First steps to remove the hated Kings Cross one-way system
GLA member Jennette Arnold and Cllr Paul Convery at the danger junction
Transport for London has caved-in to intense pressure and agreed to take the first steps to remove the “gyratory” roads that blight Kings Cross. The concession follows a top-level meeting where Islington’s City Hall representative Jennette Arnold and Cllr Paul Convery pressed the case for short-term safety measures and long-term removal of the one-way system.
TfL has now announced they are “looking at options for radical change up to and including removal (and) discussions are commencing with Islington and Camden to scope out and undertake such a review in the New Year.” Representatives from the two Boroughs are expected to meet TfL officials on January 12th.
Widespread public concern about pedestrian and cycle safety at Kings Cross reached a peak following the tragic death of Min Joo Lee on October 3rd at the junction of Grays Inn Rd and Euston Rd/Pentonville Rd. Because TfL had been warned of the dangers at this junction, campaigners and local politicians have called for a corporate manslaughter investigation against TfL.
The key cross-party meeting on November 25th was convened by Jenette Arnold (Labour) and attended by City Hall representatives Val Shawcross (Labour), Jenny Jones (Green) and Mike Tuffrey (Lib Dem). TfL have plans to restructure the Grays Inn Rd junction in time for the 2012 Olympic Games to deal with increased pedestrian footfall during the Games. But the officials agreed to look again at the plan to consider greater safety and enforcement measures particularly for cyclists at the Grays Inn Road approach.
The Kings Cross one-way system actually consists of two separate gyratories: a northern triangle – York Way, Wharfedale Rd, Caledonian Rd; and a southern section – Pentonville Rd, Penton Rise, Kings Cross Rd, Swinton Street/Acton Street and Grays Inn Rd. Around this road system are a number of very dangerous junctions and crossing points.
TfL has now conceded that, following from the extensive debate about cycle deaths around the one-way system, the entire road system needs to be reviewed.
Local Councillor Paul Convery who is also Islington’s Executive Member for transport says “I am delighted that pressure has made TfL change its position so fundamentally. It is bizarre that only a fortnight ago, London Mayor Boris Johnson, told the London Assembly in a debate about London’s worst 10 spots for road deaths that it was “not feasible to remove the one-way system” at Kings Cross. Well, his own transport agency has now acknowledged that it could indeed be feasible … but no-one has yet thought how to do it. This latest announcement starts the process of figuring this out. It is the start of a long struggle but at least it’s a start.”
Thornhill Square’s park keeper retires after almost 40 years
Bride Young, seated centre, is given a special send-off by local residents and Islington Council staff following 37 years of service in the borough
Bride Young, park keeper at Thornhill Square, has now retired after almost 40 years working with Islington Council.
She says she will greatly miss the job and, in turn, she will be missed by all the children and adults who love Thornhill Square. She was bid a fond farewell by colleagues and local residents on her final day, October 30th.
Bride said the biggest change she’d seen over her time in Islington was the improvement in children’s play equipment. She added: “I’ve really enjoyed the job and the interaction it has brought with children and local residents.”
As well as her friendliness, Bride could be tough when the job required, including tackling anti-social behaviour.
Cllr Paul Smith, Islington Council’s executive member for environment, said: “For many years Bride has been out in all weathers to serve the people of Islington. Bride is a shining example of the hard work that keeps Islington’s parks in good shape for our residents and I wish her all the best for her well-earned retirement.”
Sleaze re-appears in Kings Cross
The owners of Soho Books at 9 Caledonian Road have changed their premises to look just like a sex shop again.
Once known as “Prowler”, the owners sought a license in early 2007 and a vigorous campaign by local residents and Councillors forced a strict condition on its license. This required it to look like a regular book shop – all the sex related material was at the rear of the premises and its owners were prohibited from displaying any signs.
Over the intervening years the owners have periodically tried to “bend” this rule but regular enforcement by Islington Council required them to comply.
