Monthly Archives: March 2010

Seb Coe presents unique ‘Landmark London’ pin badge to Liberal Democrat-led Brent Council

Posted on March 21, 2010 | Leave a comment

In September 2009, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and London Councils launched the ‘Landmark London’ competition. Londoners were invited to vote for the most iconic landmark in their borough that they would most like to see featured in an individual pin badge.

Winning landmarks range from visitor attractions, theatres and museums to windmills, clock towers and bridges. One of Brent’s finest landmarks, the Neasden Mandir Temple, won the competition in Brent.

Each of the landmarks has now been re-created into a metal pin badge incorporating the London 2012 logo.  Sebastian Coe, Chair of presented each London Borough with the first pin badge produced.

Cllr Bob Wharton, Executive Member for Children and Families, received the badge from Sebastian Coe on behalf of Brent (pictured) saying, “The Neasden Mandir Temple is instantly recognisable and an iconic image, not just of Brent, but of London itself.  These pin badges are designed to show London at its very best and I’m pleased Brent will be represented by such an important image.  I know our residents will wear this badge with pride.”

The Landmark London pin badges will be available for wider sale across London in the coming weeks from Runner’s Need, Crest of London, World Duty Free and the Museum of London.

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Posted in Community, Sport

Liberal Democrats demand answers from Boris on Better Buses for Brentfield Road

Posted on March 21, 2010 | Leave a comment

Following the admission by the Mayor of London that FOUR of the capitals’ 10 worst bus routes run through Brent, Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat member for Greater London Authority and Councillor Daniel Brown, Liberal Democrat spokesman are meeting with Transport for London to discuss the need for better bus servicies in Brentfield Road, Stonebridge on the 26th March 2010.  They will also be asking why the Mayor and Transport for London refuse to listen to the needs of local people requesting a better bus service.

A huge petition from local residents demanding a better bus service in Brentfield Road was submitted to the Mayor by Liberal Democrats at a formal Question Time session last year. Brentfield Road runs between Brent Park Tesco and Harlesden Station and is also home to the prestigious Neasden Temple, but is currently services by only two buses, the 206 and the PR2. Following the collection of the petition Transport for London admitted that the frequency of buses on the PR2 route had deteriorated significantly

Councillor Daniel Brown, Liberal Democrat Transport spokesperson, said:

“Given the dreadful service on the PR2, it is little wonder that local people are demanding more buses along Brentfield Road.  I and my Liberal Democrat colleagues on the Council and at City Hall have supported them in that call and will be raising the concerns of local people about the need for better buses when we meet with them.

We would hope that Mayor Boris and Transport for London will at long last listen to the very many residents who signed the Petition. Local residents desperately need an improved local bus service, especially at weekends, and we hope the Conservative Mayor and Transport for London will recognise this. It’s a shame the Mayor would not meet petitioners in person to explain his position.”

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Posted in Campaigns, Community, Transport

Council Leader calls on London Mayor to tackle “appalling” Olympic destination station

Posted on March 21, 2010 | Leave a comment

Councillor Paul Lorber, Liberal Democrat Leader of Brent Council, has written to London Mayor Boris Johnson urging that he intervene to resolve longstanding problems at the “appalling” and “unacceptable” Wembley Central station.

The approach follows almost 6 months of formal Council approaches to Network Rail about their lack of investment and planning, including joint initiatives with Transport for London.  Despite these, Network Rail have failed to improve the station.

Aside from constant problems of leaking rainwater onto the platforms, major upgrades including a disabled lift to enable full, step-free access to the Olympic station have been put on hold by Network Rail.  In a letter to Councillor Lorber late last year, Iain Coucher, Chief Executive, stated: “Network Rail cannot confirm whether or not the LDA further works will be completed in time to deliver step-free access for the 2012 Olympic Games.”

Meanwhile, Wembley residents and commuters continue to suffer from an ill-equipped, half-built, incomplete station with inadequate facilities and a leaky roof.

Councillor Paul Lorber, Liberal Democrat Leader of Brent Council, said

“As a Council, we have worked hard for the exciting opportunities the Olympics will bring.  Working with our partners we have made great progress in the regeneration of Wembley Central Square and the area around it.

Sadly, Network Rail seem to be the weak link in the chain, with no recognition of their responsibilities to provide a modern, acceptable gateway for the Olympics and a station that local residents want to use and can feel proud of.

I’ve written to the London Mayor and asked him to intervene.  We need to ensure action urgently so the thousands of people who use Wembley Central Station week in and week out can receive the service they are entitled to, and travel in reasonable comfort without leaky roofs and lifts that don’t work.”

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Posted in Sport, Transport

Brent poorly served by four of London’s worst bus routes

Posted on March 21, 2010 | Leave a comment

Research by the Liberal Democrats has revealed that almost half of the capitals’ worst bus routes run through Brent.

The 79, 114, 226 and 228, all of which run through Brent, all fell within the ten worst performing routes in London, according to a Mayoral answer given to Lib Dem GLA member Caroline Pidgeon.

  • The 114 runs from Mill Hill to Ruislip via Queensbury, Kenton, and Harrow.
  • The 79 runs from Alperton to Edgware via Kingsbury passing through the Ealing Road and Wembley High Road.
  • The 226 runs from Ealing to Golders Green passing through Harlesden and Dudden Hill
  • The 228 runs from Park Royal to Chippenham Gardens, passing through Harlesden.

The routes were identified by Mayor Boris Johnson and his officials based on the length of time people have to wait over and above the published, expected frequency of service.

