H&F Council leader challenged to test out cycling danger spots

John Griffiths

CYCLING campaigners have invited the leader of H&F council to join them on a bike ride in the area’s most dangerous spots.

Hammersmith and Fulham Cyclists have called upon Cllr Stephen Greenhalgh to join them on a bike ride to highlight the dangers on the boroughs roads.

The route would cover Hammersmith Bridge, the gyratory, Shepherd’s Bush Green and Holland Park – the worst areas for cyclists.

John Griffiths of H&F Cyclists (pictured) said: "We suggest Cllr Greenhalgh should cycle with us around these places with his children to see why more should be done. The council say Hammersmith is a green borough and the gyratory is at the centre of it. They should make it an area to walk and cycle safely and cycling should be the priority above motor traffic.

"When companies build roads where there is more room they take cycling into account, but in the three major places where cyclists have difficulties it seems the council are not prepared take drastic measures to make it safer."

Mr Griffiths has previously met the council leader to ask for the lowering of the speed limit on Hammersmith Bridge and gyratory, but no change has been made to their transport plans.

The cyclist group feel it is even more important now as the council start a consultation on where to put Boris bikes docking stations after approving bringing the scheme to the borough and along with it more cyclists.

Mr Griffiths said: "The present scheme is good if there are a few cyclists, but what happens when the new bike riders take to the road and path?

"We’ve already said we want the roads to be made 20mph, unless there is a better suggestion, but now this is even more important with the Barclays Superhighway 9 being built and the Boris Bikes being introduced.

"Provision was made in the planning stages, and they are building an island and path, but now with the Boris Bikes as well as us cyclists there won’t be enough space.

"There will even more cyclists on the road, more inexperienced and insecure cyclists. In the areas like the gyratory and the bridge cyclists squeeze through the gaps in traffic. It’s dangerous."

But Mr Griffiths still holds out hope for the new scheme to draw attention to the problems cyclists face.

"Hopefully we can use the council’s enthusiasm for the Boris bike scheme to see how important it is to fix the problems, enforce a slower speed limit, and give more room for cyclists."

Cllr Nicholas Botterill said: "I don’t think I need any persuading to believe that cycling around such monster gyratories presents riders with many dangers.

"We are supportive of the Super Highway 9 and I know that officers have been talking to representatives of the various cyclists groups about some of the finer details."

www.hfcyclists.org.uk

Read at http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-and-hammersmith-news/2011/10/31/h-f-council-leader-challenged-to-test-out-cycling-danger-spots-82029-29694805/#ixzz1cxInFKNk

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Posted in: campaign,cycling,hammersmith,hammersmith and fulham chronicle

Strictly's Russell Grant backs plan to save Goldhawk Road pie and mash shop

STRICTLY star Russell Grant is backing a plan to save a pie and mash shop he has visited regularly since he was a child.

Russell, who is appearing in the latest series of Strictly Come Dancing on BBC1, has written to the owners of A.Cookes Pie, Mash and Eel shop urging Hammersmith and Fulham Council to reject plans to develop Goldhawk Road, in Shepherd’s Bush, which would mean the demolition of the Cookes shop.

The famous astrologer, who now lives in Wales declared that allowing the development to go ahead would be as bad as the recent riots.

He said: “This isn’t a selfish protest to the local council… we have all watched the riots in Tottenham rip through this historic community and devastate it and although it is a completely different way, an act of vandalism is set to perpetrate Shepherd’s Bush in the wanton destruction of a community but this time with the backing of the elected Council.”

Russell remembers the shop from visits when he was young with his grandmother Lily, who owned a fish and chip shop nearby in Askew Road, Shepherd’s Bush.

In a letter to the owners of Cookes the celebrity said: “My grandmother Lily…fed me pie, eels and mash from a baby.

“Cookes is a landmark, not just to people who live in the Bush, no, but to people who, like me, were brought up in leafy Middlesex but made the trek via the 607 trolley–bus from Uxbridge to the Bush Market and had our lunch at Cookes for as long as I can remember.”

Russell said even now when working at the BBC he sends out his driver to get him his favourite local food to take back to Wales.

Middlesex born Russell said he was proud of his many links with Shepherd’s Bush and included Cookes pies, eels and mash in his bestselling book, The Real Counties of Britain.

He said: “[Cookes is] at the heart of an ancient community that goes back over a thousand years and to see it no more would be a travesty.

“It will reveal that whoever is behind this plan and supports it by giving it the go-ahead has no interest in their community, its roots, identity or heritage, whatever their reason, there is no justification in what they aim to do as it will be a little bit more of our past that is given up to mindless modernity and crass consumerism.”

Husband and wife, Audrey and Mike Boughton, currently run the local Pie and Eel shop on the Goldhawk Road, Shepherd’s Bush.

Mike Boughton, 59, of Line Close, West Clandon near Guildford, said: “Russell has been a great champion for us. He’s one of our regulars. We serve people from all works of life, from Russell to Joe Bloggs the window cleaner.

“We get mods and rockers coming on pilgrimage to the shop as we appeared in the 70s film Quadrophenia, but we also serve local families.

“This is a family business. We’re a one off and there are not many pie, mash and eel shops left. Our customers are very upset.”

Cookes has been run by the same family for over 70 years.

Mrs Boughton, 52, of Line Close, West Clandon, near Guildford, said: “None of us want to go. We just can’t understand why in the current economic climate the council would want to destroy a business that is working, and has been for the past 77 years.

The mother of two said: “While no plans have gone through yet, the developers came and measured up our shop the other day. How can they do this when permission hasn’t been granted yet? They shouldn’t presume they’ve won the battle.

“The shops affected have come together and set up the Shepherd’s Bush Action group. We’re prepared to fight to keep our shop.”

Hammersmith and Fulham Council are currently deciding whether to grant planning permission to Orion developers who want to build 200 flats above the shops on Goldhawk Road, Shepherd’s Bush.

If permission is granted the shops as they stand will be demolished and rebuilt. The council has invited the local community to send comments on the proposed development to them by 15 October 2011.

The Shepherd’s Bush Action Group is running an online petition allowing the public to show their support. www.ipetitions.com/petition/savegoldhawkroadshops/

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Posted in: bbc1,campaign,cookes pie and mash shop,food and drink,hammersmith and fulham council,restaurant,russell grant,strictly come dancing