All this changed a fortnight ago. Now the shop has frosted windows with advertisements for sex materials and products like Viagra and poppers. The front door is permanently open with hanging strips of plastic – just like a “classic” 1970s-style porn shop in a red light district.
Incredibly it appears that Council licensing officers recently nodded-through a revision to the license to allow this change.
Cllr Paul Convery says “Local residents are infuriated that this very significant change to the license conditions was made without public consultation. Even local Councillors were not alerted to this major change. We are investigating how this has happened and what can be done to reinstate the original condition.”
The accident scene photographed by local resident Daniel Zylbersztajn who gave a witness statement
Cally Councillors have supported calls for corporate manslaughter charges to be brought against Transport for London (TfL) after a young woman was killed whilst cycling through the Kings Cross gyratory.
TfL was warned in a 2008 Street Safety audit that “casualties were inevitable” at the junction of Grays Inn Rd/York Way and Pentonville Rd. The audit report, which was commissioned by TfL, called for significant safety improvements.
Despite this TfL has still not begun work to re-engineer the junction to reduce vehicle speeds and improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians. The volume of pedestrians – particularly at the south end of York Way – has increased very sharply in the last two to three years.
The tragic death of Min Joo Lee, a 24 year old fashion design student at the newly opened University of the Arts, was a shocking casualty that has highlighted the exceptionally dangerous highway environment around Kings Cross.
Local councillor, Paul Convery, who is also Islington’s Executive Member responsible for transport, has condemned TfL’s sluggish attitude to remodelling the road system around Kings Cross.
He says “we have called repeatedly for the removal of the two gyratory systems at Kings Cross and urged TfL to speed-up junction improvements designed to give pedestrians greater safety at the intersections.
“The entire Kings Cross road system is the legacy of a time when decision-takers thought it was simply a drive-through-and-forget place. Well it isn’t anymore. Many thousands of people live here. Hundreds of growing businesses are located here. It’s becoming a whole new entertainment district with scores of pubs, clubs and restaurants. And it now has the largest single public transport interchange in Europe.
“TfL is under a Tory Mayor’s control and – despite his cycle-clowning persona – he has pursued a brutal pro-traffic agenda. The alternative is clear. People must take priority. Vehicle traffic has to be slowed-down; pavements should be widened; crossing times extended; cycle safety zones created.
“We believe TfL has to wake-up: Kings Cross roads are a death trap. TfL was warned of the dangers 3 years ago and has done almost nothing in response. That’s why we support police enquiries to test whether TfL is guilty of corporate manslaughter.”
Bemerton residents vote to adopt new estate management responsibilities
With over 700 homes, the Bemerton estate's TMO is the largest in Islington
Over a hundred Bemerton residents turned out last night (September 27th) for the AGM of the estate’s Tenant Management Organisation (“BVMO”).
They marked the tenth anniversary of the TMO’s establishment by voting unanimously to transfer a range of further service responsibilities to the TMO from the Council’s home management organisation, Homes for Islington (“HfI”). These include communal heating, lumber collection, estate parking and estate lighting.
The TMO already manages a wide range of estate services – like caretaking, refurbishing void properties and lift maintenance. In return, the Council (through HfI) provides an annual grant to the TMO. As the TMO takes-on new services, HfI increases the amount of grant given to the TMO. This way, more of the rents and service charges stay within the estate’s control.
Over the past 3 years, the local ward Councillors have encouraged and assisted the TMO to take-on new services from HfI. The TMO is the largest of its kind in Islington and has built-up a solid record of estate management.
But the TMO does more than simply manage the estate and its services. BVMO has adopted the strapline “improving the quality of life on the Bemerton” and this reflects residents’ desire to see their TMO deal with many aspects of life on the estate: anti-social behaviour, improving the general environment and helping young unemployed residents get into work.
The TMO is also the host body for the new Ward Partnership “Team Cally”. BVMO employs the Neighbourhood Coordinator for the area and played a big role in running the annual Cally Festival this year.
