number of noisy flights passing overhead.

The flightpaths from the airport were changed last year to direct more planes over our area.

Cllr Farooq Qureshi is reminding local residents that there are just two days left to complete the London Assembly’s survey into the environmental impacts of the expansion of London City airport.

The survey won’t take long to complete but will help ensure that local people’s voices are heard by the London Assembly and Mayor of London.

You can fill in the survey here: www.surveymonkey.com/s/YNDKMXS. The survey will close on Thursday 30 September.

The London Assembly Environment Committee, including Lib Dem Assembly Member Mike Tuffrey is carrying out an investigation into the expansion of London City Airport. The survey is part of the investigation.

Residents unrepresented at City Airport watchdog for six months

View of London City AirportWaltham Forest Liberal Democrats have discovered that Waltham Forest went unrepresented at an important committee discussing flights from London City Airport because it took over six months to appoint the council’s representative.

This is despite local residents’ concern about the noise and disturbance caused by flights from London City Airport, which have increased since changes to the flight paths used by aircraft.

Waltham Forest, Redbridge and Havering Council’s were invited to appoint a councillor to sit on the London City Airport Consultative Committee in a letter sent by the committee’s secretary on 21st January 2010.

The invitation was issued after Liberal Democrat councillor Farooq Qureshi put forward a motion to Waltham Forest Council about the expansion of London City Airport in October 2009. As a result of the motion the council wrote to the consultative committee requesting representation on behalf of local residents affected by flights from the airport.

However the name of the council’s representative, Cllr Clyde Loakes, only emerged last month (August). The council has missed two meetings since the invitation was issued on Tuesday 13th April and on Tuesday 21st July.

Even if the appointment had to be delayed until the results of May’s council elections were known this does not explain why no appointment was made in time for July’s meeting.

London Lib Dem MEP Sarah Ludford has backed the campaign against the expansion of London City Airport and recently sent a message of support to the Fight the Flights campaign.

Waltham Forest Liberal Democrats choose new Leader

Cllr Bob SullivanWaltham Forest Liberal Democrats have elected long-serving Leyton councillor Bob Sullivan as their new Group Leader. By-election winner Cllr Winnie Smith is the new Deputy Leader and Cllr Farooq Qureshi will serve as Whip (internal liaison on the council).

Speaking after his election Cllr Sullivan said:

“The Liberal Democrat Group has an important job to do on the council and in the local community. Between them our members have enormous experience and determination. We will hold the Labour administration to account and continue to work hard for the local community. When Labour had full control of the borough before, they turned it into one of the worst run councils in the country. We will do all we can to stand up for local residents and stop that happening again.”

He identified the following priorities for the council:

“In the run up to the elections Labour spent many months ducking decisions on issues like the EMD Cinema, Arcade site and Walthamstow Stadium. Labour failed to take action to deal with the shortage of primary school places in the borough. The Liberal Democrats will demand that the Labour administration faces up to its responsibilities and comes clean about the decisions it plans to make.

“We will continue to press for a fair allocation of Olympic spending across the borough and for the swift implementation of the Liberal Democrat Weedbusteers scheme agreed just before the election.”

Cllr Bob Sullivan was first elected to Waltham Forest Council in 1981. He has won a reputation as a dedicated campaigner for local residents. He was instrumental in saving Leyton library from being sold off and ensuring the Leyton Lagoon swimming pool was built.

Cllr Winnie Smith was elected in 2008 in a by-election after the sitting Labour councillor was convicted under the Representation of the People Act for smearing her Liberal Democrat opponent. She represents Leyton ward.

Cllr Farooq Qureshi is a well-known councillor who represents Forest ward. He was parliamentary candidate in Leyton & Wansted where he achieved a 2.6% swing from Labour to the Liberal Democrats.

Lib Dem campaign against City Airport Flights Continues

Local transport campaigner and Lib Dem parliamentary candidate Farooq Qureshi is pressing on with his campaign against the expansion of London City Airport and the new flight paths which affect local residents.

