Markhouse Road Closures
The Council is once again misleading our residents. They failed to mention to them initially that they are planning road closures in what they are pleased to call "MARKHOUSE VILLAGE" This led to lots of people on social media saying "nothing to worry about"! But of course Cllr Loakes IS planning road closures, and the pro MH lobby group know all about them.
The Council organised two "consultation" workshops which were quickly filled up by MH supporters. The pro MH group adopted similar tactics on the Shared Space event and the Transport Hustings whereby in minutes of the event being announced the same old names booked out all the tickets. Many ordinary residents did not even hear about the workshops until they were full. The Council then "bowed to pressure" and have put on a third workshop.
At these "consultation" events the Council does admit that they ARE going to close roads. These seem to be the roads they are proposing to close.
We know from past experience that these "consultation" exercises are a sham. Leading questions are posed, so if you say you like trees or clean air you are put down as in favour of the whole project. The meetings are not representative and many people do not even know about them. The MH officers mis-report what happens at the meetings. It is just a tick-box exercise and then they proceed with what Loakes has already contracted Riney to do.
Cllr Loakes continually claims that anyone who opposes his dictatorial regime is opposed to clean air, trees and cycling!
Here is his response to the representations from Markhouse residents who do NOT want road closures.
We know this man is a politician and lies come easily to him, but the the claims he has made to residents here are unsustainable and frankly insulting.
Firstly he claims that the recent local elections give him a mandate to continue with Mini Holland. There is absolutely NO WAY of knowing why people voted the way they did. Only 1/3 of those eligible to vote did so. Maybe the other 2/3 are all against Mini Holland? All kinds of things influence how people vote; perhaps they love Corbyn or hate May. Perhaps they support the monster tower blocks! There is no way of knowing what makes people decide whether to vote / how to vote.
Secondly he pretends that those who oppose his schemes are against walking and cycling. This is nonsense and he knows it. Many of those opposed to his MH scheme do so because pedestrians are SO badly disadvantaged by the changes; pavements are made very narrow to give room to cyclists, copenhagen crossings are introduced which endanger people with disabilities, shared space is introduced where pedestrians are at the mercy of speeding cyclists. No-one is ENJOYING WALKING under Loakes' Mini Holland.
Thirdly he claims that his proposals improve air quality. As NO "before" measurements were done it is impossible to show whether they have or not. However residents who live on the roads adjoining those that have been closed report increase in breathing problems caused by the extra pollution. It is just common sense that if you force a lot of traffic into a smaller space you will cause more congestion and more pollution. Also people are making longer journeys which of course causes unnecessary pollution. Also slow-moving traffic causes more pollution than free-flowing traffic. We do not believe that Loakes version of Mini Holland has improved air quality - quite the reverse.
Fourthly he talks about "rat-running". WFS4A refuses to use this term. Basically it means driving on a road you don't live on! Loakes wants us all to stay in our little "villages" and never go anywhere else.
Fifthly he speaks of declining local business. The survey done in the Village post the MH road closures there shows an 11% overall decline in takings. People cannot GET to the Village any more and if they can get near they are not allowed to park. A survey done of all the traders in the High St showed the vast majority opposed to the road closures and parking restrictions and several have closed down because of loss of business due to Loakes and his dictatorial plans.
Loakes goes on about the car being king ....... well he was spotted in Bunnings with a trolley full of stuff .... but funnily enough no cargo bike to carry it all home in!!!! Hypocrite or what?
