Petition Against Councillor Allowance Increase

As Mr Reasonable, I normally stick to issues which are specifically related to New Barnet. However, I feel so angry about the rise in Councillor allowances and their refusal to discuss them at the Residents Forum, that I have set up an on-line petition calling on them to be withdrawn. I ask all reasonable people in Barnet to click on the link http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/barnetcouncilpayrises and sign the petition. I hope to present it to the Council in September. Please get your friends and neighbours to sign it. There is also a shortened link http://tiny.cc/dyr0t which may be easier to circulate

Tonight's Residents Forum

The good news from tonight's residents forum is that we have a cast iron, 100% guarantee from Councillor Evangeli that the traffic lights will not be removed from the junction of Margaret Road and East Barnet Road. I await confirmation of this from TFL.

The bad news was the confusion around the JCoSS travel plan which apparently has been submitted and approved. This seemed to have many people scratching their head as for the past 12 months local residents have been asking when this will be discussed with the community. I suspect that many there will feel they have been hoodwinked. A very long list of questions about JCoSS from a local resident was deemed to have been submitted late and was not answered at the meeting.

The other bad news was that no debate was allowed on the councillors allowances. It is a great shame that the only channel available for residents to express their views about councillors actions is effectively stifled when it raises topics the councillors do not want to discuss. We were told that if residents have any comments or views about councillors allowances they should deal with them at councillors surgeries.

Residents Forum Next Tuesday

Next Tuesday 20 July the Chipping Barnet Residents Forum will be held at Chipping Barnet Library at the back of the Spires. It starts at 6.30pm and all residents are welcome. Mr Reasonable will be asking a number of questions including one regarding the removal of traffic lights at the junction of Margaret Road and East Barnet Road. Given the timing of this Residents Forum, the councillors allowances and the removal of Cllr Salinger from the deputy chair role of the forum, I suspect it will be a lively affair. Make sure you get there early to ensure you get a seat!

Update on the removal of the traffic lights at Margaret Road

Having done some research on the GLA website, I have found the original studies on which some bright spark determined that removing the traffic lights from the junction of East Barnet Road and Margaret Road might be a good idea. Frankly they are poor and make sweeping generalisations. They are take no account of the benefits or disbenefits for pedestrians - so it's only cars and lorries that matter these days then. Worst of all it shows that the saving made by removing the lights are marginal. I have calculated that if there is just one serious accident in 17 years or one fatal accident in 147 years following the removal of the lights at East Barnet Road, it negates all of the financial benefit!

http://www.london.gov.uk/archive/mayor/economic_unit/docs/traffic-signals.pdf
http://www.london.gov.uk/archive/mayor/economic_unit/docs/traffic-signals-appendixa.pdf

This is nothing short of a disgrace. If you are against the removal of these traffic lights then send an email to Kulveer Ranger, (kulveer.ranger@ london.gov.uk) the Mayor's Transport Advisor and the man who appears to be promoting the ridiculous scheme.

Threat to Traffic Lights

TFL in their wisdom are considering removing the traffic lights at the junction of Margaret Road and East Barnet Road http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/10472683.stm . This was proposed a couple of years ago and rejected on the basis that it was dangerous yet TFL are reconsidering it again. How dare some pen pusher at TFL determine what should be done in our community without even bothering to talk to local people. I for one will be sending off a stiff letter to TFL and I encourage everyone else to do the same.