Weekly Update From Councillor Guy Lambert

Observing mayhem at the Windmill Road/A4 traffic lights

Campaigning in Brentford West

On Thursday morning I had my regular Zooting© update with the Lampton Group chair. He continues to drive the business but nothing unusual to report.

Later I attended the launch event for the Future of London Healthy Neighbourhoods report . This is a bit above my pay grade but it’s important input to how we plan our neighbourhoods for the future and is of relevance to Lampton Leisure as well as the council. I listen and some pearls of wisdom are lodged for future reference, though my pearls only see the light of day when I wear a twin set (whatever that is).

That was it for Thursday and Friday all I had in terms of Zootings© was the lead member steering group for Cycleway9. The supply chain issues dogging this change appear to have been resolved by excellent initiatives from Hounslow Highways (world shortage of granite kerbstones overcome), Further, the problems of lackadaisical utility companies and what lies beneath the British Grove junction have been averted by fancy footwork by the traffic team so it seems the improvements to the Eastern part of C9 (East of Chiswick Lane) will be delivered to time and budget. Minor improvements to the stretch West of Chiswick Lane - of which for me the priority is a solution to ‘Lake Wyndhamere’ – the ponding outside Wyndham’s butchers adjacent to a (it appears literally) ‘floating’ bus stop will follow in the spring/summer.

On Saturday a surgery at the Mission Hall. Melvinator was off at Norwich 1 Brentford 3 so I stood in at the surgery he normally takes. Only one customer on this occasion, and one whom I know very well.

After that I was in Charlton House in Albany Road, one of the bits that used to be in Syon ward and is now in Brentford West (or will be from May) so I’m hoping to be one of their representatives. First time out as official partner-in-crime of Lara Parizotto and we had an excellent session, joined by Ruth Cadbury and local member Craig. Afterwards to the Black Dog for Lara and I to plot our movements between here and May 5 th. It’s great to have a young, energetic and talented compadre, though of course I will miss The Melvinator.

Another meeting-free day on Monday but I was up bright and early (by my standards) on Tuesday to attend with a resident at the Windmill Road/A4 traffic lights. All a bit chaotic, not helped by a large wagon related to the development on the corner blocking Windmill Road northbound for a spell, until someone directed it onto the pavement. There was a fair amount of mild mayhem including vehicles such as this ambulance regularly blocking the pedestrian crossings.

Also the timings sometimes mean the many children who cross here for schools being trapped in the hostile environment of the central reservation. The other thing, which I’ve always thought is dangerous, is the number of vehicles on the A4 who burst through pedestrian crossings on red. I have a video illustrating this but too dumb to embed it here. I’ll be taking all this up with TfL to see what improvements can be made.

I then wandered lonely as a cloud (it being daffodil season) up Boston Manor Road (no serious congestion despite it being the heart of the rush hour) into the Park (gradually taking shape) and up to the station, back down Boston Gardens. Everything was spick and span so went back along Swyncombe looking at trees (I’m outstanding a conversation with a resident who has some concerns) and down Windmill Road, pursued by a large bus which never feels ideal.

In the evening I went to a meeting in Chiswick with Cllr Mushiso, the rugby club and the people who run the Rocks Lane sporting centre. When I lived in Chiswick I remember this as being a bunch of sad and decayed tennis courts with drooping nets but now I was amazed to see a really thriving centre with numerous football ‘courts’ and padel tennis courts (plus I think some old-fashioned tennis). Everything was incredibly busy and I was moved to muse that the council’s concerted efforts to destroy Chiswick seem to have been as unsuccessful here as the have been on the High Road which has markedly less empty shops than any other high street I’ve seen, and lots of new openings. They are thinking of expanding capacity for padel tennis (sort of like ping pong on a tennis court) in the rugby club area in Dukes Meadows and were looking to Ron and I for some advice/thoughts. Not really my area but I was happy to make some comments on what seems to be a useful component of the council’s push to encourage people to be more active, though of course we will be very careful about how we use Duke’s Meadows. I never realised that Old Meadonians is actually based on Chiswick school. Somebody decided that Old Chiswickians – and presumably Old Meadowonians – was infelicitous.

After that, time for some recreation and a tasty snack, and a bit of Neck Oil to wash the snack down. Where better than The Griffin and Doc Stenson’s Amazing Hotshots.

A lively, diverse crowd and I swear there were several people present who were not white men including one or two who were even younger than me. Whatever, I thought the band were great and the evening slipped by most agreeably.

Today, Thursday, some more work on our manifesto, then in the afternoon a trustee meeting for the Layton Collection charity, which is always an interesting event.

A bientot.

Cllr Guy Lambert

March 11, 2022