Forum Topics

Ealing Council falling apart (uncut grass, garbage dumping, vehicles on pavement, you name it)

The grass is not even being cut in the Ealing parks.This makes it harder to socially distance from people.People all trying to pass each other on the narrow paths surrounded by waist-high grass.Children play on the same paths because the grass is too high around them.People with buggies cannot pass-by head-on because the paths are too narrow and the grass is too high to go onto.The rats (!) love the long grass.The long grass hides rubbish too.Sometimes even broken glass. And dog poo and much worse.Where are the children to play and the adults to exercise in Covid?You would think the council would try and keep the green spaces usable in Covid so you could walk about?

Waldemar Baran ● 1954d32 Comments ● 1922d

Gotham City moves west to Hanger lane now

A chancer has put forward proposals to build some more skyscrapers on the edge of Westgate just over the gyratory system but still technically in Ealing. Almost next door to the conversion of the Westgate office block into flats, the proposed development will be an eyesore from any angle. It will stand out like a sore thumb over the A40 from the Brunswick, Haymills and Brentham estates as the eyesore that is the north Acton station area moves west. The nearby Hanger Lane station struggles to cope on the Central line as it is, add in the Westgate development and now this monstrosity and it will collapse in the rush hour. There will also be even more cars on the gyratory at peak times which will result in gridlock. Those of us who saw this coming with unchecked immigration are not suprised, stop it now!

peter king ● 1971d3 Comments ● 1923d

Looking for feedback on real estate project - Under Garden apartments built by Robots

Hello everyone,I am currently on an internship for a company that is looking to help solve a number of problems related to housing in London, many of which have been exacerbated by the COVID pandemic:(1) The availability and affordability of property for those looking to relocate closer to loved ones - made all the more pressing where they may have lost a partner as a result of the pandemic.(2) New ways in which people can release value to their homes without having to sell up.(3) Solutions which might work for those living in one of the many conservation areas in Dulwich and other parts of London.(4) Something that will appreciate in value - as opposed to that of garden buildings that will depreciate over timeThe company has come up with a way (excavation robots and a sinking concrete shell) to create living/working space underground allowing the vast majority of the garden to remain in use. They are starting off by building a self-contained under garden apartment with a sunken courtyard garden, providing natural light to the whole apartment. The apartment should work as a home for elderly parents or grown up kids that would be closer to loved ones and significantly less expensive than trying to buy a property off the open market.What do you think of this idea?What problems do you see or concerns do you have?Is it something that you or someone you know might be interested in?Thank you in advance.

Mira Markova ● 1923d0 Comments ● 1923d

Proposed Uxbridge Road Cycling Measures

I don't travel along this stretch of the Uxbridge Road regularly enough to comment on the proposals which are detailed on the front page with any great authority but the thinking behind them appears sound. It is certainly the case that if you are going to be delayed on this road it will be in the town centres and therefore it doesn't seem to be too unbelievable that the dual carriageways represent spare capacity that can be better used and there is a big win if cycling can be made safer and quicker. It was interesting to learn that 80% of trips along this road are made by bus — presumably this is on a per person basis. What that means is that these changes could go badly wrong if they have an undue impact on bus travel times. The council seem to be saying that the changes will be scrapped if bus travel times are affected 'significantly' but this is not defined. My concern is that the more zealous of the pro-cycling brigade have often tended to quote quite misleading data when it comes to bus travel times when it comes to the recent Streetspace measures. We've seen statistics for whole routes for the whole day and then been told that any delays were minimal. The key data is for travel times within the affected sector of the route during the busiest parts of the day. A five minute delay in rush hour might be evened out over the course of the whole route but that is irrelevant to a bus user who has already got off. On a 20 minute trip that's a 25% increase in travel time which will encourage modal shift. As anyone who has ever used a bus can tell you, relatively short delays can lead to buses becoming very overcrowded very quickly. If the changes make travel slower and less comfortable for 80% of the users of the route then they are going to switch to other modes of transport but not all will take up cycling and many will use cars. In this case you risk the situation entering a vicious cycle — pun not intended — in which more traffic leads to fewer people using the bus. To avoid this the council needs to accurately survey the opinions of bus users and drivers and treat the data honestly not cherry picking to present an argument for a pre-determined course of action.



Gordon Southwell ● 1934d56 Comments ● 1924d

It's Plastic Free July and  "Hawaii: Message in the Waves" was made nearly 15 years ago

How far have we got?It is no longer unusual to Take Your Own Bag Shopping.  Some of us no longer forget to do so (or only very very rarely).  It is still a problem though even though single use bags now have to be paid for.The pandemic has meant that even more plastic packaging seems to have arrived around produce.  It makes it quicker to grab and go with our shopping but plastic actually retains the virus longer than other surfaces and we should wash our produce before eating it anyway.Many countries no longer want to take our waste plastic for processing.  Together with the USA we are the worst for plastic packaging/single use plastic. When we discourage it here it seems it just encourages marketers to use it in countries who have worse facilities than we have to deal with it.There has been a lot of lobbying by a pro-plastics lobby.We don't need it on lots of things and should find and use better and less damaging to the environment and to us alternatives.https://topdocumentaryfilms.com/hawaii-message-waves/#comments

Philippa Bond ● 1927d2 Comments ● 1924d

Agatha Christie

I was surprised to learn from a Channel 5 programme tonight that Christie would often come and stay in Ealing with a great-aunt in her youth. Oddly, whoever wrote the script claimed that Ealing was a model for Miss Marple's St Mary Mead. Ealing is many things but it's never been a quaint country village, not even in the 1900s.

