Liberal Democrat transport campaigner Farooq Qureshi has stepped up his campaign against Boris Johnson’s ticket office closures following confirmation that all four tube stations in the borough will be affected - including Leyton and Leytonstone.

Sign his petition at www.ourcampaign.org.uk/ticketoffices.

In total Waltham Forest will lose nearly 60 hours of cover a week. The Mayor’s plan will hit late evening cover especially hard.

• Leyton ticket office will shut at 9.30 pm instead of 10.30 pm on weekdays
• Leytonstone will close at 8.45 pm instead of 11 pm on Sundays.
• Walthamstow Central will close at 9.30pm instead of 11.30pm on weekdays
• Blackhorse Road ticket office will shut at 6pm instead of 10pm on Saturdays

Cllr Qureshi, who is parliamentary candidate for Leyton and Wanstead, said:

“Waltham Forest has been hit hard by the Conservative Mayor’s broken promise. He said he would keep ticket offices open - but now travellers will face deserted ticket offices in the evenings just when demand for security is greatest. That’s why I’ve launched a petition and am asking for people’s experiences. I want as many people s possible to show their concern.”

Farooq Qureshi, Farid Ahmed and the Liberal Democrat team have launched a petition against the closures. Passengers can sign online at www.ourcampaign.org.uk/ticketoffices or call 020 8556 8335 for a petition form.

Full details of the proposed changes are:

LEYTON

• Weekdays - will open from 0600-2130 instead of 0530-2300
• Saturdays - will open from 0645-2200 instead of 0530-2230
• Sundays - will open from 0715-2100 instead of 0700-2300

This is 13 hours 30 mins a week less than currently.

LEYTONSTONE

• Weekdays - will open from 0545-2015 instead of 0530-2200
• Saturdays - will open from 0645-2045 instead of 0600-2200
• Sundays - will open from 0730-2045 instead of 0700-2300

This is 11 hours 15 mins a week less than currently.

BLACKHORSE ROAD

• Weekdays - will open from 0600-1945 instead of 0530-2100
• Saturdays - will open from 0645-1800 instead of 0630-2200
• Sundays - will open from 0945-1645 instead of 0800-2000

This means the ticket office will be closed for 18 hours a week less than currently.

WALTHAMSTOW

• Weekdays - will open from 0545-2130 instead of 0530-2330
• Saturdays - will open from 0645-2145 instead of 0600-0000
• Sundays - will open from 0900-1900 instead of 0900-1100 and 12.30-23.00

This means the ticket office will be closed for 17 hours 45 mins a week less than currently.

In total Waltham Forest is losing nearly 60 hours of ticket office cover.

Following a disappointing response from London underground, regarding Leyton underground station, Councillor Farooq Qureshi has written to the Mayor of London, Director of Transport for Olympic Delivery Authority and Transport for London to review the situation at the said station.

We have called upon the relevant authorities to act now and arrange for fresh consultation and re-asses the situation to ease the peak-time congestion at the east-bound platform.

LEYTON UNDERGROUND STATION IS IN DESPERATE NEED OF ATTENTION

Liberal Democrat councillors, activists and Parliamentary candidates attended a Transport seminar at the City Hall, arranged by the Lib Dem transport spokesperson in London Assembly, Caroline Pidgeon.

The Seminar looked at the key transport issues facing London and how they can be tackled.

Cllr Farooq Qureshi, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Leyton and wanstead is fighting to make Leyton underground station disabled friendly and ease congestion during peak hours.

Please visit:                 www.walthamstow.today.co.uk 

At the meeting with Transport For London (TFL) Liberal Democrats Parliamentary candidate for Leyton & Wanstead, Cllr Farooq Qureshi and Cllr Keith Rayner discussed the peak time congestion at Leyton tube station. Similar concerns were raised by the residents in Leyton & Whipps Cross community council meeting.

Our inquiries in the matter have revealed that:

In November 2008, The Transport Liaison group of London Borough of Waltham Forest visited Leyton underground station. This visit was arranged by London underground’s (LU) Liaison Manager. The visit looked at crowding issues at the station and the possibility of opening the secondary staircase on the east bound platform. It also considered the role of the station during 2012 Olympics. The London underground’s response was:

The staircase is opened only when LU anticipate large numbers exiting the station, such as during certain football games, and again only when there is supervision by additional staff (very often by British Transport Police Officers). On these occasions, the large volumes of passengers (sometimes up-to 5000 in an hour) justifies the need to open an additional entrance and extra resources to manage it.

