PM and Ruth Kelly confirm Crossrail go-ahead

Mike Gapes MP Interview

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQtGhvaNzvg

United against Graffiti / Flytipping

Your Labour team have been continuing the fight against graffiti and flytipping which has been appearing in Chadwell. Graffiti is a cancer that plagues our society. By working together and sharing intelligence we can reduce it and catch the perpertrators. Please continue to let us know about areas which are causing concern. Recently Wilson and his daughter gave up some of their weekend to paint over a telecoms box next to the Harvester that had been blighted by graffiti! He has some paint left, so please let us know if you would like to get 'hands on'. If not, the Council are rightly the main people who should be removing this. The contact is Russell Ward e: russell.ward@redbridge.gov.uk or via the Redbridge switchboard 020 8708 5000

Regional Planning Committee (South)

The next RPC (South) will be held on 5th March at 7.15pm, Highburys Gardens Primary School, Highburys Gardens, Ilford. This is the road just off the Drive and is accessed by Cranbrook Road. The agenda for this meeting is available at :-http://moderngov.redbridge.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.asp?CId=508&MId=4132&Ver=4

'One' Railway: Station action promised

With a commitment to getting action to improve Chadwell Heath Train Station, Wilson Chowdhry and Cllr Balvinder Saund organised for the Manager of 'One' Railway to inspect Chadwell Heath Station. Following on from this meeting, ‘One’ have promised the following action points: -

- The ticket office will be closed from 19:40 - 06:10; with the only access to the station being the side alleyway between these hours. This will ensure the ticket hall is kept safe and secure

- Station soft refurbishment will be implemented asap and will last two weeks (this will include brick work / paint / wood varnishing etc)

- Ash trays for the front of 'One' rail stations will be rolled out over the next two weeks

- Security agents for the stations requested - this requirement will be assessed against data around incidents [if residents have any information on incidents they are requested to let us know].

- Wire mesh under the stairs to prevent access

- Covered heated seating area to be looked at by ‘One’

Labour will continue to monitor the station and ensure that the hard working community of Chadwell get a decent train station for there money. NOTE: Cllr Balvinder Saund is the Labour candidate for Redbridge and Havering in the forthcoming GLA elections, her election will ensure that Labour can tackle the real issues that matter to you.

No Bus here! Victory for Chadwell residents!

Residents were concerned about recent proposed extensions to the 499 Bus route which would traverse in a loop from East Road, along Havering Gardens, down Hathaway Gardens and them back to East Road via Tolworth Gardens. They were worried about the increase in anti-social behaviour that would be induced by the location of a permnaent Bus Stop near the Havering Gardens/Hathaway Gardens Corner. The increased danger to local children travelling to Grove Primary and St Bedes school and the potential for road accidents in an area with tight corners and parking on both sides of the road.

Local residents formed an action group called the "Residents Against Transport Scheme" (RATS). They asked Wilson Chowdhry of the Chadwell Labour Action Team for his assistance and he duly prepared a petition obtaining over 200 signatures. He delivered this petition to May's Area 5 Commmitte and presented residents concerns to the incumbent Councillors in attendance. Wilson highlighted a recent Bus route extension of the 362 Route that led to significant unease for local residents. The 499 route extension scheme had originally been proposed for Jarrow Road and a consultation had taken place which had resulted in the Area 5 Councillors rejecting the proposals. The Area 5 Councillors agreed to place these concerns before TFL and Wilson attended a Public Transport Liasion Committee Meeting on June 17th. At the meeting Wilson again presented the concerns of local residents and submitted an 80 signature petition provided by RATS. TFL agreed to review the information provided and confirmed that they had not undertaken the requisite pre-consultation with residents. They confirmed that prior to any progression of this project a consultation would take place. However in the wave of such vehemence to the project on September 25th at the next Public Transport Liasion Committee Meeting TFL confirmed the proposals for this extension have finally been terminated.

Wilson Chowdhry says: "I am pleased that TFL (London Buses) have finally ended their absurd extension to route 499 . Local resident concerns are based on simple health and safety implications that should have been raised up in TFLs initial design brief. How could they make such an omission not once but twice, in failing to undertake the requisite pre-consultation? This result is one I am really pleased with"

Action against homes bid for station car park and closure of Chadwell centre

The Chadwell Labour Action Group steered by Group Coordinator Wilson Chowdhry, held a demonstration at the corner of Wangey Road and Chadwell Heath High Road on Saturday 20th October 2007. The demonstration was arranged in response to recent Conservative administration proposals, to close the Chadwell Centre on Gresham Drive and sell Chadwell Heath Station Car Park. Gordon Brown and our Labour government in contrast have secured the Crossrail project, which would result in a train to London arriving at Chadwell Heath Station every 2.5 minutes. Should our conservative council not also support an effective park and ride scheme to induce better use of public transport?

It was the Chadwell Labour Team that first warned local residents of the threat to Chadwell Station Car Park in our "Chadwell Rose" newsletter of November 2006!

Our Team invited residents to sign two local petitions opposed to these audacious proposals - and collected in excess of 100 signatures on both petitions.

Many residents were extremely concerned over the proposals to build multi-storey residential accommodation at the Station Car Park. They were infuriated by the significant over abundance of similar new builds that have destroyed the fabric of the local community.

Chadwell Labour Action Group also used this event to highlight the all-party demonstration against reduction of services at King George Hospital. The demonstration to be held on Saturday the 27th October at Ilford Town Hall from 1:30 will include speeches from Mike Gapes MP, the TUC and others. Again Labour locally take the lead in a strong campaign against the threat of close our Accident and Emergency department at King George Hospital, which we feel would be the spur for additional losses resulting in the closure of King George Hospital in its entirety.

Wilson Chowdhry Team Leader said:

"All Redbridge residents are anxious by the Tory council choices of late. On one hand they choose to reduce the adult social services budget in their unreasonable attempt to fund £114k worth of new Jaguar cars for there elite. On the other hand they do not take responsibility for the loss of Redbridges only real facility for people suffering Multiple Sclerosis. Inexplicably they also intend to waste £36m on an olympic sized swimming pool. To pay for this they are trying to sell many community facilitiesthat are needed such as our allotments and car parks. The Chadwell Labour Party will continue its fight to save King George Hospital, the allotments and our car park from any further losses. We hope that the people of Chadwell Heath will work with us against the reckless Tories. Labour is the only key opposition in town, the Liberals are too soft"