Southgate Grove

The Traffic Department at Hackney Council is sending residents around Southgate Grove a letter explaining the recent consultation exercise over the closing off of Southgate Grove to traffic other than push bikes (the central bollard will be lockable, providing additional access to emergency services, if ever needed).
The consultation period formally ended on the 19 October 2007, but leaflets that were returned after the deadline were still accepted in order to give as many people as possible
the opportunity to respond.

The results showed that 65% of those who replied were in favour of the proposals.

The Council will now progress the scheme to the next stage and the Statutory
Consultation will be advertised in “Hackney Today” on Monday 3rd December 2007 and
will be subject to 21 days objection period.

Subject to that consultation the works are programmed to commence in late January
2008 and are expected to be completed by the end of March 2008.

Top marks for local GPs

Some of our local GP surgeries have received a glowing report in the latest assessment of local healthcare by the City & Hackney Primary Care Trust.

The assessment measures clinical performance and patient care and puts two of our local practices top of the table.

Out of a maximum possible score of 1000 points, the Lawson Practice on Nuttall Street got full marks and the De Beauvoir Surgery got 998.5!

Well done to all the practice staff.

Conserving our heritage

Your local councillors were pleased to tonight (Wednesday) support Hackney Council's decision to bring forward a review of the De Beauvoir Conservation Area.

The local Kingsland Conservation Area Advisory Committee and our own De Beauvoir Association were both keen to see a review brought forward.

The De Beauvoir Conservation Area was one of the first of the Borough's conservation areas and the review will fully consult local residents on how we protect the historic features of the area.

Cabinet Member responsible for planning, Guy Nicholson, said: "I look forward to working with local councillors and residents to ensure we get the best result for De Beauvoir."

Audio announcements on the 149 & 73 bus

A number of residents complained to us about how loud the new audio announcements were on the 149 & 73 buses.

The announcements were introduced to help alert people with disabilities to the correct stop.

Following the comments local residents and others have sent Transport for London, the volume has been lowered and the length
of the announcements has been shortened.

Highbury Corner

Transport for London are consulting on a 'Trafalgar Square' type proposal for Highbury corner - possibly closing off one arm to general traffic, allowing only buses along the semi pedestrianised section.

The scheme brochure is at the link below and has a freepost reply:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/stationsandinterchanges/6359.aspx

Hackney joins the Tube

As of this month, London Overground takes over North London Line services from Silverlink, and travellers will be able to use pay-as-you-go Oyster cards on the line for the first time.

It marks the culmination of a four-year campaign by our Mayor, Jules Pipe, to secure better public transport for the borough.

Fares will be cheaper with an Oyster card, stations will be fully staffed while trains are running, and faredodging will be reduced by new ticket barriers.

Stations will get a welcome deep clean next Spring and new trains delivered towards the end of 2008.

The carriages will have room for more passengers, air-conditioning, CCTV, plus improved accessibility with dedicated wheelchair bays.

New stations will be opened at Dalston Junction, Haggerston, Hoxton and Shoreditch High Street by 2010 as part of the East London Line project, followed by a link to Highbury & Islington in 2011.

The improvements will see eight trains an hour on the North London Line and 12 trains an
hour on the East London Line by 2011.

Jules Pipe said: “Hackney has been held back for too long by being the only inner London borough without a proper Tube link. Major improvements to the North London Line and the new stations on the East London Line show our campaign to get Hackney properly on every Tube map has been on the right track.”

Cycling award for Hackney

Hackney Council has won the London Cycling Awards 2007 with an award for Best Cycling Facility. It was presented to Hackney by the London Cycling Campaign (LCC) for improving routes for cyclist in the borough.

This year’s award complements Hackney’s Best Bike Borough award success at the London Transport Awards 2006 and acknowledgment as a Cycling Demonstration Town by Cycle England.

Street trees

More than 500 new street trees will be planted in Hackney over the next year after funding was provided in Hackney’s Mayor, Jules Pipe, in Labour’s 2006/7 budget.

We believe street trees can make a small contribution to making the ward and the borough a more pleasant place to live. We want to know where you think street trees should be planted in De Beauvior. Do you want one in your road? Let us know.

Ufton Road back in play

We’ve worked with local residents to see the football pitch on Ufton Road resurfaced so children have another safe place to play games. We have asked that the markings allow for not only football, but basketball and tennis.

The area has been tidied up and the surrounding walls will soon have the graffiti removed.