Forum Topics

Leighton Road, West Ealing

Talk about using a sledge hammer to crack a non-existent nut!At www.ealing.gov.uk/elthorne-leighton you will discover two 'improvement' options are suggested at the eastern end of Leighton Road.Option 1 turns the southern section of Seaford Road into two way dedicated cycle lanes. Option 2 blocks the direct road link between Leighton Road and Northfield Avenue.The documentation supporting these options is pages and pages of photos, statistics, diagrams and platitudes. The sheer volume of it probably rivals the supporting documentation used in the D Day Landing in France during WWII.I received two copies of the undated 3 page letter sent to 100s of residents. No options' details just a pointer to the web site. There's also an 8 hour(!) public meeting planned for Monday 27 January 2025 at the small Northfield Community Library. It runs for 11am to 7pm. It's called a 'drop-in' style session. This is not a proper public meeting. A proper public meeting is where an expert - say Councillor Driscoll - is up front with slides and or large display panels. He presents the Council case and than the 100+ residents are allowed to ask questions for an hour. There needs to be an effective amplified sound system with roving mikes so that every one can hear the questions and the answers.The budget for the Leighton Road-Elthorne Park Road improvement project is £250,000. Surely this money could have been /should have been spent alleviative some real problems in Ealing - instead of spending money on 'addressing' unspecified, unsubstantiated 'historic traffic and safety issues'.

Eric Alan Leach ● 595d143 Comments ● 590d

Can anyone recommend a good locksmith?

This is literally for a friend who is next to useless at arranging anything around the house. It's not an emergency so any help you can give would be welcomed.

peter king ● 591d3 Comments ● 590d

W H Smith

What happens to the Post Office counter if the store chain gets sold off?

peter king ● 591d3 Comments ● 591d

FREE The Reduce & Recycle Hub 01/02/2025

The Reduce & Recycle Hub returns to Acton this Saturday 1st February 1st from 11:30am - 3:00pm at St Marys Church, The Mount, Acton W3 9NWWhat's on:School Uniform Swap (12pm-3pm): Bring up to 3 items (donations welcome) and swap for free!Refresh an old outfit: Get help from a stylist (limited spots, book now: www.shorturl.at/LOTUc)Recycling collection (until 2pm): Clothes & small electricalsEaling Repair Cafe: Mend clothes & make draft excludersBook swap with CCAFood bank donations: Unopened, long-life food & snacksMore info: https://marketw3.co.uk/february-reduce-recycle-hub-school-uniform-swap

Zahra Shah ● 592d2 Comments ● 591d

Cycle lanes can be used by emergency services.

There are currently consultations ongoing about the new stretch of cycle lane on Boston Road connecting from the current cycleway in the Hounslow Borough section (south side).Now’s the time to have your say about what type of cycle lane you want. If you want emergency vehicles to pass quickly and easily, then a cycleway in place of car parking is an optimum solution. The C9 cycleway through Hammersmith, Chiswick, and Brentford, for example has been used by emergency services.Here are some examples in London:https://youtu.be/uFMmKP7qDkI?feature=sharedhttps://www.hdcf.org.uk/emergency-vehicles-and-pop-up-cycle-lanes/https://cyclingindustry.news/no-evidence-emergency-services-held-up-by-cycle-lanes-finds-foi-request/https://www.londonambulance.nhs.uk/about-us/what-we-do/advice-on-what-to-do-as-a-motorist-if-you-encounter-an-ambulance/This is particularly relevant due to the close proximity of Ealing Hospital.

Dominik Klimowski ● 595d59 Comments ● 592d

20mph speed limits in Ealing...

...are here to stay.But the people often seem complaining about them do so in relation to their driving.They might not realise 20mmph limits are good for drivers and driving too!"Back in September 2023, the Welsh government introduced legislation for a default 20mph speed limit on restricted roads.And in June 2024, Esure revealed that there had been a 20% drop in claims for car accidents following the move."https://www.insurancetimes.co.uk/news/more-20mph-zones-could-cut-motor-premiums-esure/1452977.article

Paul James ● 601d68 Comments ● 592d

Ealing's 83 year-old campaigner successful at last.

Shame it took so long but heartwarming nonetheless.https://www.mylondon.news/news/west-london-news/dangerous-ealing-crossing-finally-gets-30665896

Dominik Klimowski ● 593d13 Comments ● 593d

Burns Night

A wonderful night at the Hobbayne Hall last night.Superbly organised by Rose,Mandy, June and so many others with a particular shout out to the volunteers of Good Gym. A great community event.

David Burke ● 593d4 Comments ● 593d

Huge New Home Building Target for Ealing

At 3,407 new home completions every year for the next 5 years, Ealing comes third in London after Wandsworth (4,383) and Westminster (4,341) in the Government's new targets. Allegedly there were 2,100 new home completions in Ealing in 2023.Why have Ealing residents been a saddled with this huge target of over 17,000 new homes and some 35,000 new residents by 2029?The new Government planning policy published yesterday suggests that for large developments it won't be Ealing Council which determines these applications. It will be the GLA. So Ealing residents will be even more remote from decision making than they are now. Green Belt and Metropolitan Open Land will no longer be necessarily  no-go areas for residential development. Worries about building tower blocks on the Gurnell Swimmimg Pool site have now increased.

