Category: Transport

  • QPARA appears before parliamentary Select Committee

    Palace_of_Westminster,_London_-_Feb_2007

    QPARA representatives, Robin Sharp and Kevin Barrett, appeared before the  HS2 Select Committee on 26 January. We were ‘petitioners’ against HS2’s plan to build a large ventilation shaft and transformer unit on the Keniston Press and car park site by Queen’s Park station. Although HS2’s most recent plan is to switch this to the Canterbury Works site on Canterbury Road, this is not finally ‘signed up’ and has proved unpopular with community interests there. So QPARA decided to present its case against the vent being at the station site. Much impetus has come from Brent Council which has pressed strongly for this change of location so that it can go ahead with a major housing and retail development scheme. Brent’s scheme would also take in land now occupied by Cullen House, the Falcon pub and part of the gyratory road. This scheme was the subject of local exhibitions, consultations and planning approval three years ago. It now looks more likely to go ahead, but depends on final decisions following the Select Committee’s hearing.

  • QPARA helps see off immediate rise in visitor parking charges

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    Before Christmas the Brent Council Cabinet approved plans to increase visitor parking charges in resident parking zones (CPZs) by 200%. The intention was to make the necessary traffic orders in the New Year.

    QPARA got hold of the Cabinet paper and asked for discussions with Cllr Ellie Southwood, who is the lead for the Environment as well as a Queen’s Park ward councilor. These took place at QPARA’s December meeting and were based on a full presentation of the Council’s case.

    The main justification was to catch up with what other Boroughs were charging and to deal with an alleged abuse of some residents selling permits to commuters.

    QPARA members pointed out that an increase of 200% across the board was not a reasonable response to an alleged but unproven problem in two or three areas. They were concerned about a whole range of issues making it hard for residents with annual permits to park near their own houses. These included permits issued to schools for teachers and to businesses, builders’ skips, unused car club bays, as well as parking congestion and abuses around parents collecting children from the five Salusbury Road schools.

    Without waiting for the statutory consultation on the traffic orders QPARA sent in its objections to Cllr Southwood on 24 January calling for a wider review of parking in the borough before considering such huge increases in visitor parking.

    Shortly after this Cllr Southwood wrote to Labour councillors withdrawing the proposals, saying “I have come to the view that the visitor parking charges proposal needs to be set in the context of a wider review of our parking offer.”

    Responding Robin Sharp, QPARA Transport and Streetscape Group spokesperson, said “We welcome this rethink. Visitor parking represents only a small part of the problem in this area and should not be singled out for a disproportionate increase.”

  • Water main renewal will lead to six months’ traffic disruption to Chamberlayne Road

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    Here are the details from Brent Council’s website. Use this link to find updates on Road works, closures and diversions.
      
    18/1/16 – 12/2/16 – Chamberlayne Road will be closed between the junction of Kilburn Lane and Banister Road, large scale diversions including HGVs will be in place and buses will be rerouted to suitable routes.
    15/2/16 – 11/3/16 – Banister Road will be closed at the junction of Chamberlayne Road, large scale diversions including HGV’s will be in place and Buses will be rerouted to suitable routes. Traffic on Chamberlayne Road will be controlled using two way temporary signals.
    22/2/15 – 27/3/16 – Hardinge Road, Leighton Gardens and Okehampton Road will be closed at the junction of  Chamberlayne Road to allow traffic to be controlled using two way temporary signals.
    28/3/16 – 15/4/16 – Mortimer Road and Harvist Road will be closed at the junction of Chamberlayne Road to allow traffic to be controlled using two way temporary signals.
    15/4/16 – mid July – Works will progress north towards Okehampton Road, traffic will be controlled using two way temporary signals, the maximum length of the site will be 75m, side roads will be closed where required
     
    Thanks to Ric Smith for pointing out that QPARA members and Harvist Road residents should be made aware that during the closure of Banister Road (mid Feb to mid march) 3 bus routes will be diverted to run along Harvist Road. #6 #187 #316.Diversions detailed here https://www.brent.gov.uk/services-for-residents/transport-and-streets/road-works-closures-and-diversions/

  • QPARA objects to closure of Queen’s Park station ticket office. Consultation closes 27 January.

     

    Salusbury Rd, Brent, Greater London, NW6 6, UK

    Ticket offices at eight out of the nine Overground stations in Brent are being earmarked for closure. Please have your say by responding to the consultation. The deadline is 27 January.

  • Brent and Kilburn Times publicises cleaner buses petition: last chance to sign

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    http://www.kilburntimes.co.uk/news/environment/petition_launched_for_cleaner_buses_in_kensal_rise_as_air_has_illegally_high_levels_of_no2_1_4283188

    A timely reminder that the petition closes on 4th November, so there is only one week left to sign.