Cllr Paul Convery says “the residents have given the TMO a big vote of confidence this year. Last night’s AGM had an exceptionally upbeat atmosphere and was undoubtedly the most successful that I have attended. As local councillors we are doing whatever we can to support greater self management to the Bemerton.”
Memorial Garden for Jessie Wright unveiled
The garden is a fine remembrance of Jessie
The Jessie Wright Memorial Garden was officially opened on Sunday afternoon, September 25th. The ribbon was cut by her friends and pink balloons were launched.
The garden was created by a group of young women from the Bemerton with the support of All Change Arts, Team Cally, BVMO and Islington Council. It is located next to Kinross House, just outside the home where Jessie lived on the estate. The young women say it is a lovely memorial for their friend so tragically murdered last year.
Suzanne Lee, Artistic Director for All Change said “This has been a hugely positive project, led by the young women themselves, to create a beautiful garden to remember Jessie, and to provide a positive contribution to their community. The garden includes plant pots and a trellis designed and made by the young women, working with All Change artists and supported by local volunteers and youth workers.”
In developing the garden, the girls chose colours and a style to reflect Jessie’s, and will be a lasting memorial to someone who died so young.
Mains water pipe bursts on Bemerton and cuts-off homes for 12 hours
Digging through a foot of reinforced concrete to unearth multiple fractures in this 1960s era cast iron water main
Around two hundred Bemerton homes had their water supplies cut-off for 12 hours following a mains burst on the estate yesterday, September 5th.
The burst pipe occurred outside the block at 1-12 Stranraer Way and flooded a number of garages under Stranraer Way and Tayport Close. Basement flats in the controversial Choudhury Mansion were also inundated.
Normally a burst water main is the responsibility of Thames Water but this pipe is laid under the estate grounds and so Homes for Islington brought-in a contractor to fix the problem.
Meanwhile hundreds of packs of bottled water were delivered to Perth House, Stranraer Way, Tayport Close whilst a gang of HfI contractors tackled the fifty-year old pipe buried deep beneath reinforced concrete. During the excavations several breaks were revealed where the pipe broke several times and contractors made two permanent repairs.
Cllr Paul Convery commented “Full marks to our housing management’s technical people. They don’t have to handle burst water mains that often. But they got the pipe fixed and water turned back on to houses by 6.30pm which is a lot quicker than it typically takes Thames Water to do the same thing. A number of people suffered some flood damage to possessions stored in garages and we need to look at whether they can be compensated for loss.”
Combined enforcement operation closes-down Pappeos nightclub
The venue is located on a shopping parade in a densely residential part of Caledonian Road
Co-ordinated by Islington Council, the police, fire brigade, licensing and planning authorities have acted together to close-down the controversial venue at 169 Caledonian Road.
Warnings by the Council earlier this month were disregarded by the club operators and, on the night of Saturday 13th August, a club night was held which – at 4am – descended into mayhem with scores of drunk patrons fighting in the main road outside.
Prompted by the further risk of an unlicensed all-night “DJ face-off” gig tonight (Friday 26th August), the agencies have issued a raft of legal orders against the venue’s owners to cease operating as a nightclub. A squad of police has been put-on stand-by to ensure the club operators do not attempt to open tonight. They are equipped with powers to close-down any unlicensed event.
In June 2010, the venue secured a license for music, dance and alcohol, but the owners have not been given a planning permission for use as a nightclub. Nor do they have a permit to open later than midnight on Mondays to Saturdays or to operate at all on Sundays and Bank Holidays.
Earlier this week, senior staff from the Council’s Public Protection Division visited the club operators and issued a series of warnings and served legal orders. The combined actions by the authorities include:
- The fire brigade visited the venue and issued the owner with a revised fire certificate limiting the safe capacity to just 100 people
- A planning Enforcement Notice and associated Stop Notice requiring the premises to be only used between 8am and midnight Mon-Sat and to be closed entirely on Sundays and Bank Holidays.
