Forum Topic

Waste of our council tax money

Money being wasted in creating a cycle lane in Boston Manor Road. That already existed. And i read this in the news todayNearly all local authorities in England are set to raise council tax and service charges amid concerns for their financial stability, a survey suggests.Council tax is set to rise in 95% of authorities while 93% will hike service fees, according to the 2018 State of Local Government Finance research.The planned increases come as 80% of councils fear for their balance sheets.      Money down the drain.

Vasken Tchengrakian ● 2746d14 Comments

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/blackwall-reach-development-hundreds-of-london-flats-being-built-on-former-council-estate-marketed-a3687936.htmlhttp://www.propertyindustryeye.com/new-homes-in-london-under-350000-to-be-offered-to-uk-buyers-first/

Philippa Bond ● 2727d

I agree that there is a lot wrong with the way we are building so madly now without schools and doctors surgeries etc.  It is also ridiculous that we have built so many homes that have been marketed directly to overseas buyers when the argument is that we have so many without homes here.  I see recently that the Mayor has obtained agreement for some of these to be offered to first-time buyers in this country for a month (or is it two) first because it was discovered that it wasn't just the very expensive top of the market properties that were being sold directly overseas but also the smaller ones. We do all have to be flexible and amenable to change - however much we dislike it.  It is interesting how many cars you see with only one person in them.  I wonder how many of those regularly carry passengers?  How many of those need to take their car and who, how and what would encourage any changes?  With our very changeable weather here what would/could the difference be in summer?  Some offices have showers used by cyclists - I worked in one in the early 80s when there were fewer cyclists and no cycle superhighways.

Philippa Bond ● 2727d

Is the new cycle route on Boston Manor Road the reason two traffic islands have been removed?

Pat Kingham ● 2740d

"We need to change and improve the way we travel because we won't and don't have the space for a car each."To me it is more appropriate just to get more parking. 33 parking spaces for 193 flats is a joke. People will regret it bitterly in 10 years time. There must be a balance between use of cars, bikes, public transport. People do need cars now and will need them in future.

Alex Shpinkov ● 2740d

Just look at the Watermans/Max Factor site - permission granted for 193 flats with only 33 car parking spaces...  We need to change and improve the way we travel because we won't and don't have the space for a car each.It is good that the Consultation on CS9 (have you missed that?) and the Mobikes are generating more discussion.

Philippa Bond ● 2741d

Guy, I'm aware of this school of thought of getting to carless environment. I'm afraid it is very dangerous and we will pay big price in future for doing it now. Especially since motor vehicles are getting more and more environmentally friendly. Bikes and public transport cannot replace cars - all have their own place in the modern life and in future.As for turning into Holland - to me it makes no sense to spend a lot to build something like cycle lanes everywhere and then hope that it will get more  people cycling. There are other cheaper and more efficient ways to get people on the bike... those people who can cycle... and for journeys that are sensible for a usual person. From this perspective I think that actually the much criticized here Mobikes is a great thing. The 'preferred parking' can be easily sorted - for example I think the places selected for Brentford High Street are perfect. The issue of leaving mobikes in the wrong places can be resolved, same  as the issue of simply dumping them (which I personally think is a similar issue to stealing supermarket trolleys. And it needs some interaction with the people who do it). I've subscribed for mobikes this week - found the process nice and easy. And hope to try it out over the weekend.

Alex Shpinkov ● 2745d

"By your logic it doesn't seem very sensible to put a football pitch there."I'm afraid that's a distortion. Please come to Griffin Park and on a match day and count  the fans. That's the audience for the Lionel Road football grounds. Than count the cyclists on the road we are talking about. That's who may (or may not - as most of them don't care about cycle lane being there) be the audience for the  cycle lane.

Alex Shpinkov ● 2745d

Yes Pat. Work between Boston Manor Station and the mini roundabout. Maybe we'll get "The Tour De France" starting from here at least.

Vasken Tchengrakian ● 2745d

The cycle lanes down the A4 to the A30 are a total waste of money. Not used at all. The cyclists prefer to cycle in the middle of the road and cause traffic chaos.

Steve Taylor ● 2746d

I've seen zero sport being played on that construction site by Lionel Road.By your logic it doesn't seem very sensible to put a football pitch there.

Tabitha Jones ● 2746d

There is not much cycling along the A4 but what there is predominantly uses the cycle lanes, inadequate and somewhat dangerous as they are.I would like to see us emulate what happens in Holland: it was not a given that Holland switched from reliance on motor transport for short journeys to bikes, and it happened for a variety of reasons but one of the major ones was investment in cycle infrastructure.New developments, particularly in urban centres, have increasingly less car parking and more cycle storage and it is my belief (can I prove it? No) that over the next couple of decades we will see a significant increase in the proportion of journeys made by bike. If that happens, it will be to everybody's benefit, because it will reduce pollution and congestion from motor vehicles and improve health.A single cycle lane will not do it but... if new developments are car free, if parking at places of work becomes more problematic, if cycle hire schemes become widely available and cycling itself becomes safer and more convenient, I believe that will lead to significant change.What's not to like about this:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDLb6biq39A

Guy Lambert ● 2746d

Sorry Guy but sometimes investing in cycle infrastructure seems more like a "tick the box" exercise. I'm not convinced that if there are no cyclists there now - building a cycle lane will add many more.There is a cycle lane along A4 from Chiswick roundabout westwards - it is hardly used. People complain about its sorry state - but come on, it's still safer than riding with traffic.The famous cycle lane in Priory Lane - not very popular among cyclists.Shared use lane along Chertsey Road - hugely underused.Looks like a lot has already been invested into cycle infrastructure - but the payback is low. Something doesn't look right with the current approach.

Alex Shpinkov ● 2746d

I believe the parking for residents will be the same as before. There is no current useful bike lane, which explains in part why cyclists are uncommon.The bike lane is largely funded by TfL, which like LBH is committed to investing in cycle infrastructure because this will reduce emissions and congestion whilst promoting a healthier lifestyle.

Guy Lambert ● 2746d

Is this the works that are going on now between Boston Manor Station and the park ?  If so completely agree, hardly ever see a bike on that stretch and also will mean less parking for residents.

Pat Kingham ● 2746d