Mini Holland 18-3-16

MINI HOLLAND

Anti Mini Holland

Speaking to the officers at last Monday's Mini Holland Markhouse meeting, which was very well attended, it became clear this is a tanker that cannot be stopped or even its course changed! Work is expected to be completed in the Borough next year so it won't be long before we know the real impact. Sadly what I took to be weeds growing in the planting areas down Selborne Road is deliberate planting and it doesn't get any better!

50% of the £30m of our money will be spent on Lea Bridge Road and Whipps Cross Roundabout. That just leaves £15m for the rest of the Borough and a few million of that has already been spent in Walthamstow Village and Blackhorse Village. Markhouse Village is in a strange situation having had major works done to it a few years ago with at least 4 pedestrian crossings installed. From the plans on display these will all be replaced - with pedestrian crossings! The dedicated cycle lane crossing the pedestrian lane will be interesting to say nothing of forcing pedestrians onto the road side where currently the existing cycle lane is!

Another intriguing fact is the cycle lane currently being built past the Ice Rink in Lea Bridge Road will be put on a bridge over the railway. By some miraculous feat of engineering it will go across the line at the new Lea Bridge Station where the steps from the platforms rise to meet the pavement leaving no obvious space for the bridge! Mind you the station will be open in May, well before the new bridge is installed, no doubt closing the station during its installation!

From Stella Creasy MP's Newsletter:

Mini Holland Update: 

Trees at Whipps X Roundabout & Hoe Street Yellow Lines 

This week the Council have been in touch to say that they have approved the proposed conversion of single yellow lines to double yellow lines along Hoe Street between Selborne Road and Forest Road. These plans were approved to help ease traffic flow along Hoe Street.

This week constituents have also been in contact regarding the trees on Whipps Cross Roundabout. The Council have confirmed that all the trees have been removed as part of the Mini-Holland Lea Bridge Road improvement Scheme which will see the roundabout being redesigned into a T-Junction. 

This will also enable some land currently being used as highway to be returned to the Forest. These trees are mixed in terms of species and age and over 40 per cent of them are already dead or have a life expectancy of less than 10 years, as found in a recent independently commissioned arboriculture report. 

There are a total of 106 trees, of which 28 are being removed. Some of these will be transplanted, and the council say during these works around 50 new trees of varying size, maturity and species will be planted bringing the total upto 134 trees. 

Cllr Loakes, who is in charge of the scheme, has also confirmed that 3 bird nests were identified and Rangers from the Corporation of London investigated and confirmed that they were not being used. If you have any queries regarding these plans please contact the Mini-Holland team. 

Now for the Twitter gleanings:

Cabbies upset

All the rage

Royal Parks super highway

Air Pollution

Now 20mph

Forest Road consultation

Knickers in a Twist

A particular view

Gridlocked City

Bikes filled to 100% capacity

Business's join battle