- A second planning Enforcement Notice and Stop Notice to prevent the use of the premises as a club, wine and cocktail bar and music and dance hall.
- Noise abatement orders have been served under powers in the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 and the Noise Act 1996
The venue does not have planning permission to operate as a nightclub or to open beyond midnight Monday to Saturday. It sought a planning permission for longer hours which was refused by the Council in December 2010. Although the club could appeal against the latest enforcement orders, it will have to comply by 5th October and theoretically could stay open. But beyond that date, failure to do this could lead to a prosecution. Similarly, the club owners could be prosecuted by the fire authorities if more than 100 people are admitted to the club.
Cllr Paul Convery adds “Islington Council is also considering a formal review of the venue’s drink, dancing and music licence. The Labour majority on the Council’s licensing committee has overturned the previous Lib Dem administration’s soft policies and has recently begun to apply much stricter decisions. On review, it has recently struck-down several previously granted licences.”
1am ... Alice and campaign team celebrate after the result is declared
Alice Perry was elected on August 11th with the highest share of the vote scored by Labour in any election since the early 1990s.
Labour won 52% of the vote in St Peter’s ward. The Lib Dems came second with just under 20%; the Tories were third with 17%; and the Green candidates received just 8% of votes cast.
It is worth remembering that St Peter’s Ward had been held continuously by the Lib Dems for the two decades between 1986 and 2006. The Ward is where the Tory Mayor of London lives and a key issue in the campaign was opposition to his plan to sack a quarter of all police Sergeants in Safer Neighbourhood Teams – including the Sergeant in this very Ward.
The poll represented a humiliating defeat for the Tory candidate who, at the start of the by-election campaign, claimed he “smelled blood” yet managed just 381 votes. St Peter’s is claimed to be a Tory “target seat”.
Paul Convery said of the election result “We’re very proud of Alice. Born and bred on the Cally, she will prove to be an outstanding Councillor over the coming years. Rupert Perry and I were both elected first in 1990. That was the year when the Lib Dems were almost wiped-out across Islington. St Peter’s was the sole ward they managed to hold. Times have really changed when this former bastion of Lib Dem and Tory support has voted decisively for Labour.”
Pappeos nightclub – high risk event this Friday is cancelled
Pappeos club is a controversial venue now subject to a license suspension, planning enforcement action and noise nuisance control
A large scale all-night “DJ face-off” event at Pappeos club due on Friday (August 12th) has been cancelled after the Council and Police threatened the club with a closure order. Written confirmation from the club proprietor was received late on Wednesday. Without this assurance, the Council and Police would have sought an immediate closure order from Highbury Magistrates today.
The latest problem emerged when it became clear that the operators intended to mount a large scale all-night event called “Man Ah Steppa (Starbwoy vs Stullesha)” and widely advertised through social media. Advertising says it would have run from “Friday at 9:00pm – Saturday at 1:00pm” without any form of licensed permission.
The owner of the club has been told to make sure that cancellation advice is immediately sent out. As yet (Thursday morning) this has not been done by the event organisers. The police and licensing officials will be reinforcing this message during the rest of Thursday and daytime Friday. Contingency arrangements are being made in case people arrive and find the venue closed.
Pappeos club is a controversial venue located at 169-171 Caledonian Road. There are homes located all above the shops on this street block and opposite. Over several years, the venue has slowly changed from being “banqueting rooms” suitable for wedding receptions into a nightclub without having obtained permission for the change. There have been numerous incidents and complaints about noise and nuisance caused by the club late at night.
Controversially, last year, the owners obtained a license for music, dancing and alcohol but have still not sought planning permission for the change of use. The Council has been undertaking planning enforcement action to prevent the venue being used as a nightclub. Statutory noise nuisance notices have also been served by the Council. And, because a number of conditions attached to the granting of the music, dancing and alcohol license have not been confirmed, the Council has announced that the license has been suspended.
Labour Councillors representing Caledonian Ward in Islington 