Ealing Civic Society Lecture: Trams in Ealing?

June
2006

Ealing Civic Society (www.ealingcivicsociety.org) is to present a lecture entitled "Trams in Ealing?"

Speaker: Professor Malcolm Buchanan, Colin Buchanan & Partners

Date and time: 7.30 pm, Thursday 29 June 2006

Place: Telfer Room, Ealing Town Hall

Flyer: Trams in Ealing?

Livingstone: Labour Council incompetent

24 May
2006

With friends like these...

In the aftermath of the local elections, Ken Livingstone has claimed that the Labour party's loss of control of Ealing Council was no surprise. At his weekly press conference, he said: "The Labour-run council in Ealing were frankly not good enough in their performance, and the people were deeply unhappy with the incompetence." Who are we to disagree? Except that Mr Livingstone seems to have missed out the importance of the tram in the elections not just in Ealing but along the length of the proposed route.

A reminder: the West London Tram is a Transport for London project, which means it is being promoted by Mayor Livingstone. All three borough councils along the route have now been elected on anti-tram tickets. The people of west London have spoken on the subject with clarity and unanimity. Just to emphasise the point, the new Ealing Council's vote to remove support for the scheme was passed unanimously - all councillors from all three parties supported this motion (see next article).

We hope the Mayor has listened to this unequivocal vote. Mr Livingstone is now suggesting that if public opinion continues to move against the tram, the project will have to be reviewed. What more decisive demonstration does he want? Watch out for another TfL opinion poll. If asked, please continue to VOTE NO TRAM. Remember also that any poll will cover the whole length of the proposed tram route, not just Ealing. Pass on the message to contacts in Hillingdon and Hammersmith & Fulham.

Read Ken Livingstone's response to questions about the tram: Transcript of 17 May Mayor's Question Time. Note the last line: "There is a transport authority for London and it is not the borough councils".
Alternatively, watch Ken Livingstone responding to questions about the tram: Film of 17 May Mayor's Question Time.
Fast forward to 1 hr 11 mins 45 seconds. Question 1177 from Peter Hulme Cross, to which the Mayor reads his answer, is: "Given Labour's disastrous result in the London Borough of Ealing, where the leader of the Council lost her seat and control has now passed to fervent opponents of the scheme, will the Mayor now acknowledge that the West London Tram is deeply unpopular and does not have the support of the people of West London?"

Read article in the Ealing Times.

From the Ealing Leader's report on the unanimous vote to stop supporting the tram: 'Labour councillor Liz Brooks told the meeting canvassing in the run up to the election had been bruising and humbling. 
She said: "I think I met three people who supported the tram and a vast number who were opposed.
It was a great mistake not to listen to their views - it was arrogant on our part."

We agree.

What west London would really like to talk about now is new ideas for improving public transport.

Ealing Council unanimous: NO TRAM

18 May
2006

At the first meeting of the newly-elected Council on Thursday, 18 May, members voted unanimously to support the following motion:

"The Council resolves that, with immediate effect, it removes its support for the proposed West London Tram Scheme.

The Council hereby withdraws from the option of being a joint promoter of the proposed West London Tram Scheme.

The Council mandates officers to immediately draw up the case for active opposition to the scheme."

The new leader, Councillor Jason Stacey, announced that the Council's tram advisory team is to be disbanded with immediate effect. He also said that he has written to the leaders of the two other councils on the route, Hillingdon and Hammersmith & Fulham, to discuss pooling resources against the West London Tram scheme. 

Ealing Council has unanimously voted NO TRAM. Click for Council press release.

Incoming Ealing Council to oppose tram

11 May
2006

The agenda has been published for the Special Council meeting on 18th May. Agenda item 9 Notice of Motions contains two motions proposing that Ealing Council not only withdraw from its position as joint promoter of the West London Tram scheme, but instruct officers to draw up the case for active opposition to the scheme.

Click for Ealing Council press release.

Full agenda and details of these motions can be read on Ealing Council's website: Agenda
(scroll down to item 9 on page 2)

Special Council meeting on 18th May

6 May
2006

The incoming Ealing Council has set a date of 18th May for a special Council meeting. At this meeting the Council is expected to reverse the former Council's policy on the West London Tram and vote to become an active opponent to the scheme.

Assuming this happens, all three boroughs through which the proposed West London Tram passes - Hillingdon, Ealing and Hammersmith & Fulham - will oppose the scheme.