Eric Alan Leach ● 637d18 Comments ● 594d

Contract

I pay my Council Tax. That's my side of the contract. Councillors should represent me; at least by arranging ward forums or some form of communication or a street stall or a surgery or something even a reply to an email. Our last Ward Forum was four and a half year's ago.If nothing then do I stop paying Council Tax?This is only part of the problem. If councillors don't engage with ward residents then proper consultation can't begin as it should do  "at the formative stage".Is it that power is concentrated in few hands and councillors have been instructed to keep quiet and put up their hands only when instructed?Advice and help please

Arthur Breens ● 597d3 Comments ● 596d

Sweden has finally seen the light, will Idiot UK wake up?

I doubt it, not under Comrade Starmer and his hell bent Politburo we won't.And the Conservatives and LibDems are no better, they are all useless and uncaring about Uncontrolled immigration. (As opposed to Controlled immigration, which most people don't have a problem with.)

Rosco White ● 604d4 Comments ● 597d

£100 cash + large recycling bin swop for the smaller size

Would anyone like to swop their small size Recycling Bin for the standard larger size + £100 (was £50 earlier) to sweeten the deal. If so please let me know. I am in Hanwell. The bin size I seek is the one on the right, and the one I would swop it would be the size on the left. image ref:https://us1-photo.nextdoor.com/post_photos/1b/17/1b17499cd46991c545d9acc91fc88b88.jpeg?request_version=v2&output_type=jpeg&sizing=linear

Julian Poole ● 612d3 Comments ● 597d

Will Ealing Refuse Collection accept 3rd party bins?

Long story short I need smaller bins than Ealing offer so they fit in my front better. The ones I am aiming to get are Manufactured to EN 840 and RAL-GZ 951/1 standards.I'll ask the Council but considering the time that can take, wondered if anyone in the borough had had a similar intent.Best regards

Julian Poole ● 615d15 Comments ● 598d

Suspended Labour Councillor Ricky Jones' trial deferred to August - Wottasurprise!

If that's not proof of Two Tier Keir's "Justice" system I don't know what is.Lefties please post and justify this deferment, I need the entertainment.  😂Animal Farm is alive and well, veritably thriving in Communist Keir Country.

Rosco White ● 599d5 Comments ● 598d

Bit of a plea

If you have elderly friends or neighbours, please give them a knock or a phone call to make sure that they are OK during this cold snap. Too many elderly people suffer in silence or hold hard to their pride and won't ask for help (bit of shopping etc). We are, above all, a community and we always step up to the mark. Thanks one and all.

N V Brooks ● 616d9 Comments ● 599d

Meadow restaurant

Does anybody know what is happening at Meadow restaurant? The last couple of times I went passed it appeared to be closed. I tried calling to book a table but got no answer and Google has it listed as 'temporarily closed'. I hope this is the case rather than it being gone for good.

Tricia Arbuthnot ● 603d1 Comments ● 603d

Gurnell Residential Tower Blocks

On 15 January 2025 Ealing Council will decide whether to approve or reject its own Planning Application (24170OUTR3) for 300 flats in tower blocks rising to 10 storeys. Is it right that the Council is allowed to mark its own homework? Surely the GLA or the Government should determine this proposed development.Part of the plan is to build a new Gurnell swimming pool for £45 million. Just a few years ago Ealing Conservatives estimated it would cost £18 million to repair the old swimming pool.This is the second attempt by the Council to massively develop the site. In 2021 a proposal by Malaysian developer EcoWorld for 600 flats in towers rising to 17 storeys was rejected by the Council Planning Committee.As for the new proposal, it's in the flood plain of Ealing's biggest flood risk - the River Brent. It is also on Metropolitan Open Land which can only be built upon 'in very special circumstances'. The site is also somewhat 'remote' - no major transport hub nearby, or GP surgery or shops. With just 30 car parking places for 300 flats (700+ residents) nearby Gurnell Grove will be flooded with new residents' cars.Come along to the Planning Committee meeting in Perceval House at 7pm on Wednesday 15 January and watch Councillors and Planning Officers argue with themselves and each other about to build or not to build.

Eric Alan Leach ● 620d15 Comments ● 603d

What happens to old Xmas trees?

Given the council have reneged on their green waste collection terms, can we expect the many trees I saw today on the way to Ealing Broadway station to remain on the pavements? Before they would have been picked up along with the green waste bags/bins once a fortnight. With the lorries for green waste in the depot (or leased out to other councils), where would the trees go, to landfill?

peter king ● 612d17 Comments ● 604d

It's official: we must attempt to reduce our car usage

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/london-europe-most-congested-capital-city-paris-dublin-b1203209.htmlIn the report, who said "Londoners should help cut congestion by travelling via walking, cycling and taking public transport"?

Ben Owen ● 613d63 Comments ● 604d

Happy New Year everyone!

Any (positive) resolutions, or hopes and dreams for 2025?

Dominik Klimowski ● 619d16 Comments ● 610d