Kate Hoey proves me wrong!
Discussion
Seems there is such a thing as an open-minded Labour MP after all...
Blame Ken, says gridlocked council
By David Williams, Motoring Editor
7 November 2002
Ken Livingstone is to be "named and shamed" as the man responsible for the congestion at London's biggest roadworks.
Lambeth council is furious at being blamed for the chaos at Vauxhall Cross that has frequently crippled large parts of London. Now it plans to erect dozens of signs telling Londoners who is really responsible.
Officials have received hundreds of calls each week from irate motorists because, they claim, the Mayor's Transport for London has not "owned up" to running the project.
"Transport for London is giving Lambeth a bad name through mismanagement of these works," said Keith Fitchett, a member of Lambeth council's executive.
"But neither we nor local people were consulted about this scheme and we do not need it."
Labour MP for Vauxhall Kate Hoey said the roadworks constantly brought traffic to a standstill, sending pollution levels soaring. And she said protests had been ignored.
Streams of cars had been forced into residential streets and trade at some shops had slumped by up to 40 per cent, she added.
"I am extremely worried that TfL are unaccountable. They walk over anyone who does not go along with them - they are a virtual dictatorship," Ms Hoey said.
"Half of the people working there are obsessive about being anti-car. The aim of this scheme is to get people out of their cars. But those who have to drive are left with narrowed junctions and huge lumps of concrete where they are not needed. Londoners no longer have anyone to go to because even the Transport Secretary says it is nothing to do with him."
The general manager of the New Covent Garden Market said trade had been hurt by the roadworks.
Mike Liggins said: "It often seems there is no one in charge and it is affecting us badly.
"There have been catastrophic incidents with water and gas mains and traffic lights that have trapped people in the area for more than two hours."
He fears many customers have started buying goods elsewhere, adding: "We cannot forgive the fact TfL did not even consult us - we could have helped them plan the roadworks so they were not so disruptive-for our 7,000 vehicle movementsa day." TfL maintains the £12 million scheme is needed to reduce traffic, improve public transport access and make the area more pleasant for residents. It is redesigning the gyratory system to link it to a new bus station, while improving the road layout for pedestrians and cyclists.
On most weekdays all approach roads have been slowed to a crawl, dramatically increasing journey times for thousands of travellers.
Kevin Delaney, of the RAC Foundation, said: "If, as TfL says, they are
improving it for pedestrians, who is it that so badly wants to walk around Vauxhall Cross compared to the vast number of vehicles that must use this vital junction?"
Last night, only one sign saying TfL was responsible for the works was evident - propped against a lamppost on Vauxhall Bridge and visible only to south-bound traffic.
Its appearance after nearly a year of roadworks puzzled Bernard Gentry, chairman of Lambeth's finance scrutiny committee, who met a TfL representative earlier this week.
He said: "We pointed out there had been no signs - I'm sure he would have contradicted us if we were wrong. Any sign that is there now must have been put there since the meeting. And the fact remains that [it would be] totally inadequate to inform the thousands of people who suffer daily from these roadworks who is behind them."
A spokesman for TfL denied residents had not been consulted but admitted there were congestion problems.
He said: "Serious congestion can occur when drivers ignore red lights and block exits from the junctions."
Blame Ken, says gridlocked council
By David Williams, Motoring Editor
7 November 2002
Ken Livingstone is to be "named and shamed" as the man responsible for the congestion at London's biggest roadworks.
Lambeth council is furious at being blamed for the chaos at Vauxhall Cross that has frequently crippled large parts of London. Now it plans to erect dozens of signs telling Londoners who is really responsible.
Officials have received hundreds of calls each week from irate motorists because, they claim, the Mayor's Transport for London has not "owned up" to running the project.
"Transport for London is giving Lambeth a bad name through mismanagement of these works," said Keith Fitchett, a member of Lambeth council's executive.
"But neither we nor local people were consulted about this scheme and we do not need it."
Labour MP for Vauxhall Kate Hoey said the roadworks constantly brought traffic to a standstill, sending pollution levels soaring. And she said protests had been ignored.
Streams of cars had been forced into residential streets and trade at some shops had slumped by up to 40 per cent, she added.
"I am extremely worried that TfL are unaccountable. They walk over anyone who does not go along with them - they are a virtual dictatorship," Ms Hoey said.