ALL CHANGE ON EALING COUNCIL

5 May
2006

Labour have been swept from office in Ealing Council. The balance on the Council was Labour 48 vs Conservative 17 (lLibDem 4). Now it is Conservative 37 vs Labour 29 (LibDem 3). We shall look to the Conservative party to make good its promise to oppose the West London Tram aggressively.

Full results on Ealing Council website: Ealing results

National results on BBC website: Local election results

***Flash***: Kingsdown Residents election meeting

23 April
2006

Kingsdown Residents' Association have arranged a Public Election Meeting.

Date: 27 April 2006

Time: 8 pm

Place: St John's Church, Mattock Lane, West Ealing

Guests: Candidates from Conservative, Green, Labour & Liberal Democrat parties

Format: Short presentation by candidates, followed by open questions from the floor.

Click for invitation. ALL ARE WELCOME.

SES calls on TfL to pause and take stock

27 January
2006

With Hillingdon Council joining Hammersmith & Fulham in objecting to the West London Tram, Save Ealing's Streets has called on Transport for London to pause and take stock of the whole scheme. SES has made the following statement:

"When Transport for London first announced its plans for the West London Tram it made clear that the scheme would not proceed without the support of the local community's representatives: "local support will be essential for any scheme to be developed beyond this stage. If the local authorities or the Mayor are unable to support the proposals no scheme will proceed" (Uxbridge Road Transit, October 2000, page 49).

No that two out of the three authorities along the proposed route oppose the scheme SES says it is time for TfL to pause and take stock. 

West London has many serious transport problems that need to be addressed. TfL should make a strategic assessment of all the area's transport needs and priorities and then explore the options for addressing them. This assessment should seek out and involve West London's communities. SES looks forward to participating in such an exercise".

Why Hillingdon Council voted against the tram

26 January
2006

Hillingdon Council voted against the West London Tram scheme because officials did their homework.

Three additional pages of advice were added to the working papers for the Council meeting between 24 November 2005 and 26 January 2006. These three pages present in detail Transport for London's failure to respond to concerns and questions raised by Hillingdon Council representatives: "there has been no additional traffic modelling... TfL’s position has not changed... officers did request to see the whole route strategy in order to comment fully, but this has never been provided... there is very little detailed traffic impact information for members of Hillingdon’s residential and business community to consider..." and so it goes on.

Hillingdon Council has now followed the same route as Save Ealing's Streets and decided that, in the face of Transport for London's repeated failure to address the important issues raised, the only course open is to say NO TRAM.

Ealing Council would serve its residents better if it were to ask similar pointed questions of Transport for London. The same questions that remain unanswered for Hillingdon also remain unanswered for Ealing.

Read the three additional pages of advice to Hillingdon Council: Hillingdon update.

Hillingdon Council votes to OBJECT to the tram

26 January
2006

Hillingdon Council has voted formally to object to the West London Tram. Officers have been instructed to withdraw from any works related to progressing the tram proposals. Following Hammersmith & Fulham's decision to oppose the tram in 2005, this means that two out of three of the local authorities on the tram's route have come out AGAINST the scheme.

This decision was not taken lightly. The Council voted against the tram, having been warned that if it agreed to oppose the proposals at a Public Inquiry, there would be significant costs on staff time and legal costs. The extensive briefing papers on the tram can be read on the Hillingdon website: Hillingdon Council papers. The tram was Item 7, the section starting on page 12 of this file (the page is numbered 10) and continuing to page 46 (numbered 44).

The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, which is not actually on the tram's route, has also formally objected to any proposal to progress the West London tram project for four reasons: poor value for money, the major negative impacts on the roads in the Borough, the poor quality of the traffic modelling and the lack of detailed information provided by TfL on the impact of the proposals on the Borough.

Only Ealing is left as supporter of the proposed West London Tram, and is looking both isolated and out of touch with the views of residents.

SES questions West London Tram ridership forecasts

23 January
2006

Save Ealing's Streets has welcomed London TravelWatch's letter to Transport for London demanding clarification on a number of key points. However, SES has asked that LTW Chairman Brian Cooke should, as promised, press TfL to explain and justfiy its ridership forecasts for the West London Tram. SES believes that the projected increases in passenger numbers along the corridor (almost 1000% in places) are simply incredible.

It has been well documented that promoters of light rail schemes tend to over-estimate their potential benefits. Given the cost of the West London Tram scheme, SES believes that it is essential for forecasts as optimistic as TfL's to be examined carefully.

Click on the link to see for yourself the ridership forecasts and read the full letter from Save Ealing's Streets.

