Brentford's Worst Junction Being Made Even More of a Mess

Brentford West councillor Guy Lambert reports back

Brentford West councillor Guy Lambert

September 26, 2024

On Thursday I was off to Jersey. I went there when I was a student with a bunch of friends and camped on some windblown cliff with a bumpy ground and nothing for miles around. Except for German gun emplacements from WW2 and a pub called the Bal Tabarin. It turns out it was named after a racy nightclub in Paris and had live music – not that I remember any.

We composed a song about it ourselves though

Hey, Hey, It’s another rainy day

Down to the Bal Tabarin today

In the absence of the glory Jersey sun

We’ll go to the pub to have our fun.

With my friends including the one who lives there we tried to find it, but apparently it has not been preserved for posterity. One scene for the future stays with me.

This was actually the cover of a LP which I DID NOT sing but which friends created as a gag birthday card for my 21 st birthday and clothed a bootleg Dylan LP I owned (and still do) called Little White Wonder.

My short stay in Jersey this time was a lot more comfortable. Posh hotel, excellent electric bikes to hire to get around, warm sun almost throughout, Good for the soul and that’s a fact.

Orange moon was a bonus.

Some interest for a councillor:

I’d like to see this in Hounslow. Especially ‘No Horses’. Though not parking on the beach sounds like it was very relevant in the lakes of Brentford whilst I was away. I can’t go away for a weekend without everything falling apart. Here’s a lake reported by a resident.

If I was going to do a PhD on road signs I would start with Jersey. By the way I discovered it is called Jerri by the Francais. Talking of which we went to an archaeological museum which also had a section about Jerri when it was invaded by the Jerries. It was no fun for the locals, or the many East Europeans who were slave workers there, many of whom didn’t survive.

Jersey feels a bit like England in the 1960s. Decent public investment and apparently it is dead easy to get a well-paid job and many people in their 20s can afford to buy a home. Partly because there is very little income tax. Maximum is 20% but allowances reduce it to about 10%. National speed limit is 40 but much is 30, 20 or even 15mph so not surprising that there are so many Porsches, Ferraris, Range Rovers etc. Reminds me of Chiswick.

Back in Brentford I have not been entirely idle, though I haven’t been doing much. Only really emails and a bit of casework, but it is very quiet at present.

I spotted the worst junction in Brentford, the one between the GWR and Windmill had got even worse. Our chums at SSE have dug up a big chunk of the narrow pavement and suggested people should walk on the road. Not something I would recommend unless you are tired of life.

I’ve been annoyed by this junction for a long time. The developer has made a real mess of it and planning don’t seem to be able to make them sort it. Apparently there is a plan to widen the footway but I’m not convinced there is enough room. TfL are supposed to be improving the junction as well but as I mentioned they had a plan for Ealing Road 8 years ago.

On Tuesday I went to Hounslow to try and open a bank account for an association I am involved in, trying to get a memorial created in Isleworth for a cycling champion woman - Eileen Sheridan – who lived in Isleworth for much of her life while setting records and living to 99. She died last year and we want something to remember her by and somebody dragooned me into helping. I hate bank accounts actually and am still not convinced we will succeed. A second meeting next week so fingers crossed!

Also someone (it was either Microsoft, Google or the venerable London Borough of Hounslow) who had messed with my phone. I spent an hour with an IT specialist who seemed as puzzled as me but finally cured it. I’m not sure he knew what he had fixed, but I don’t care – it worked.

In the evening I had an invite from Bia, the hairdresser in Albany Parade to meet her and Sue Sampson for a drink. We had helped her a bit getting a new premises in the council block on the High Street and it was very kind of her to thank us. She had a friend with her who has been moved from Charlton House to a property in the Syon estate and is very chuffed at the outcome. Apparently I wasn’t very encouraging when Lara and I talked to her and Lara more positive. My memory has never been good and it’s getting worse, so don’t be surprised when I forget who you are or even if I’ve never set eyes on you before. It’s not personal.

Today (Wednesday) I had a chat with the estate manager here at Ferry Quays. Not my ward but I live here and I have been trying, not very successfully, to support Team Keane (which now has several companies and charities) to get a better base and better services. Not sure I got anywhere but I’ll keep at it.

But no tomorrow, because I’m off for another long weekend, this time at Spa in Belgium after those old cars again.

A bientot, as it’s possible they say in Belgique.

Councillor Guy Lambert