At thursday’s Environment Committee we got an update on the drought situation from both Thames Water and the Environment Agency. It was appriopriate that we started the meeting with this item given we were discussing future environmental priorities for Londoners, as l can not see anything more urgent then the water running out from the mains!

The diagram above really tells the story of below average rainfall for the past two years in Greater London and immediately beyond in the South-East as well, with only 6 months of above average rainfall since January 2010. While the remaining 18 months do not just show less  average rainfall but considerably less. So this problem has been building up for sometime and highly unlikely we’ll have the same equivalent amount of rain during the spring to avert a drought during the summer.

This also follows a recent site visit to Beckton where we saw the desalination plant ( also known as the Thames gateway Water Treatment Works) first-hand which will undoubtedly kick in during the forthcoming summer season to provide up to 7 per cent of the short fall of water anticipated we were informed by Thames Water.  If we don’t see some major rains over the spring, hosepipe bans by water authorities will almost certainly be applied. As well as a major communications strategy to inform us to consumer less water when we wash ourselves, use the toilet more efficiently &  making sure our washing machines are fully loaded, as some of the measures we can take in individual households. But lets not forget that water companies like Thames Water need also to deal more effectively with water leakages in their upgrading of the system under the streets of London. Where we have seen some problems not just in terms of the road works and its impact on keeping London moving but incredibly the regulator OFWAT not permitting them to undertake the works required.

And finally we will no doubt hear further arguments for the metering of water and major initiatives like moving water from the North down to the South. So water issues are likely to dominate the environment agenda in London for now.   

On Carlton Bridge,Great Western Rd above canal where Crossrail tunnel segments could go into Westbourne Park

 With the additional lorry movements application withdrawn by Crossrail before the 1st of March town planning meeting and the operational approval of the right turn at Great Western Road along the Harrow Road (otherwise known as the Prince of Wales junction) from the 10th of March, this can be seen for it was always now – a stitch up against the canal option to move the tunnel linings from Old Oak Common to Paddington.

It was clear something was afoot right from the outsight, as the application was only accepted by the City of Westminster on the last working day before christmas eve in 2011 when it had been with them a few months by then.  Furthermore the contractor BFK confirmed that no effort had been made to cost and entertain other options like canal and rail other then lorries along the Harrow Rd at a Paddington station liason Meeting on the 23rd of January when l questioned them about this all.  Looking at their Environment Policy statement and contrasting it with the reality, gives some comical lines about what contractors will say to get big public contracts. For example, BFK is committed to maximising benefits and minimising adverse impacts to the environment and neighbouring communities in delivering Crossrail projects; assess the potential environmental impacts of all operations, and remove or mitigate these risks throughout the design and construction phases; have minimal impact on the environment through our construction activities; and communicate with parties, including the public in an open and honest manner. None of this was done or achieved by BFK in this instance, as it doggedly pushed the lorry option as the only way to move the tunnel segments to the Westbourne Park portal.

Bangladesh electorate have photo id to minimise potential for fraud

Last week and in anticipation of the forthcoming Mayoral elections in London on the 3rd of May, the Evening Standard exposed potential electoral fraud in Tower Hamlets.  Although not overtly, the piece is a slur on the Bangladeshi voter.

However, the high levels of voter turnout amongst the Bangladeshi community, both here in the UK and back in the ancestral home establish them as keen voters, anxious to exercise their democratic right. Unlike many western electorates, voter apathy is not a problem amongst this group of voters. Furthermore, if we look to Bangladesh, the potential for voter fraud is also much less. For example, at the last general election in Bangladesh in 2008, we saw the use of an electronic photo ID electoral register, like the one shown above.  This shows the voter’s name, address and most importantly a photograph of them.  By all accounts, that election was viewed as fair and well run by all observers including many from abroad. Given voters can be identified with their photo in Bangladesh, you’d think this was something that would be taken up here as well.  So let’s see the Electoral Commission introduce something similar in the UK with an electronic photo ID electoral register.

While we’re at it, why not also consider starting the count at the polling station. Instead of waiting for the polls to shut and then have the customary race to count, another improvement to the system would be to allow counting to start  there at the polling stations. Most people, probably including candidates themselves, lose the will to stay up until the very small hours to hear the election results in local, general & regional elections.   The late declarations also detract from the momentum of the result as people start a new day before discovering the outcome of their vote.  Again this is something which is practiced in other parts of the world and could well be an improvement to our system here.  Perhaps then, we have more to learn about voting amongst the Bangladeshi community then it’s being suggested. And the mother of democracies should get use to the idea of learning a few things from other parts of the world.

Small shops champion Mary Portas was among the residents fighting plans to bulldoze the Big Table Furniture Co-op in Westbourne Park to create an electricity substation for the Crossrail link. Crossrail has now decided to use a smaller amount of land, so only the shop’s yard is needed.

Stephen Bond, director of Big Table, which has produced and sold beds for 30 years, said demolishing the shop would have cost jobs and harmed suppliers.

