Michael you really do not get it do you. Most residents when asked have rejected the schemes now being implemented as permanent measures by Hounslow Council. This is not democratic and it has broken any remaining trust that residents might have had in Hounslow Council. The mask has dropped and everyone can see them for the self-absorbed control freaks that they are.The Conservative Candidates running in Chiswick Riverside Ward (Giles, Thompson and Wallace) and indeed all those across Chiswick and the Borough have a shared vision: No new LTNs or cycle routes unless blinding public consultation shows that they are approved by residents. All existing LTNs and cycle routes to be independently reviewed and then subject to binding public consultations that could lead to the schemes being modified or removed. ANPR camera based schemes would be one of the options considered - we now have the money to pay for them thanks to the PCN fines on Hartington Road.Hounslow is now preaching the gospel of 'social engagement'. Who in their right mind can believe them? Tackling climate change at a local level requires close collaboration between residents, residents's groups, schools, businesses and charities. What a wasted opportunity the current schemes have been. What a waste of officers's time. What a waste of public money. The evidence that the schemes have been a success is slim to say the least. The Overview and Scrutiny Call In Panel saw right through all the bluster and bovine excrement offered up as evidence by the Hounslow Cabinet Members. Who can demonstrate a quantifiable improvement in air quality on any street that is not matched by a deterioration in air quality on another street? Who can demonstrate that there has been a sustainable modal shift - residents now cycling, using public transport or walking when in the past they would have driven? The new experimental measures introduced this month have solved some problems but created others and added greatly to the complexity that residents, businesses, tradesmen and visitors are faced with daily.By the way, I saw a mobile van parked up on Strand-on-the-Green a few months ago. Perhaps you would like to tell me what exactly it was doing there - officers have been very sheepish when I have asked. The truth is that for the scheme to be implemented properly you would need two linked ANPR cameras that could detect vehicles entering and leaving the restricted area. One mobile camera car cannot do that even if it sat there all day - which of course it did not. It went where is could earn some money fining people.
Cllr Sam Hearn ● 1687d