Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Geoffrey Kemball-Cook on September 28, 2014 at 11:41

We are now several weeks into term and absolutely NOTHING has been done about the bridge. This is just what the suits at TfL want - for public frustration to ebb away. Please anyone who reads this add your complaints to mine by contacting David Burrowes (david.burrowes.mp@parliament.uk) or Labour councillor Alan Sitkin (cllr.alan.sitkin@enfield.gov.uk).*

 

 

*email address amended by Admin in line with request below.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Alan Sitkin on September 28, 2014 at 23:58

That't not my email Geoff, it's cllr.alan.sitkin@enfield.gov.uk, please amend your post to remove that

As for writing me or even David Burrowes, that's not being effective. As you say, this is a TFL matter. TFL answers to the GLA. David Burrowes MP might pretend time and again that the meetings we all have regularly with TFL amount to much but he's just posing. The honest truth is that TFL acts as a law unto itself, smiles at us and then filibusters. The only body that has a hope of swaying things there is the GLA. 

That would be Joanne McCartney, our GLA rep. And even then, I doubt how much leeway she really has, despite her best efforts. Truth be said, get Boris out of City Hall and get in someone (I;d obviously say a Labour mayor) willing to change TFL's organisational remit so that it becomes more accountable to the boroughs and less to itself.

In the mean time and to repeat, please edit your post re: my email Alan

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Donald Smith on October 4, 2014 at 16:54

I believe that the oft quoted footbridge is in Southgate Green Ward, so why not ask questions of the Southgate Green Councillors at Southgate Green Ward Forum;Tuesday, 7th October, 2014 7.00 pm taking place at Southgate Beaumont Care Community, 15 Cannon Hill, Old Southgate, N14 7DJ.

Plenty of on site parking. buses 121, W6 and 299 pass the door. Bus route 298 stops close by.For venue details see, http://www.barchester.com/home/southgate-beaumont-care-community

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Administrator on November 13, 2014 at 23:15

The long-running issue of the Wilmer Way bridge was addressed at the Greater London Assembly Mayor's Question Time recently. The exchange between Labour GLA member Joanne McCartney and Mayor Boris Johnson can be read in full on the GLA website.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Michael Dawson on November 14, 2014 at 9:48

Thanks, Richard.  So that's a year to design and implement a solution for the sort of footbridge that must have been around in some form or another for well over a century.  I hope TfL is better at big projects - Crossrail etc - than small ones!  Boris's answer, whilst appearing reasonable on one level, entirely misses the point that this should really be a minor matter to resolve, but it is taking forever and there is no public information provided, other than what people can force out of him or TfL.  Deeply unimpressed.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Louca-Mai Brady on May 11, 2015 at 16:26

The stairs on the footbridge have now been closed for over a year now - does anybody have any updates on why and if and when they are likely to reopen? If not any thoughts on who we should petition to move things forward? The note on the exchange between Joanne McCartney and Boris Johnson above says that the stairs would be reopened by April 2015, but it's now May and there is no sign of anything happening.

It's inconvenient at the best of times, but I've now been informed that the Willow nursery at Bowes School will be moving to a site at Broomfield School this September. This means I'll have to cross the bridge a couple of times a day with two small children, as will lots of other people, so having access to the stairs restored will be even more important in the Autumn.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Matthew Kitching on May 12, 2015 at 21:24

Louca-Mai,

Thanks for raising this issue again, it really is frustrating that it hasn't been resolved and you make a good point about the relocation of the nursery.  For what it's worth I followed the TfL website's complaint route as per my earlier post: "The bridge at the junction of Bowes Road and Wilmer Way has a fault.  There seems to be an issue with some of the bridge's structural pins. As a result the stairways of the bridge have been closed for over a year.  Can TfL please explain how the safety of the public is being prioritised in the context of the speedy resolution of this issue, how value to the public purse is being maximised, the date for completion of the works and the contact details for the TfL official accountable for resolution of this issue."  The Ref No. for my complaint is 1016197889.  I'll update you with the inevitable fob-off.  A publicity stunt involving a local newspaper may be in order...

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Donald Smith on May 13, 2015 at 11:55

Matthew Kitching asks

Can TfL please explain how the safety of the public is being prioritised in the context of the speedy resolution of this issue, how value to the public purse is being maximised, the date for completion of the works and the contact details for the TfL official accountable for resolution of this issue.

The Ref No. for my complaint is 1016197889.  I'll update you with the inevitable fob-off.  A publicity stunt involving a local newspaper may be in order...

As of 13th May the London Register of proposed road works does not show any proposed works over the next 3 months

The Managing Director of Surface Transport is Leon Daniels. I suggest that someone either e_mails him at LeonDaniels@tfl.gov.uk or sends a twitter Message (Tweet) to @LeonDaniels

The site is within Southgate Green Ward:

So I suggest you also raise the issue with Cllr. Daniel Anderson at the Southgate Green Ward Forum meeting to be held at Garfield School, Springfield Road, New Southgate, N11 1RR on 2nd June at 19:15 and ask Daniel Anderson to raise it with Officers at TFL/LBE Liaison meetings

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Richard McKeever on May 13, 2015 at 12:05

I have tweeted a request for explanation from the Bowes and Bounds Twitter account with a link to this post.

See https://twitter.com/BowesandBounds/status/598443352841953281

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Matthew Kitching on May 13, 2015 at 19:39

great research Donald, thanks

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Peter Williams on May 13, 2015 at 12:52

It has been over a year since I added this post and have been looking both at the junction and on Bowes and Bounds to see if there were signs of any progress.

I did manage to speak to Alan Sitkin at the last Bowes forum meeting, whilst we were waiting people to turn up and it seemed at that time to be a case of TFL trying to apportion the blame with either the architect or the builders.

At the time of posting it was just a case of replacing a missing bolt but now the bridge and strut has moved out of alignment so this cannot be achieved without using heavy lifting equipment.

Why TFL are dragging their feet on this is inexplicable, obviously the whole structure is not at fault otherwise they would have shut off the whole bridge so why not just put the bolt back?

I was also interested to find out the bridge is in Southgate Green Ward not Bowes!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Donald Smith on May 13, 2015 at 13:30

Dear Peter

As to your point that 

At the time of posting it was just a case of replacing a missing bolt but now the bridge and strut has moved out of alignment so this cannot be achieved without using heavy lifting equipment.

"It was just a case of.....".(if only) Any works to the footbridge were ALWAYS going to need heavy lifting equipment and POSSESSION (CLOSURE) of the junction. The structure does not only need to be self supporting on the "bolts" but need to be designed to allow the several elements to expand, contract, and rotate during the extremes of UK weather. 

The reply to Question 2014/3864  at Mayor's Question Time was posted on 22nd October 2014

As motorist users of the North Circular, (and frustrated Bowes/Southgate Green residents and bus passengers from throughout North London)  will confirm Transport for London is currently undertaking extensive refurbishment of the Fore Street Tunnel and have also imposed occassional closures on  the Lea Valley Viaduct at Kenninghall Lane

• ▶ Reply

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• …
• 8
• Next ›
• Page