London TravelWatch demands clarification from TfL

23 January
2006

London TravelWatch has discussed the presentations on the West London Tram scheme made by various parties including Save Ealing's Streets on 6 December 2005 in Ealing. Following this discussion, the chairman of London TravelWatch, Brian Cooke has written to Transport for London. LTW voted to maintain its in-principle support for the scheme, but the letter notes that "there is merit in a number of the criticisms made of the WLT proposal in its present form". The letter then goes on to ask a series of searching questions.

London TravelWatch's questions are the same ones that Save Ealing's Streets has been asking for over five years. We are still waiting for satisfactory answers on these issues. Save Ealing's Streets believes that London TravelWatch will realise that its questions will not be answered, just as SES's questions have not been answered. London TravelWatch's support for the scheme is weakening as the organisation travels the same route travelled by Save Ealing's Streets over five years. We fully expect that they will end up in the same position as us and decide that the only option is to say NO TRAM.

The letter also notes "that TfL’s ability to win and maintain the level of public and political support in the locality essential to its success is likely to be heavily contingent upon the extent to which it can demonstrate a willingness and capacity to address these concerns". Hillingdon Council's vote to object to the West London Tram scheme (announced after this letter was sent) demonstrates that TfL has failed in this essential objective, particularly when added to Hammersmith & Fulham's decision in 2005 also to oppose the scheme.

Click on the link to read the full letter. Website: London TravelWatch

SES asks parties for election statements on tram

January
2006

Save Ealing's Streets has invited the three main political parties to present their views on the West London Tram in preparation for the 4 May 2006 local elections. These elections will be the last opportunity for the residents of the three boroughs on the route to have their say at the ballot box. On the present timetable, a public enquiry will start a year after these elections.

Click on the link to go to our ELECTION SPECIAL page and read what the parties have to say:
4 May 2006 election statements.

Tram NOT going to Hayes

January
2006

There have been press reports that the route of the West London Tram could be changed to include Hayes. Transport for London have confirmed to Save Ealing's Streets that this is not the case. There are no plans for the first phase of the tram to include Hayes.

Transport for London announces new Transport Commissioner

17 January
2006

Transport for London has announced that Peter Hendy has been appointed Commissioner of Transport for London. He will take over on 1 February 2006 following the resignation of Bob Kiley.

Click for TfL press release: Mayor appoints new Transport Commissioner

SES responds to TfL West London Tram consultation

January
2006

Save Ealing's Streets has submitted a detailed response to Transport for London's consultation exercise on tram construction compounds, electrical substations, the depot test track and changes in the route alignment for the West London Tram scheme.

Read the full submission: Save Ealing's Streets response to Transport for London consultation.

This document deserves careful consideration, not least by Transport for London. Save Ealing's Streets has visited the sites proposed for the 25 construction compounds, 16 electrical substations and three areas where changes are proposed to track alignment and layout, as well as the location of the proposed test track.

The submission comments in detail on each of these sites. Local residents have also been consulted along the proposed tram route.

SES calls on TfL to rethink strategy

January
2006

In view of the considerable concerns expressed by the community, in its response to Transport for London's consultation exercise on the West London Tram, Save Ealing's Streets calls on Transport for London to rethink its entire strategy with regard to the identification of sites for the construction compounds and other components of this consultation. Save Ealing's Streets also calls on TfL to develop solutions which will be more acceptable to the community.

SES calls for reappraisal of TfL's attitude

January
2006

In addition, Save Ealing's Streets believes that a complete reappraisal of Transport for London’s attitude towards the community in West London is required. Save Ealing's Streets considers that Transport for London must adopt a more participative approach in its dealings with the people whose lives are likely to be affected so much by its decisions regarding the West London Tram.

Letter to leader of Hillingdon Liberal Democrats

January
2006

On 26 January 2006 the full Hillingdon Council will vote on whether to support or oppose the West London Tram scheme. In December 2005, the Council voted to postpone this decision, even though the cabinet had decided to oppose the scheme. It is the Liberal Democrat group which holds the key to this vote, since they hold the balance of power (Ealing LibDems oppose the West London Tram scheme).

Since Hillingdon's decision will have a crucial impact on Ealing, Save Ealing's Streets has written to Councillor Carey, leader of the Liberal Democrats in Hillingdon, outlining the reasons why we oppose the Tram and inviting him to support his Ealing colleagues.

Read the letter: Letter to Councillor Carey, leader of Hillingdon Liberal Democrats.