Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Categories
In this Discussion
Top Posters
- Arkady 5356
- miss annie 5139
- andy 4506
- Ali 3405
- krappyrubsnif 3208
- tosscat 2291
- David 2179
- ADGS 1875
- kreuzkav 1733
- Mirandola 1618
Haringey Council miss chance to improve Cycling infrastructure in-spite Mayor/HMG encouragement
When asked what roads are scheduled to have temp cycle lanes introduced to support the expected increase in cycle commuting and aid social distancing (measures supported by the Mayor and the Govt). The council gave this response:
‘Whilst we recognise the need to improve the safety of cyclists on Haringey’s roads, our roads have never been quieter which should allow the opportunity for safer cycling without the need for segregation’
A missed opportunity to make a difference - particularly now that traffic is growing with more and more people taking to their cars as they return to work and the Government has allocated £2bn to fund any initiative a Council may take.
‘Whilst we recognise the need to improve the safety of cyclists on Haringey’s roads, our roads have never been quieter which should allow the opportunity for safer cycling without the need for segregation’
A missed opportunity to make a difference - particularly now that traffic is growing with more and more people taking to their cars as they return to work and the Government has allocated £2bn to fund any initiative a Council may take.
Tagged:
Comments
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/2-billion-package-to-create-new-era-for-cycling-and-walking
There is only £250m initially never belive a headline especially one comming from this Goverment.
One bit off good news is "Vouchers will be issued for cycle repairs, to encourage people to get their old bikes out of the shed, and plans are being developed for greater provision of bike fixing facilities"
Our loss is someone else's gain, but as usual ideology trumps economic sense.
You can read the Harigey plan here
https://www.haringey.gov.uk/sites/haringeygovuk/files/haringey_lip3_final.pdf
In this you will see a lot what the Council does is within an overall London strategy led by TfL which then funds local implimentation through something called LIP funding.
Seems sensible LOdon Strategy implimented locally.
The document itself is far to wordy but does show that the coucil has very little money to make much difference which I guess might be down to the 40% cuts since 2010. POt holes everywhere.
Cant say I have noticed the Crouch end llivable neighbourhood mentioned on page 90 or so
As for cuts, lol, Haringey is the borough with the highest proportion of £100,000-plus staff on its payroll. You'd have thought since the HDV the new administration, might clean that up, instead along with blocking the AGM and granting the second-lowest proportion of business support grants in the whole of London during this crisis; they've proved themselves useless when compared to our neighbours in Hackney and Islington, and yes, I feel a lot of that is ideological, as they sacked off a ton of great councillors to bring in their momentum goons instead.
https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/taxpayersalliance/pages/16944/attachments/original/1585837525/Town_Hall_Rich_List_2020.xlsx?1585837525
It is interesting to see who has put this together, hardly a neutral organisation.
For people paid over £100k Haringey had 30, Westminster 25, Newham 24, Kent 32 Kensington 27. In Haringeys case quite a few were not that much above £100k There also seemed to similar amounts being paid in simlar jobs across the different councils. which would indicate there must be some sort of national grade or pay rate for the job ie the going rate.
I fail to see what Momentum has got to do with this. I cant say I have seen much chaos about the place since they got elected last year but maybe it is early days or I may be blind to it.
It was the people through an election that "sacked off a ton of great councillors"
The only councillors that seemed to engaged much around was the LibDems in their day.
THe AGM decision does seem a bit strange and in the same paper as above there is a quite excited article about it. I like the comment that Hqaringey is not Hungary.
Not sure about chaos but big money spent on top officials and consultants and now that Momentum set up to promote Corbyn and his allies in power (now sidelined) you might say their councillors have been cut adrift - the momentum stalled? Most of them not particularly engaged locally anyway. Interesting to speculate what would have happened if that AGM had taken place.
If you do a quick Google of how councils both labour and conservative across the country are grabbing the bull by the horns and improving cycle infrastructure, you'll see that Haringey is lagging behind massively on this subject. So not taking up free money is just positively stupid.
And yes momentum runs the council, so it is ideological.
A note on the HDV, (which was the catalyst for momentum's arrival) the council's official policy is now to buy up housing stock using council money, instead of actually redeveloping deprived areas in partnership with companies - I'd argue that what Hackney is doing at Woodberry down is a much better approach, but this can be argued in a different thread.
About two thirds down is the but about additional cycle lanes based on taking away road space for cars and delivery vehicles less Amazon deliveries to the office. There is also a link to map of the additional cycle lanes mainly in the centre. Seems sensible to me as that's where people will converge on and need extra space.