Local historian Maggie Tyler said the 1901 former Temperance Society building was "a powerful reminder of the history and identity of Westbourne Park’s railway heritage".

More than 2,000 people signed a petition demanding the business stay open.

Crossrail’s powers meant it would have needed little government consultation to demolish the store. But land and property director Ian Lindsay said: "We have reduced the extent of land required for our substation and negotiated an alternative access."

Crossrail also faces anger over plans for new lorry routes to building sites at Westbourne Park and Royal Oak. London Assembly member Murad Qureshi called for tunnel linings and segments to be transported along the Grand Union Canal.

Crossrail said there would be "huge challenges" unloading materials from barges because of limited room under the Westway.

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The criticism follows an announcement from the Mayor that only 40,000 properties have received insulation as part of the RE:NEW scheme. Originally 200,000 properties were to be retro-fitted, the Mayor then reduced this target to 55,000 by March 2012 and now it emerges that only 40,000 have been completed.

“The mayor is failing to deliver on one of his flagship environmental projects," Labour Assembly Member Murad Qureshi. "This is cold comfort to all those Londoners suffering from a late cold winter, huge hikes in fuel bills and there only defence is to make their homes more energy efficient. This is a damning indictment of his failed environmental policies that he has only achieved a fifth of his original target, and even that will be late.”

“This is less than 2 per cent of London’s 3.3 million homes, he completely lacks the vision and ambition required to tackle the pressing issues of high energy bills, cutting CO2 emissions and helping people, especially the old and vulnerable, out of fuel-poverty. According to London Council’s 1 in 4 households in the capital are in fuel poverty.”

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The mayor made tackling youth violence and knife crime a key priority.  But according to figures released this week by the Metropolitan Police, the number of knife victims aged under 20 has jumped 23 per cent since he was elected.  Serious youth violence, which the Mayor has repeatedly claimed is falling, is also up. 

The Mayor claims he has "eased the burden on households.”  But his fares policies are costing residents in the City of <city w:st=”on”><place w:st=”on”>Westminster</place></city> hundreds of pounds a year more than in 2008.

The Mayor claims there are 31 more police officers in <city w:st=”on”><place w:st=”on”>Westminster</place></city>.  But official Met figures show he has cut the number of officers by 178 in the last two years.

Londonwide Assembly Member Murad said: “Boris Johnson needs to be honest about what is happening in <city w:st=”on”><place w:st=”on”>London</place></city> and the fact is the number of young victims of knife crime has gone up every year since he was elected. It’s just the latest in a whole host of broken Boris promises.”

“To add insult to injury, the Mayor has been making a big fuss about not taking more from Londoners in council tax, then he pretends that the eye watering fare rises he has authorised don’t matter.”

On his re-election website Boris Johnson has made claims that do not stack up:

Police Numbers

The mayor’s re-election website claims there are 31 more police officers in <city w:st=”on”>Westminster</city> and almost 1,000 more police officers in <city w:st=”on”><place w:st=”on”>London</place></city>’s boroughs

·         But official Met figures show there are 96 fewer officers in <city w:st=”on”>Westminster</city> and only 19 more officers across <city w:st=”on”><place w:st=”on”>London</place></city> today than when Boris was elected.

·         In the last two years <city w:st=”on”><place w:st=”on”>London</place></city> has lost almost 1,500 borough-based officers

The mayor’s re-election website claims there are 6 more police community support officers (PCSOs) in <city w:st=”on”>Westminster</city> and 362 more PCSOs in <city w:st=”on”><place w:st=”on”>London</place></city> than when he was elected

 Â·         But, according to official Met figures there are 106 fewer in <city w:st=”on”>Westminster</city> and 149 fewer PCSOs across <city w:st=”on”><place w:st=”on”>London</place></city> than when Boris was elected.

·         In the last two years <city w:st=”on”>London</city> has lost 921 PCSOs including 145 from <city w:st=”on”><place w:st=”on”>Westminster</place></city>.

Crime

The mayor’s re-election website celebrates a fall in overall crime

 Â·         But according to new Met figures the number of young victims of knife crime is up 23 per cent

·         Crime has flatlined ““ only falling by 4% compared to a 12% cut under Ken Livingstone

In <city w:st=”on”><place w:st=”on”>Westminster</place></city>, burglary, gun crime and homophobic crime have all gone up in the last year and robbery against the person has gone up by 24.7% .

 Fare rises

 The mayor’s re-election website says he has “eased the burden on households”

 Â·         But anyone who uses public transport is now paying between £200 and £300 more a year in fares than they were in 2008 ““ around one hundred times more than the £3.10 saving from his council tax cut.

Opening welcome from myself at Comedy gig for Show Racism the Red Card

After a successful evening of stand-up comedy against Racism at City Hall immediately after the Saurez belated apologises on the 13th of Feb, l came away from the event feeling that we need to pinch the issue at its source on the pitch itself.

