Borough's coronavirus infection significantly higher than rest of London
Ealing Council Reports 71 New Covid-19 Cases in Ealing 17 -23 August 2020
The Covid-19 infection rate for Ealing is 521.1 /100,000. This rate is significantly higher than across London as a whole and slightly higher than the rate across England.
Many Ealing Commuters Probably Not Travelling Into London.
Transport for London reported on 1 September 2020 that London Underground passenger numbers were 72% below pre Covid-19 levels. One can only assume this kind of low level usage by Ealing commuters using Central, District and Piccadilly tube lines.
‘School Streets’ Closed to Vehicles During Term Time
A 3 August 2020 Ealing Council letter to residents and businesses within the ‘scheme area’ describes the ‘School Streets’ arrangements adopted by Oaklands Primary School in Hanwell. It seems there will be temporary movable barriers presumably somewhere at one end – or perhaps both ends - of Oaklands Road. The time slot is 7:30am to 5:30pm! Volunteers from the school (!) are expected to manage the movable barriers. Implementation starts today when children return to school (3 September 2020).
Typically, one would hope the hours for closure would be 8:15am to 9am and 2:45pm to 3:45pm. If you want/need to drive down a street on which a school is situated during these times (or maybe 7:30am to 5:30pm) you will need to apply for a (free!) permit. Rumour is that even some of those who applied for permits did not receive them. It’s possible not all schools have signed up to this initiative. The Council’s web site does not list ‘School Streets’ compliant schools. With Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras mounted no doubt permit-free vehicle owners will be sent a Penalty Charge Notice (i.e. a fine). However this morning I walked along Oaklands Road and the surrounding roads at 7:40am and again at 8:50am. No sign of any new road barriers, moveable or not. Is it discretion being the better part of valour? Or could it be that no volunteers could be found to man the barriers?
For some more details and to apply for a permit click here.
Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) 21 Installations Met With Civil Disobedience
On 26 August 2020 Ealing Council installed 11 road blocks throughout parts of Hanwell, West Ealing centre and Northfields – the so called LTN 21 area. Within hours road-based removable bollards were removed, planters moved and overturned. Anti-Local Authority graffiti also appeared. Council Leader Bell has described these actions as ’dangerous criminal actions’. Residents have described it as civil disobedience.
Croydon Council Facing Possible Bankruptcy – Is Ealing Council in Similar Danger?
Covid-19 response spending seems to have spearheaded Croydon Council’s £65.4 million overspend, with just £10 million in reserve. Chief Executive Jo Negreni is leaving - she spent just four years in the post. Council Leader Tony Newman said recruitment has been frozen. Press reports suggest 200 Council staff might lose their jobs. In April 2020 Ealing Council Leader Councillor Julian Bell estimated Ealing’s financial ‘hit’ might be as high as £52 million.
Ealing’s Climate and Ecological Emergency (Draft) Strategy
This was announced in May 2020 with a view to making Ealing carbon neutral in just 10 years. Launching this two months into the Covid-19 pandemic seems somewhat eccentric. The plan focuses on energy, food, green infrastructure, transport and waste. A public consultation is underway and runs till 27 September 2020. I should warn you that this is a short, rough draft. There are no draft targets for Council property energy performance, Healthy Neighbourhoods, freight consolidation, or emission reductions in waste collection. More here.
Ealing Council Earned £1.8 Million in Bus Lane Infringement Charges in 2018/19
It issued 33,713 Penalty Charge Notices. Of all other London Councils, only Lambeth (at £2.7 million) earned more from Bus Lane incursions. No doubt due to Covid-19, as fewer cars were on the roads from April 2020, Ealing’s Bus Lane income might be somewhat depleted in 2020/21. None of this income comes from infringements on the Uxbridge Road, as this is collected by TfL. With Bus Lanes being ‘live’ 24/7 as from 17 August 2020 TfL’s Bus Lane revenue might recover in Ealing in 2020/21.
Stop the Arden Road Tower
An 8 storey block to house 31 private housing units is planned by Ealing Council on the corner of Uxbridge Road and Arden Road in West Ealing. The tower will dwarf the Ealing Nationalist Spiritual Church immediately next door to the site. The public car park will be effectively completely destroyed which will harm local shops and restaurants already damaged by Covid-19. This development was incredibly part of a Genuinely Affordable Housing announcement by Ealing Council in July 2020. More details and a petition here.
Eric Leach
eric.alan.leach@gmail.com
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September 3, 2020