He has urged the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to publish details about how they will review the new flightpaths and to explain how local residents will be consulted.

In October Farooq persuaded Waltham Forest Council to oppose the expansion of London City Airport. He has welcomed the recent decision by the London Assembly to ask for a review of the decision and will be asking for an update on action by Waltham Forest Council at Thursday’s Council Meeting (25 March).

Farooq said:

“Changes at London City Airport impact on a huge swathe of north east London, yet past consultations have been poorly publicised. We need a proper review of the changes which takes into account local people’s experience. We need to know now how the review will take place so we can make sure the consultation arrangements are acceptable and to give the council and local organisations time to prepare.”

Farooq is also calling for a review of Newham Council’s decision to give planning permission for 120,000 aircraft movements a year at London City Airport.

Farooq advises residents who suffer from disturbance from aircraft to report their complaint to the CAA so it can be properly logged. The CAA provides the following contact details:

  • Breach of Air Navigation Legislation (including low flying): Write to: CAA,Aviation Regulation Enforcement, K504, CAA House, 45-59 Kingsway,LONDON, WC2B 6TE (Tel. 020 7453 6193). You can download a complaint form from here [PDF].

Lib Dems step up campaign against Waltham Forest ticket office closures

Liberal Democrat campaigners Farooq Qureshi and Farid Ahmed have stepped up their campaign against Boris Johnson’s ticket office closures following confirmation that all four tube stations in the borough will be affected.

Sign their petition at www.ourcampaign.org.uk/ticketoffices.

In total Waltham Forest will lose nearly 60 hours of cover a week. The Mayor’s plan will hit late evening cover especially hard.

  • Walthamstow Central will close at 9.30pm instead of 11.30pm on weekdays
  • Blackhorse Road ticket office will shut at 6pm instead of 10pm on Saturdays
  • Leyton ticket office will shut at 9.30 pm instead of 10.30 pm on weekdays
  • Leytonstone will close at 8.45 pm instead of 11 pm on Sundays.

Cllr Qureshi, who is parliamentary candidate for Leyton and Wanstead, said:

“Waltham Forest has been hit hard by the Conservative Mayor’s broken promise. He said he would keep ticket offices open – but now travellers will face deserted ticket offices in the evenings just when demand for security is greatest. That’s why I’ve launched a petition and am asking for people’s experiences. I want as many people s possible to show their concern.”

Farooq Qureshi, Farid Ahmed and the Liberal Democrat team have launched a petition against the closures. Passengers can sign online at www.ourcampaign.org.uk/ticketoffices or call 020 8556 8335 for a petition form.

Full details of the proposed changes are:

BLACKHORSE ROAD

  • Weekdays – will open from 0600-1945 instead of 0530-2100
  • Saturdays – will open from 0645-1800 instead of 0630-2200
  • Sundays – will open from 0945-1645 instead of 0800-2000

This means the ticket office will be closed for 18 hours a week less than currently.

WALTHAMSTOW

  • Weekdays – will open from 0545-2130 instead of 0530-2330
  • Saturdays – will open from 0645-2145 instead of 0600-0000
  • Sundays – will open from 0900-1900 instead of 0900-1100 and 12.30-23.00

This means the ticket office will be closed for 17 hours 45 mins a week less than currently.

LEYTON

  • Weekdays – will open from 0600-2130 instead of 0530-2300
  • Saturdays – will open from 0645-2200 instead of 0530-2230
  • Sundays – will open from 0715-2100 instead of 0700-2300

This is 13 hours 30 mins a week less than currently.

LEYTONSTONE

  • Weekdays – will open from 0545-2015 instead of 0530-2200
  • Saturdays – will open from 0645-2045 instead of 0600-2200
  • Sundays – will open from 0730-2045 instead of 0700-2300

This is 11 hours 15 mins a week less than currently.

In total Waltham Forest is losing nearly 60 hours of ticket office cover.

Lib Dems call on Mayor to keep Waltham Forest tube ticket offices open

Transport campaigner Farooq QureshiWaltham 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).