Susan Kelly ● 1929d4 Comments ● 1927d

Ascott Allotments win an award at Hampton Court RHS Show

As my firm is at the show, visited yesterday in the rain.Delighted to see a rather nice display garden created by plotholders at Ascott Allotments in South Ealing.Whilst there they were given an award for their efforts. Great to see and well done them!

Raymond Havelock ● 1928d1 Comments ● 1928d

Scam NHS email

A warning to friends and neighbours. A VERY convincing-looking email is circulating this morning plastered with NHS logos and inviting you to apply for a digital passport to prove your inoculation status.  IT IS A SCAM. The web address resolves to a Brazilian website. It is however very convincing in layout and content.  Please delete it and warn less 'tech savvy' friends and family.

N V Brooks ● 1929d0 Comments ● 1929d

Two Million Pensioners Living in Poverty

A lot of people are not claiming the benefits that they are entitled to.  Age UK can do a benefits check for you and help you to fill in the forms necessary to claim.https://www.ageuk.org.uk/latest-press/articles/2021/number-of-pensioners-living-in-poverty-tops-two-million/

Philippa Bond ● 1947d4 Comments ● 1930d

Center for London is a bit out of touch

The Centre for London think tank wants us to stop converting shops into homes, why? Two many empty shops, not enough homes, SIMPLE. Why deny people decent home on the ground floor?

Ben Stallwitz ● 1960d6 Comments ● 1930d

Covert time lapse cameras being placed in Ealing

I understand that secret covert time lapse cameras have been placed in random street locations ( presumably as part of the 'covert' monitoring of LTN and the intent to reimpose a variant version.This is actually illegal without clear signage about the reason for image gathering in a public place.It has to be clearly notified as it captures images of people as well as vehicles and this a breach of data protection and privacy..

Raymond Havelock ● 1949d1 Comments ● 1930d

Nicely Done Greenford High's Bukayo Saka

Not an Arsenal fan but was pleased to see the performance the other night of Ealing born Bukayo Saka who attended Greenford High. One goal and two assists in a game against Eintracht Frankfurt. He has represented England through the age groups and I very much expect this won't be the last we see of him

Gordon Southwell ● 2584d11 Comments ● 1931d

Anyone see a car hit a shop in Churchfield road acton?

Seemed like a film set

Simon Wycombe ● 1931d0 Comments ● 1931d

Looking for a host family in Ealing for a Swedish 6th form student

The Swedish School at The National Archives in Kew is recruiting host families. In case you have a room available in your home, this is a way for you to get an extra income and a chance to get to know a young person from Sweden. Many of the host families have a long lasting friendship with their students and visit them in Sweden after the exchange year. The host family provides care and a room for the student as well as breakfast and dinner. Host families receive £740 per calendar month throughout the student's stay. Here is their https://swedishschool.org.uk/en/become-a-host-family/ or just send an email to hostfamily@swedishschool.org.uk

Gustav Johansson ● 1933d0 Comments ● 1933d

Ealing LTN Commonplace

Bad news for those out there thinking that adding multiple entries on the council’s Commonplace LTN “consultation” website, either for or against, might sway the result one way or the other. They know who you are. It’s not just ANPR cameras watching you, it’s also their IT systems. Extract from Ealing Council’s Report for Action/Information, Item 14: COVID Emergency Low Traffic Neighbourhoods – Interim Assessment, item 3.1.1 :“.........there is a significant level of duplication, as many individuals have written multiple emails or added multiple entries on Commonplace.........The final reports intend to analyse the entries to account for this.” 

N. Davy ● 1945d12 Comments ● 1936d

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/e10-petrol-explained

It's surprising that this seemed to drop off the news for such a long time.  They started using this in Europe years ago.  Nicholas Beard drew my attention to it first of all some time ago on this website.You need to check the compatibility of your car again - although as I understand it - if it isn't compatible with this new fuel - it just means that petrol will cost you more rather than having to change your car.Another article:https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57585105

Philippa Bond ● 1939d5 Comments ● 1938d

Is this the end of the bowls club in Gunnersbury Park?

Just seen that the council are to start charging for the car park at Gunnersbury. Is this the final straw for the bowls club?

peter king ● 1951d11 Comments ● 1939d

car park charging at Gunnersbury Park

So Hounslow Planning department have reversed another of their own recommendations (along with the one that will probably result in the extinction of bowling at GP), opening the way for car park charging. The CIC will not tolerate any challenge to their wishes.Interesting to note that Gemini Park Solutions will not be paid a management fee. They must be very confident of making a bomb on fines ...

bela cunha ● 1947d5 Comments ● 1941d

London Best Web Design Company

http://services.ealingtoday.co.uk/#Services/List/Category/0/881

bosphorus design ● 1852d1 Comments ● 1944d

Good luck Ealing Trailfinders

First leg of the Championship play-off today at 16:30 against some unknown team called Saracens :-)A result over two legs (second leg is next Sunday) will see Ealing in the Gallagher Premiership next season.Go on Trailfinders, emulate the success down the road at Brentford, get promoted.

N V Brooks ● 1952d7 Comments ● 1944d