Category Archives: Local issues

HS2 Ground Inspections begin

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We’ve received a letter from HS2’s engagement team about ground inspections due to start next week. If you need to engage, details are at the foot of the email:

Dear all,

Please note that the Ground Investigation (GI) works that were discussed at the HS2 information event on Thursday 13 October are due to commence next week. As a result of the GI, you may notice the following:

•        Background noise from the drilling of boreholes or digging of the trial pits and use of water pumps.
•        Hoarding around ground investigation sites.
•        Contractor vehicle movements to and from the sites.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards

Matt

________________________________________

Matthew Edgar | Engagement Manager | HS2 Ltd
Tel: 020 7944 5138 | Mobile: 07769 624611 | Matthew.edgar@hs2.org.uk | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn
High Speed Two (HS2) Limited, 5th Floor, Sanctuary Buildings, 20 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BT  | www.gov.uk/hs2

New emissions proposals: Have your say

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Transport for London and the Mayor, Sadiq Khan, is seeking views on proposals to introduce a new £10 daily Emission Surcharge (also known as the “T-charge”) in 2017. This would be for cars, vans, minibus and heavy vehicles registered in 2005 and older. This would be in addition to the Congestion Charge.

They would also like your views on changes to the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), a separate scheme that will replace the Emissions Surcharge and will have stricter emissions standards for vehicles. These changes include:

•    Introducing a central London ULEZ in 2019 rather than 2020
•    Extending the zone up to the North and South Circular in 2019 or later
•    Extending the zone London-wide for heavy vehicles only in 2019 or later

The main link is here: tfl.gov.uk/airquality-consultation

If you want to go straight to the survey, click here.

The consultation ends on Sunday 18 December.

HS2 village events – latest

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HS2 Ltd has announced that it will be holding Information Events between 3 pm and 9 pm in St Giles Church Hall, Ickenham on October 13 and Ickenham Village Hall on November 3. They wish to present their conclusions resulting from the Hillingdon Traffic Study carried out with Transport for London (TfL) and London Borough of Hillingdon.


What is HS2 Ltd proposing? …

HS2 believes it can reduce the maximum daily peak of HGV vehicles to 550 and with signalisation on Swakeleys roundabout this, in their opinion, will be manageable. HS2 also believes, subject to certain conditions, that it can reduce the amount of spoil to be dumped on the fields between Harvil Road and Breakspear Road South by re-using the spoil in the building of the new Harvil Road bridge and Uxbridge golf course. It will also re-use spoil from the West Ruislip tunnel portal on Ruislip golf course.

These efforts were as a result of the petitioning last year by Ickenham residents to the House of Commons Select Committee and political pressure from our council leader and local MPs.


What do we believe? …

We, of course, welcome any improvements in mitigation but do not share their optimism that our local roads can support HS2’s construction activities. Its plans still require over 100,000 HGV vehicle movements on roads which today cannot support the daily commuter traffic and already suffer high levels of air pollution. In addition to the construction sites in Harvil Road, Breakspear Road South and Ickenham High Road (West Ruislip) – which in themselves will cause traffic congestion – there will be significant utility works in West End Road Ruislip, construction sites in Harefield and West Hyde.  We know, from the National Grid utility works in Breakspear Road South in July/August this year, that any work by any party can cause horrendous congestion.

Our position remains that no HGV vehicles should be allowed on our suburban roads, through our shopping centre, along commuter, bus and school routes and known accident black spots. The traffic modelling upon which HS2 Ltd is basing its conclusions has not yet been agreed with TfL, LBH and our Residents Association and is unlikely to conclude until next year. The traffic numbers could change. It was our opinion that, until there was more substantive evidence, these conclusions were premature and should not be presented to the residents.

We are also disappointed that HS2 Ltd still wants to build and run concrete factories on the Green Belt by Harvil Road. We do not believe this is environmentally sound – the risks of environmental pollution are too great. We believe best practice would be to bring in the finished concrete tunnel supports from existing factories which have been proven to be environmentally safe.  HS2 Ltd has agreed that this alternative would not create additional traffic.

The Ickenham Residents Association will have a stand in the HS2 Information Event and we thank HS2 Ltd for this opportunity. Please come and meet us.

Swakeleys House open Saturday

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As part of the London Open House weekend, Swakeleys House will be open to the public (no charge) on Saturday 17th September 10:00 to 16:00.

It gives Ickenham residents the opportunity to publicly show their interest in this building. Please go if you can. Groups of up to 15 at a time will be admitted every 20 to 30 minutes.

Tell your friends and neighbours, we need to demonstrate our continuing interest in this historic and iconic building to its owners.

Thank you.

Parking restriction issues

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Nothing seems to raise blood pressure more than the issue of parking restrictions. Some people love them, some hate them. Some want one-hour restrictions while others want resident permits. Just like Brexit, this means that a proportion of people are going to be unhappy with whatever’s decided.

As the Ickenham Residents’ Association, we have to remain above the fray. We are here to represent all residents and cannot take up the cudgels on behalf of one group or another. We can, however, urge you to respond whenever the Council consults you. Your anonymity is preserved and you can check the outcomes when the statistics are published.

If you really think that the Council has acted undemocratically, you probably have time to protest. In my road (Pepys Close), the scheme wasn’t implemented until ten months after the stats were published.

 

Breakspear Road South closure

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This has just come in from Hillingdon Neighbourhood Watch:

Breakspear Road South will be closed from Breakspear Road to the junction with Swakeleys Road for six weeks from 20th July until 4th September for major GAS work.

This will obviously have a major impact on traffic flow in the area.

 

[ And something that HS2 could learn much from – Ed ]