Liberal Democrat Transportation spokesperson, Councillor Daniel Brown said

“I’m shocked to hear that not only is the Mayor letting Brent’s tube travellers down badly by allowing weekends where all three major tube lines in Brent are closed for overdue works, but also that nearly half of London’s worst performing Bus routes run through Brent too.

“If Boris is going to close our tube lines he needs to make sure there is an adequate bus service in the borough to allow people to get about.  It’s clear by his own admission that he’s failing to do that. The residents of Brent are rightly furious.”

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Posted in Transport

Last-ditch appeal to halt “catastrophic” development

Posted on March 21, 2010 | Leave a comment

A Liberal Democrat Councillor representing residents in Dollis Hill has written to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government expressing his serious reservations about proposals for the Brent Cross/ Cricklewood redevelopment.

In a letter to John Denham MP, Councillor Alec Castle reinforced the formal opposition of Liberal Democrat-led Brent Council to the proposals on traffic grounds, and indicates that until key wider planning aspects of importance to the Council are resolved, the objection to the plans will remain.

The Liberal Democrat councillor believes that the developers have deliberately paid no attention to these important planning aspects in their submission, and says that no development works should begin unless or until measures to help direct traffic and provide appropriate parking restrictions have been put in place through a formal agreement.

Dollis Hill Liberal Democrat councillor Alec Castle said:

“I have objected to the Secretary of State in clear terms about these plans, which could have devastating impacts on Dollis Hill and Cricklewood areas of Brent.

If the developers are not going to be forced to follow the usual sensible planning protocols such as looking at the wider traffic flow around the A5 Corridor before making gargantuan proposals, the effect on residents in Dollis Hill could be catastrophic.

Tory-run Barnet may have passed this proposal, but we do not have to go along with it, and given the likely effect on local people I don’t intend to.  We will now see if the Secretary of State intervenes to halt this catastrophe in the making, or if Labour Ministers supported by the likes of Dawn Butler are happy to sit back and let our residents suffer.”

Cllr Alec Castle – Brent Cross Development

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Posted in Campaigns

Botched Government privatisation waste would have paid for trains to stop at Neasden hundreds of times over

Posted on March 21, 2010 | Leave a comment

A Liberal Democrat councillor representing Dudden Hill has slammed the Government after news that money wasted on the expensive failed part-privatisation of the Tube could have funded work to allow Met Line trains to stop at Neasden several hundred times over.

The national Public Accounts Committee revealed last week that £410 million was wasted by Labour through a failure to properly risk manage the hiving off of the Tube to various parts of the private sector on 30-year leases.

Yet questions to Mayor Boris Johnson at City Hall by Liberal Democrat Assembly member Caroline Pidgeon have revealed that it may only cost £1.5 million to do essential work to and around the Metropolitan Line platforms at Neasden to enable trains to stop there while the Jubilee Line is not running.

The platforms already have HelpPoints installed which are fully functioning and can be used by London Underground staff – but they will never be used by passengers because Mayor Johnson will not authorise spending the money to upgrade the platforms.

Dudden Hill Liberal Democrat councillor David Clues comments:

“Residents are rightly upset at having been without the Jubilee Line for so many weekends.  When Sarah Teather MP, Daniel Brown and others pushed for Metropolitan Line trains to stop at Willesden Green, this was a huge success, with many thousands of local residents making use of the access to the Tube they would not otherwise have had.

It would make perfect sense for Met Line trains to also stop at Neasden, given the level of chaos and disruption people have experienced under Mayor Boris.  But now we hear that the amount wasted by Labour in their dogmatic privatisation scheme could have paid for the necessary works to be done several hundred times over.

This just adds insult to injury at a time when Brent has been denied a proper Tube service.”

Question No: 620 / 2010

Caroline Pidgeon

If as stated in your answer to my previous question (125/2010) TfL are not planning to have Metropolitan Line trains stopping at Neasden because of the cost of bringing platforms up to standard for passenger use, why have Help Points been installed on those disused platforms at Neasden? What is the cost involved in installing the Help Points on the Metropolitan Line platforms at Neasden Station and do they work?

Answer from the Mayor:

The Help Points were installed in 2006 by Tube Lines, at the same time as they installed other Help Point equipment at Neasden station. This was part of a comprehensive station refurbishment under the PPP contract, and Tube Lines’ costs for these Help Points are not available.

The Help Points are fully functioning and would be available for use by passengers should the platforms need to be used in an emergency situation, or brought back into use in the future, if circumstances change.

Help Points are also of use to London Underground staff in emergency situations, and as such need not be restricted only to areas used by customers.

Question No: 621 / 2010

Caroline Pidgeon

Please can you confirm what the total cost would be in upgrading the platforms at Neasden Station so that Metropolitan line trains can stop there?

Answer from the Mayor:

In order to be able to stop Metropolitan line trains at Neasden, work would be required to repair the platform surfaces and edges which are uneven and vegetation would need to be removed. Additional lighting, signage and CCTV would need to be installed, and some structural work is also likely to be required.

In addition, because there is no longer an access route to/from the northbound Metropolitan line platform to the ticket hall, customers would be required to exit via the Jubilee line platforms and a subway at the north end of the station, which is currently only used by staff. The subway would require substantial work before customers would be able to use it as lighting, flooring and wall surfaces do not currently meet the standard required for customer usage.  Signage would also need to be installed.

The cost of undertaking this work is estimated to be around £1.5 – £2m.

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Posted in Campaigns, Transport