Former Police Station in High Road Leytonstone
At a recent meeting of the Planning Committee planning permission was refused for change of use from police station to school and nursery.
The reasons for refusal included an over-development of the site; increased traffic generation, congestion and increased demand for on street parking.
Full details can be found on the Council’s website, by quoting the application number in the Planning Explorer
Caroline Pigeon, the Liberal Democrat Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, is continuing to lead the campaign for electrification of the Barking – Gospel Oak Line which has seen passenger numbers increase dramatically since the introduction of the new diesel units.
Caroline Pigeon says:
“We were disappointed when confirmation of funding for the Gospel Oak-Barking line electrification failed to materialise in the Budget, but are hopeful that the Government will choose to sanction these line improvements as a priority when it reviews the plans in June. Electrification will deliver huge benefits to both the local area and London as a whole, including improvements to the rail network connectivity, and a reduced environmental impact.
“Full funding must be confirmed this year or, due to the impact of Crossrail’s construction, costs will rise far beyond the current estimates. Confirmation this year will mean this significant milestone for Britain’s rail infrastructure can go ahead without further delay or spiralling costs.”
The Liberal Democrats were pleased to hear that the end of their long-running campaign is in sight.
Transport for London (TfL) has announced that the works are scheduled to start on Monday 1 July and will last approximately 20 weeks, or until the work is completed. The Council has agreed that the working hours will be from 9.30 pm until 5 am (first 6 weeks and last week of work) and 8 am until 4 pm (remaining weeks), Monday – Friday.
The main objective of these works on the Church Lane Footbridge is to improve safety through the provision of new lighting, with a new enclosure to improve visibility and reduce antisocial behaviour.
TfL has said that the aim is to balance possible disruption to residents with disruption to traffic. Some works will take place at night, as this provides the best chance to complete these works safely and as quickly as possible with as little disruption as possible.
Every effort will be made to ensure that noisy operations are completed before midnight. although TfL explains that vehicle reversing warning bleepers are essential safety devices to protect operatives.
Pedestrian diversions will be signposted during footbridge closure times.
Transport for London is firmly committed to minimise disruption, and offer apologies for any inconvenience that may be caused by these essential works. Should you require further information or an update during the delivery of these works please contact TfL’s Streets Customer Services department on 0845 305 1234 or via the web at www.tfl.gov.uk/contact.
Dyers Hall Road footbridge, which was refurbished earlier, will have external painting completed.
Liberal Democrat Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon asked Mayor Boris Johnson if he would commit to ensuring that the Barking to Gospel Oak Line is electrified before the end of his Mayoral term. His written response is printed below:
I strongly support the electrification of the Gospel Oak to Barking Line, which would permit the introduction of longer London Overground passenger trains, and bring significant benefits to the UK rail freight industry.
However, the commitment you seek can only be made by the Department for Transport and Network Rail, as the line is part of the Network Rail network. TfL (Transport for London) has offered a contribution to any funding package, reflecting the benefits for Overground services, but to date the balance of the required funding has not been forthcoming from the Government.
TfL continues to make the case for this scheme.
Church Lane Car Park
The Council has decided to issue a Consultation Document asking residents in the temporary Olympic Parking Zone (G01-G10) for their views on the proposal to introduce an indefinite Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) in their roads.
The consultation document is due to be issued on 24 September and has to be returned by 19 October.
The Council’s policy on the introduction of a CPZ is based on the views of the majority of residents, who return the questionnaire.
Whatever your views the Lib Dems stress that it is vital that the Council receives a response from every household regarding this important consultation.
When you receive the consultation document, please complete and return it without delay.
It will be open to the public from 10.30 am until 4.30 pm on Saturday 22nd September as part of the national Open House event.
There will be a display of vintage buses as well as displays of the history of bus travel.
In addition there will be vintage bus tours to Stagecoach London’s newest bus station in West Ham, which will depart every 15 minutes.
The Waltham Forest Guardian has reported that campaigners in Walthamstow living near the Line have grown increasingly concerned over a recent increase in the frequency, length and weight of the goods trains which travel along the track in the early hours.
Network Rail has finally agreed to investigate whether these freight trains are causing structural damage to their properties.
They have said that the investigation would last for a ‘decent amount of time’ and would include installation of monitoring equipment in several properties. No indication was given of a time span.
Network Rail admitted that the number of freight trains on the line may increase in late 2013, when the London Gateway ‘super port’ opens. The campaigners are demanding that monitoring should also cover this period.
This campaign has centred on Walthamstow, so far, however the Liberal Democrats would like to know how residents are affected as the freight trains go through Leyton and Leytonstone.
Temporary Olympic CPZ sign
When the Council and the ODA decided to implement the temporary Olympic Controlled Parking Zone, it was clearly stated that it would be withdrawn on the 9th September following the closure of the Paralympic Games.
The Council also stated that they would be undertaking a consultation with the residents to find out if, in the light of their experience during the Games, they wished to make the Controlled Parking Zone permanent.
The Lib Dems have now discovered that the Council has already published a Traffic Order allowing them to extend the temporary provision for 18 months. It also states that the Council will be considering ‘in due course’ whether the provisions of the experimental orders should be continued in force indefinitely by means of permanent Orders.
Liberal Democrats feel very strongly that there is no need for permanent parking restrictions in most of the roads in areas GO1 – GO10, as they do not have a history of parking problems.
All residents are urged to send in written objections to both the temporary 18 month extension and the permanent CPZ to the Council at:
Closing date for objections: 8th February 2013
The Barking – Gospel Oak User Group (BGOLUG) has learnt that the vital morning commuter train (07.59 from Woodgrange Park) put on last summer to relieve overcrowding is to be cancelled during the Olympic Games.
Richard Pout BGOLUG Secretary said:
“The withdrawal of this train will cause intolerable conditions for commuters trying to get to work in the morning, BGOLUG therefore has to advise passengers to use alternative public transport routes during the games”
“This cut together with the planned half-hourly service from 10 o’clock in the evening will help ensure ‘sardine’ conditions all day and night during the Olympics. Likewise, with a ban on engineering work during the Games, there is no reason why a Saturday service could not be operated on Sundays instead of the first trains being after the morning’s Olympic events have started.”
BGOLUG are calling on TfL to: