Twists, turns, traffic and skulduggery

LONDON Borough of Hounslow and Transport for London (TfL) are claiming success over the C9 Cycle Lanes in Chiswick when in fact road users and Chiswick residents have reported the opposite and this backed up by several photographic evidences of chaos on its roads and social media reports. Even emergency services vehicle drivers have expressed concerns.

With the above, other unwanted changes imposed on Chiswick residents, such as the very unpopular Low Traffic Neighbourhood schemes by the current Labour administration of Hounslow Borough Council and last but not least, the shameful turmoil gnawing at the reputation of the Labour party over the current selection and de-selection of council election candidates, amid claim of skulduggery practices in the process, one wonders how trusted can the Labour party be, to be given the chance for another term of administration of the Hounslow Borough Council?

There have been highly charged bad feelings among many serving councillors who have either been de-selected or forced to move to other wards. This has reached the extent that one particular councillor, Cllr Theo Dennison, has fallen out so acrimoniously with his own party leader, Cllr Steve Curran who is also the borough council leader, that one would wish never to see them together again in the same room. He is not alone in harbouring such feeling.

The current mayor, Cllr Bishnu Gurung, too has now been found not suitable to be a councillor anymore and has therefore been de-selected. Isn’t this an obvious irony when only just under a year ago, this same person was found to be suitable to serve as Mayor and now he has suddenly lost his gloss and can’t even be a councillor?

Council leader, Cllr Steve Curran has announced his retirement and he will not stand at the next council election in May. I wish him ‘happy retirement.’ His absence will be noticed because of the many years he has been in this role but not missed.

If I could give him one little advice, it would be to avoid getting on a No 267 bus from Hammersmith to Hounslow which now can result into delays of up to 45 minutes, an unpleasant experience which he himself admitted having had when one day he made this journey, due to the traffic congestions caused by his own C9 cycle lanes legacy.

The forthcoming council election is being held on May 5. A date to be noted.

Shafick Emmambokus Cranford