However, the occasional need to use this staircase is not sufficient to warrant bringing it into daily operation. The staircase is open to the elements and substantial work would be required to enable it for everyday use. This would include overhead protection, CCTV, lighting, public address system and other customer safety provisions. There are also no oyster readers installed at this secondary staircase. This would mean that customers with oyster pay as you go cards would not be able to complete their journeys and could be charged an exes fare.

While LU recognise that there has been an increase in customers using Leyton over the past several years, station management is confident that there are no safety issues with the current customer flow conditions. The available capacity allows the safe movement of the current volume of customers through the platforms and station. There have been no accidents reported at Leyton, related to over crowding.

The role of Leyton station during Olympics was also discussed. As part of the ODA’s transport strategy for the Olympic park, three stations have been identified as ’Olympic Park Gateway Stations’. They are: Stratford Regional station, Stratford International station and West Ham station. Leyton station was reviewed as part of the transport plan, however these other stations were preferred because of a verity of strategic reasons.

The Liberal Democrats Parliamentary candidate for Leyton & Wanstead, Cllr Farooq Qureshi says:

I have my reservations about this response. Lu and the ODA need to re-think their strategy and consider the possibility of including Leyton tube station in their list of ‘Olympic Park Gateway Stations’. I also call upon the LU to improve the access for disabled passengers which is non existent at Leyton underground station.

Liberal Democrat councillor and Parliamentary candidate for Leyton & Wanstead Farooq Qureshi accompanied by Cllr Keith Rayner held a meeting with representatives from Transport for London (TFL) to discuss how they are working with the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) to secure transport improvements for the area in the build up to the 2012 Olympic games.

A number of issues regarding transport infrastructure were discussed. The Lib Dem councillors were positive about the meeting and the awareness from TFL of customer concerns.

Historically at the top of the local transport agenda, The Hall Farm Curve rail link was discussed. Despite the confirmation that the restoration of the service was not part of the immediate plans, TFL representatives said that, as a service partner for the Olympics, it would be prepared to work with the ODA if the 2012 body wanted to investigate the Hall Farm Curve as part of the Olympic infrastructure. But, for this to materialise,the local council has to make a convincing case.

Other issues discussed included:

• Easing of “exit” congestion at Leyton and Leytonstone underground stations by opening up additional exits in peak periods.
• Improved accessibility for disabled passengers at Leyton Tube Station.
• The need for better and more frequent bus routes for both Leyton and Leytonstone High Roads, including improved connections with the rest of the borough and improved services to and from Stratford.
• The refurbishment of Leyton Midland and Leytonstone High Road Stations on the Barking and Gospel Oak lines, including better lighting and platform information systems.

After the meeting Cllr Qureshi said:  “I am very pleased that TFL were prepared to listen to residents concerns about our local transport infrastructure and what benefits 2012 could provide for local transport links. Good and easily accessible transport is vital for a sustainable economy in Leyton and Wanstead. It will play an enormous part in efforts to bring much needed economic prosperity to our area.”

Representatives of TFL promised to arrange further meetings between TFL and ODA which will include ward councillors and special interest groups so that they can have an input into priority transport improvement in the area.

Earlier this year, in partnership with Streetcar, the council launched a network of car clubs across the Borough for the benefit of residents and businesses. The scheme has proved poplar, and to meet the growing demand the council now is working to expand the coverage. It is proposed that two new car club bays will be introduced in Forest Ward.

Waltham Forest council has sent out consultations on proposed car club bays in Forest Ward. The council is seeking your views on the proposals to provide car club parking spaces on St.Andrew’s Road, close to the junction with Poppleton Road and on Fletcher Lane near the junction with High Road Leyton.

For further information on car clubs please visit these websites: www.walthamforest.gov.uk/car-club

www.carclub.org.uk

If you would like to comment on this proposal or if you have any questions, please contact

Billy Parr on 0208 496 6785 or

billy.parr@walthamforest.gov.uk

The Focus Team and Officers of The Safer Neighbourhood Team inspected a no right turn traffic sign on Lea Bridge Road which has been partly covered and damaged with spray/paint. Despite the sign being partly covered, Drivers be warned, There still is NO RIGHT TURN from Lea Bridge Road in to Essex Road.This vandalism has been reported and will be rectified ASAP.

Council officers are currently working on several bus priority schemes across the Borough. As a part of this process, it has been identified that vehicles parked in the vicinity of Whipps Cross Road/James Lane junction are causing access difficulties to buses. This is most evident at busy times.

In order to reduce delays to buses, the officers are proposing to introduce additional traffic managment measures. It is proposed that additional 24-hour loading/waiting restriction along both arms of James Lane is introduced to remove the likelihood of blue badge parking on the existing double yellow lines. In addition, extra signage will be erected along Whipps Cross Road to reinforce the existing `No Stopping restriction.