In recent times, campaigns like Show Racism the Red Card have dealt well with racism in all its forms on the terraces, outside stadiums as well and all its forms old and new like islamophobia & anti-semitism. But recent incidents on the pitch between players tell us its still a very live issue in the dressing room as well. So we can never be complacent about tackling racism, even after the huge progress thats been made in football since the 1980’s.

But with the splat of incidents between players l do think our referees need to deal with it at source, when at earshot of racist remarks, with an immediate red card. Referees may very well have these powers already but we need to see them used and them given very clear instructions by the FA that in such instances the refs will be supported by them. 

I well appreciate that refs have got a difficult enough job anyway but my instinct tells me that the biggest sanction against players making racist comments on the pitch would be letting their own team down on the field of play. All the fines, apologises and bans afterwards don’t have the same impact is that to a player.

So l trust that at the summit at Downing Street, showing racism the red card on the field of play, the pitch itself, is a measure thats agreed and acted on immediately.

The criticism follows an announcement from the Mayor that only 40,000 properties have received insulation as part of the RE:NEW

Labour Assembly Member Murad Qureshi said: 

"This is less than 2 per cent of London’s 3.3 million homes, he completely lacks the vision and ambition required to tackle the pressing issues of high energy bills, cutting CO2 emissions and helping people, especially the old and vulnerable, out of fuel-poverty. According to London Council’s 1 in 4 households in the capital are in fuel poverty."

"The mayor is failing to deliver on one of his flagship environmental projects. This is cold comfort to all those Londoners suffering from a late cold winter, huge hikes in fuel bills and there only defence is to make their homes more energy efficient. This is a damning indictment of his failed environmental policies that he has only achieved a fifth of his original target, and even that will be late." scheme. Originally 200,000 properties were to be retro-fitted, the Mayor then reduced this target to 55,000 by March 2012 and now it emerges that only 40,000 have been completed.

Ends

Notes:Murad Qureshi is a Labour Londonwide Assembly Member and Chairs the London Assembly’s Environment Committee

For further information please contact Alison Marcroft on 020 7983 4363. Numbe

The cycle hire scheme has only been used by a fraction of Londoners and is costing the taxpayer millions despite a manifesto promise it would be free.

His record on electric vehicles is even weaker.

Johnson announced with much fanfare at the Seoul C40 Climate Change Summit in 2009 that he was going to make London the “electric car capital of Europe”. His aim was to get 100,000 electric vehicles on London’s streets, served by 25,000 charging points and 1,000 electrical vehicles in the City Hall fleet by 2015. As we approach the end of his mayoral term, the question is: has Johnson delivered on those promises?

A new report from the London Assembly’s environment committee finds that, of the 25,000 promised recharging points, only 1,000 have been delivered. Of the 100,000 electric cars the Mayor wants to see on London’s streets, only 2,313 have so far been registered. The Mayor has also failed to take a lead with his own City Hall fleet. Of the 1,000 vehicles he promised to electrify, only 48 have been delivered.

Having been in power for nearly four years this is a pretty pathetic record and indicates a lack of attention and seriousness to these issues. When there is headline or a photo opportunity to grab the Mayor is there leading the charge, but when it comes to actually implementing and delivering effective policies, he is nowhere to be seen. It is time we had a Mayor who keeps on top of delivery and actually does what he says he will, rather than taking a hands-free laissez-faire approach.

The reality is that delivery has been much slower in London than we would expect and hope for. Lessons can certainly be learned from other cities who are forging ahead with their own electric vehicle revolution. Paris and Sunderland both have more charging points per person than London. They have shown that a clear strategy is essential to ensure that the locations of the charging points are appropriate for drivers. Sunderland have demonstrated the importance of providing sufficient rapid chargers at key points on major roads to help ease drivers’ “range anxiety”. This would make electric vehicles much more appealing to longer distance drivers.
Boris Johnson has no clear strategy and his lack of progress is the result. His grandiose promise to make London “the electric car capital of Europe” and his failure to get anywhere near his goal exposes the gulf between rhetoric and reality.

Murad Qureshi is Labour’s spokesperson for the Environment on the London Assembly

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Removed railings along Edgware Road

I’ve recently noticed how the rails along the middle of the Edgware Road have disappeared and thought at first it might be related to the spate of metal theft we’ve been experiencing in the UK lately. Perhaps TFL are cashing in now that metal has risen in value so much?, or maybe they’re aware of a future war effort which would mean using all the spare metal we had for armaments,as occurred during World War 2 in London ?

Anyway, I was prompted to put in a written question to the Mayor to find out what’s being happening. It transpires, that the disappearances are a result of a policy change by TFL, with some 70 kms of pedestrian guard rails removed since April 2009. Along the Edgware Rd some 640 metres worth have been taken down to make things more convenient for pedestrians and interestingly to make it easier for cyclists who can often and dangerously be trapped between a lorry on one side and railings on the other.

As someone who has (only very occasionally) been known to jaywalk across roads, it’s a welcome change, assisting my crisscrossing along the Edgware Road chasing buses and popping in and out of my local coffee establishments.