Archive for November, 2009

Swine flu advice for Islington

26 November, 2009 at 12:35 pm · Filed under Health ·Tagged

The following invitation has come my way:

Would you like to get expert advice and your questions answered on Swine-Flu?

You are invited for a presentation and Q&A with Danielle Osborn, Emergency Planning Officer – Islington Council
at Archway Methodist Church, Archway Close, London N19 3TD (on the central island of the traffic system next to Archway tube station) at 6.15pm on Monday November 30th, 2009

This event is free of charge but the organisers are asking people to book places by emailing iccws@hotmail. co.uk.

If you can’t make it, there’s online swine flu advice from Islington Council , and from NHS Islington.

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Madras Place: action long overdue

24 November, 2009 at 9:03 pm · Filed under Campaigns, Neighbourhood ·Tagged , , , , , , , ,

So often when I meet residents impatient for action, it comes down to delays or indifference from TfL. That certainly seems to be the case at Madras Place, N7.

This is the dangerous crossing over the Holloway Road from St Mary Magdalen church to the Central Library and Fieldway Crescent. It’s a busy point for cyclists and pedestrians to get from the west side of Islington to Highbury Fields and beyond. It’s also where Lisa Pontecorvo was killed, wheeling her bicycle across the road, last year.

My colleague Caroline Pidgeon has been helping out by tabling various questions to Mayor Boris – here’s the latest exchange.

Junction of Fieldway Crescent/Holloway Road/Madras Place , Islington

Question No: 3344 / 2009

Caroline Pidgeon

Can you explain why it is taking so long for TfL to make any improvements to safety at the junction of Fieldway Crescent/Holloway Road/Madras Place following the first anniversary of the tragic death of community activist Lisa Pontecorvo?

Answer from the Mayor:

I appreciate that the length of time it is taking to progress what appear to be simple changes to the layout and operation of the junction of Holloway Road/Madras Place and Fieldway Crescent is frustrating. The timelines involved are partly due to the nature and complexity of the Transport for London Road Network and the need to balance the competing demands and priorities of all users, at both the local and strategic level. This is particularly the case at this junction, where the needs of cyclists and pedestrians crossing Holloway Road not only need to be balanced against the vehicular traffic travelling along the corridor, but also against each others’ desires to cross the road.

TfL has now developed six options providing the most appropriate changes at this junction given these competing demands on the network. Further work is required to narrow these to a preferred option(s), to take forward for more detailed development.

Acknowledging the complexities involved in delivering schemes on such a strategically important and heavily congested road network, I note that in some cases scheme delivery has taken longer than it should. TfL is continuing to take steps to address these issues and has reviewed the activities being undertaken across the business with the aim of streamlining and integrating processes to drive improvements in delivery.

As answers go, this one is heavy with jargon, but light on real action. Islington residents are less interested in streamlining and integrating processes, and more interested in getting across the road in one piece.

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Signing up against HFCs

21 November, 2009 at 10:49 am · Filed under Campaigns, Going green, Uncategorized ·Tagged , , ,

Signing up against HFCsMy Saturday mornings don’t normally include self-tagging in marker pen, then photographing the results. So why was I doing that today?

In the midst of all the debate about Copenhagen, Greenpeace has come up with one simple proposal that, if adopted, would see at least some good come out of the global climate summit.

As they explain, F-gases, or HFCs, are the super greenhouse gases that cool our drinks, our cars, and our buildings. They are a growing threat to our climate. Eliminating them is low-hanging fruit in the fight against climate change, because the solutions are tried, tested, and ready to go. Phasing out HFCs by 2020 is a key step in avoiding catastrophic climate change.

You can sign the Greenpeace petition, calling for a ban on the production and use of F-gases by 2020, here.

(In the de luxe version, you sign your name on part of your body and upload the photo. I couldn’t possibly comment…)

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Whittington Accident and Emergency under threat

21 November, 2009 at 8:37 am · Filed under Campaigns, Health, Neighbourhood ·Tagged , , , , , , ,

Shocking news this week that NHS managers are considering downgrading Islington’s Whittington Hospital, closing its Accident & Emergency department.

Changing the Whittington to a ‘local’ hospital would mean 24 hour emergency surgery would instead be handled by ‘a wider clinical network’.

Some of us remember the same story played out with Barts. We must not let it happen again. Our local Liberal Democrats are taking a stand against the plans.

If Whittington A&E closes, patients will be directed to the Royal Free in Hampstead instead, as the two hospitals are already considering merging into one. Anyone who has tried to drive from Islington to Hampstead will know it’s a nightmare.

From Islington homes to the Whittington, it’s a straight run up the Holloway Road; but routes to the Royal Free mean taking residential streets through Kentish Town, or navigating Chetwynd Road – neither recommended in an emergency.

The sorts of emergencies that need urgent surgery – like injuries from road accidents or assaults – often happen outside ‘office hours’. That’s why 24 hour cover is essential.

And of course, Islington’s population is growing, with thousands of new homes already around the Arsenal development alone.

It’s madness to close our local A&E. So much for the NHS being safe in Labour’s hands.

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Catchup – too busy to blog!

14 November, 2009 at 9:17 am · Filed under Campaigns, Neighbourhood ·Tagged , , , ,

Once again, I’ve been too busy of late to blog. So here’s a quick catchup on what I’ve been up to over the last few weeks:

- attended the service of blessing for the re-opening of St Mary Islington’s crypt with former Archbishop George Carey
- welcomed party President Ros Scott to our Pizza & Politics evening
- spent a morning visiting businesses, from pharmacies to Fish Central, in Finsbury
- speaking to black community churches at the WOSEM ‘Prayer for Islington’ event
- raising poor breast cancer screening and referral rates with Islington NHS
- continued to campaign for justice for Equitable Life investors
- wearing pink to support breast cancer charities
- lobbied for MPs to back the 10:10 targets for government (Emily Thornberry didn’t)
- attending the Friends of Barnard Park AGM
- meeting Essex Road traders, jointly campaigning against Labour hikes in business rates
- meeting Nick Clegg to discuss London issues
- meeting council leader Terry Stacy to discuss local services
- meeting leaders of Islington’s Somali community
- attending Remembrance ceremonies
- various interviews and meetings with City University students
- dealt with casework from housing to hunting
- knocking on doors across the constituency
- speaking at Islington Lib Dem AGM

plus a long weekend in Amsterdam (that’s it for holidays til after the election!)

Now I’m off to give the opening speech at London Region Lib Dem conference, which meets today at City University, followed this evening by a Q&A on climate change at All Saints church, Caledonian Road, after their showing of the ‘Age of Stupid’.

Busy busy, but I love it!

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