Friday, March 21, 2008
Waltham Forest Council meeting
SAVE OUR POST OFFICES
At the full Council meeting on Thursday, 20th. March, the Council gave unanimous backing (with one addition) to a Liberal Democrat motion backing the campaign to save Waltham Forest post offices.
Speaking in the debate, Cllr. John Beanse (Hale End & Highams Park ward) spoke of the absurd nature of the so-called consultation process, giving examples relating to the Sewardstone Road closure in 2003 and also the current proposed Hall Lane closure in 2008. He said it was worse than the trial in Alice in Wonderland, because it was a case of "sentence first, verdict afterwards" - and then we'll have a bit of "consultation". He stressed the need for all to stand together on this issue.
THE HALL FARM CURVE
Earlier, John had raised again the issue of the Hall Farm Curve, stressing concern because the Greater Anglia "Route Utilisation Strategy" published by Network Rail in December, 2007, speaks of "running of Chingford services to Liverpool Street via Stratford" - not SOME services. The advantages of having a service to Stratford via a relaid Hall Farm Curve are clear, but it is important that this should be an extra, ALTERNATIVE service, and that the existing service, via Hackney Downs, should be retained.
At the full Council meeting on Thursday, 20th. March, the Council gave unanimous backing (with one addition) to a Liberal Democrat motion backing the campaign to save Waltham Forest post offices.
Speaking in the debate, Cllr. John Beanse (Hale End & Highams Park ward) spoke of the absurd nature of the so-called consultation process, giving examples relating to the Sewardstone Road closure in 2003 and also the current proposed Hall Lane closure in 2008. He said it was worse than the trial in Alice in Wonderland, because it was a case of "sentence first, verdict afterwards" - and then we'll have a bit of "consultation". He stressed the need for all to stand together on this issue.
THE HALL FARM CURVE
Earlier, John had raised again the issue of the Hall Farm Curve, stressing concern because the Greater Anglia "Route Utilisation Strategy" published by Network Rail in December, 2007, speaks of "running of Chingford services to Liverpool Street via Stratford" - not SOME services. The advantages of having a service to Stratford via a relaid Hall Farm Curve are clear, but it is important that this should be an extra, ALTERNATIVE service, and that the existing service, via Hackney Downs, should be retained.
# posted by John Beanse @ 8:36 AM 
