Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

Removing traffic barriers in Gardens, Hermitage Rd - reported position of Labour candidate in St Ann's ward

There's been lots of HOL coverage of the strange goings on in Labour's St Anne's ward selection process, which resulted in three new candidates (e.g. see this summary & 48 page discussion).

However, one aspect has received rather less attention, which is that the new Labour Candidate Ali Özbek has been quoted in the press as wanting the removal of both the bollard that stops through traffic (& through traffic jams) through the Gardens, and the closure in the middle of Hermitage Road that does the same there:

"Ali Özbek of Med - Chem Pharmacy on Green Lanes said that business rates in the area almost equalled rates on Oxford Street. Mr Özbek said “From a business perspective, among the most significant problems of Harringay Green Lanes are the high level of business rates and parking problems.

... In a meeting last month, I informed Tottenham MP David Lammy that in the area we have got 1,000 votes and three major issues.

...The other two matters in the area are the barriers on Hermitage Road as well as St Ann’s Road where customers are not allowed to turn towards Green Lanes. This prevents the area receiving more visitors. Mr Lammy said he would not open the barriers."

I've received no sign (so far) of any Labour literature in the ward, nor is there any hustings I am aware of. I have no information if this is the view of all the new Labour candidates in the ward, or just one of them.

This is a pretty important issue for many voters in the ward, with Labour a clear winner (Liberal Democrats second) in the last local elections.

Tags for Forum Posts: 2014 elections, Labour party, gardens, hermitage, local elections, traffic

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Permalink Reply by Simon Hester on May 12, 2014 at 19:58

Clearly the removal of the bollards into the Gardens area off Green Lanes would be a backward step – increasing traffic congestion, environmental pollution and transport hazards. We need more traffic calming measures across the whole area, not fewer. Mr Ozbek says that the traffic calming measures are harming businesses on Green Lanes but removing the bollards will not solve the fundamental problems of falling disposable income due to wage freezes, rocketing housing costs and benefit cuts. I have no idea if this is the position of all the Labour candidates but the approach is typical of the council's Labour leadership - a pro-business agenda of privatisation, selling council property to developers, school academies etc.

I am standing for the council again on a No Cuts platform. I have been active on traffic calming issues (amongst many others) since I moved here in 1992. If you want a councillor who will fight and organise in defence of our interests I suggest you vote for me (Incidentally the Lib Dems came second last time in the optimistic days (!) before Nick Clegg's great betrayals - I came second the last time the council elections were run separately from the general election).

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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on May 12, 2014 at 20:12

where customers are not allowed to turn towards Green Lanes.

Drivers (or even residents) surely?

Not everyone using these roads is a potential customer of a shop in Green Lanes. Anyone serious about helping often-struggling small businesses in London ought to support the campaign for 30 minutes of free parking.

Disclosure:
am a prospective councillor candidate
Highgate Ward | Liberal Democrat Party

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Permalink Reply by AndrewAW1 on May 12, 2014 at 23:48

Or possibly we could try and make Green Lanes a more pleasant environment with fewer cars and more pedestrians, cyclists, etc. in order to support the local businesses.

So far as I'm aware there isn't actually any hard evidence that 30 minutes of free parking will improve the lot of small businesses. Actually making Green Lanes somewhere less polluted and congested may even work better http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/sites/default/files/content/library...

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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on May 16, 2014 at 10:52

A single, one-size-fits-all, party soundbite parking solution is an absurdity. Different rates of charging (or timed or temporary waiver of charges) are appropriate for different places. Existing machines have been able to do this for some time.

Clive, please don't turn into an I-speak-the-party-leaflet machine.

Those little packets labelled Party Policy; Eat Me are dangerous and addictive. You start by swallowing one or two silly party slogans. "Harmless enough", you think. Colleagues smile, pat you on the back and pretend to be your friends. You'll get a bit of a buzz. Then they'll feed you higher grade stuff. Planted questions. Briefings from the Political Assistant to read out in Council meetings. Maybe the "Leader" will offer a "front bench spokesperson" role. Though there are no benches and nobody's listening.

Pause. Go outside for some fresh air and sunshine. Take several long deep breaths. Beware.

(Tottenham Hale ward councillor)

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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on May 12, 2014 at 22:08

From a business perspective, among the most significant problems of Harringay Green Lanes are the high level of business rates ...

Business rates are paid by occupiers and owners of commercial and industrial property to the local authority, but at a rate set by central government.

Last year, a claim was made to petition for "the" reduction of business rates.

Highgate Councillor Rachel Allison was interested in the claim, made a Member's Enquiry and last October, posted the result here on HoL.

I'm not aware of any response since then as to whether there there was a petition, how many traders signed it, and what was done with with it, as challenged in October.

Disclosure:
am a prospective councillor candidate
Highgate Ward | Liberal Democrat Party

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Permalink Reply by Peter on May 16, 2014 at 9:45

Maybe we should really vote for the candidates who stand for what we (individually) want, rather than our preferred party on a national level. I live in the Gardens and want the bollards to stay.

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Permalink Reply by Hugh on May 16, 2014 at 9:49

Exactly how we should vote (the method of choice not the particular policy, I mean!). I'd add to it though and say also to vote for candidates who you feel can actually get things done and who will year in year out willingly fight through all the drudge that is the stuff of most councillor work.