"Half of the people working there are obsessive about being anti-car. The aim of this scheme is to get people out of their cars. But those who have to drive are left with narrowed junctions and huge lumps of concrete where they are not needed. Londoners no longer have anyone to go to because even the Transport Secretary says it is nothing to do with him."
The general manager of the New Covent Garden Market said trade had been hurt by the roadworks.
Mike Liggins said: "It often seems there is no one in charge and it is affecting us badly.
"There have been catastrophic incidents with water and gas mains and traffic lights that have trapped people in the area for more than two hours."
He fears many customers have started buying goods elsewhere, adding: "We cannot forgive the fact TfL did not even consult us - we could have helped them plan the roadworks so they were not so disruptive-for our 7,000 vehicle movementsa day." TfL maintains the £12 million scheme is needed to reduce traffic, improve public transport access and make the area more pleasant for residents. It is redesigning the gyratory system to link it to a new bus station, while improving the road layout for pedestrians and cyclists.
On most weekdays all approach roads have been slowed to a crawl, dramatically increasing journey times for thousands of travellers.
Kevin Delaney, of the RAC Foundation, said: "If, as TfL says, they are
improving it for pedestrians, who is it that so badly wants to walk around Vauxhall Cross compared to the vast number of vehicles that must use this vital junction?"
Last night, only one sign saying TfL was responsible for the works was evident - propped against a lamppost on Vauxhall Bridge and visible only to south-bound traffic.
Its appearance after nearly a year of roadworks puzzled Bernard Gentry, chairman of Lambeth's finance scrutiny committee, who met a TfL representative earlier this week.
He said: "We pointed out there had been no signs - I'm sure he would have contradicted us if we were wrong. Any sign that is there now must have been put there since the meeting. And the fact remains that [it would be] totally inadequate to inform the thousands of people who suffer daily from these roadworks who is behind them."
A spokesman for TfL denied residents had not been consulted but admitted there were congestion problems.
He said: "Serious congestion can occur when drivers ignore red lights and block exits from the junctions."
"I am extremely worried that TfL are unaccountable. They walk over anyone who does not go along with them - they are a virtual dictatorship," Ms Hoey said.
"Half of the people working there are obsessive about being anti-car.
Well said, that woman! She could have missed out the word "virtual", and I think her comment that only half of TfL are obessively anti-car is an under-estimate, but good call! And doesn't that quote at the end of the article from the TfL spokesman, blaming drivers for the utter chaos at Vauxhall, just sum up their sheer arrogance?
Oh I don't know about Michelle Portakabin - slimy fcuk..
what about David Davies? He comes over as much more authoritative than Ian Duck 'n' Sniff on Radio 4 anyway.
btw Well done Kate Hoey.. who'da thought it.. still, I bet her earache quotient has been at an all time high over this..
what about David Davies? He comes over as much more authoritative than Ian Duck 'n' Sniff on Radio 4 anyway.
btw Well done Kate Hoey.. who'da thought it.. still, I bet her earache quotient has been at an all time high over this..
The ABD magazine, On The Road, had an article about how tfl where planning to do about 2 years worth of roadworks in 3 months to jam up London completely now and then there will be no roadworks after the charging starts so it will look like a success.
I did a search to find something to quote on here and found this instead!
I did a search to find something to quote on here and found this instead!
Red Ken = Red Lights campaign launched
GLA Conservatives have launched a new campaign to highlight Ken Livingstone’s rigging of traffic lights in London. The Mayor, who is a self confessed hater of motorists, has rigged traffic lights to ensure that his congestion-charging scheme will look successful.
Londoners have been recognising that red lights are staying red for longer in the capital for weeks. GLA Conservatives have claimed that lights are being switched to red for longer in an attempt to create the impression that the congestion charge is working when they are rephased after the scheme comes into operation.
Don't think it matters who they bring in to replace the quiet one - they're fcuked as an electable party, big time, certainly for the next decade or so.
However, having said that I would definitely like to see a bit more spunk and excitement in politics. I think portillo might be just the person
- pretty sure that the level of opposition to the fcukwits in power might be more intense and amusing to us, the spectators.
God the thought of 10 more years of blur makes me want to
However, having said that I would definitely like to see a bit more spunk and excitement in politics. I think portillo might be just the person
- pretty sure that the level of opposition to the fcukwits in power might be more intense and amusing to us, the spectators. God the thought of 10 more years of blur makes me want to
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