A new scheme was approved today to bring order to the chaos of utility companies digging up our roads - thanks to cross-London work led by Camden Council.

Everyone has experienced the frustration and inconvenience caused by roadworks. While we must accept that it’s a difficult job co-ordinating all the different utility works in any given area, when we see the same stretch of road dug up for the umpteenth time in a matter of weeks it’s clear that more can be done to regulate roadworks and minimise disruption for residents and road users.

Camden Council has been leading the way in tackling this complex problem that affects so many Londoners on an almost daily basis. Leading a group of London Boroughs and working with Transport for London, Camden has developed and successfully trialled the London Permit Scheme. Utilities companies will still retain their statutory rightto undertake road and street works, instead of simply notifying councils of any impending work they will have to apply for a permit. This means councils will have greater control over the local area, better able to influence and coordinate any roadworks that are needed.

Camden Council also monitors the work of utilities companies digging up our roads - in 2007, utilities companies were fined nearly £500, 000 for overrunning on works in Camden and causing congestion on our streets.

Local councillor and resident Ben Rawings is trying to give more power to people when it comes to roadworks: “Too often we see bits of road dug up with no indication of who is doing it or why. I was pleased to see that recent work by the Council on Camden Park Road clearly displayed the reason for the works and a contact number. I’m pushing for this to be made standard for all roadworks across Camden.”

If there are any roadworks in your area that you are concerned about, let us know.

The Lib Dem campaign for a one-hour bus ticket, allowing pay-as-you-go Oyster Card users to pay once per trip, is gathering momentum. Add your support now and help get a fairer deal for bus users.

London Lib Dems believe that a fair bus fare is when you pay once to get from point A to point B, regardless of how many buses you need to take. This is how the tube works, and how buses and trams in many major cities around the world work too. Oyster Card pay-as-you-go users are being cheated, having to pay for each bus they take when they’re only making a single trip.

Cantelowes is quite well connected by bus routes - but many trips require more than one bus. The 390 takes you to Kings Cross, for example, and the 29 and 253 to Camden Town - both are large hubs, where you can get a bus to many parts of London.

The Lib Dems are campaigning for a one-hour bus ticket - just like they have in major cities around the world - to give bus users a fare deal and encourage more people to use public transport. Already hundreds of people have signed the petition - you can show your support by signing up here. The campaign also has a Facebook group. It really can make a difference - the Lib Dems campaigned for half price bus and tram fares for the unemployed, to help them travel around the city to go to job interviews. It took a few years, but finally it happened! So with your support, we can really make a difference and make public transport better.

After a steep rise in unemployment levels across London, the Liberal Democrats are calling on the Conservative Mayor of London to promote a scheme to help jobseekers travel around the capital.

Over two years ago, Leader of London Assembly Lib Dems Mike Tuffrey proposed half-price bus and tram travel for people on Job Seeker’s Allowance, to enable them to travel around the city in their search for employment. Earlier this year Boris Johnson finally acknowledged the benefits of the Lib Dem proposal. Now, as unemployment figures soar due to Labour’s recession, Mike has been calling on the Mayor to promote the scheme to jobseekers.

Mike said; “No one should be forced to turn down an interview because they can’t afford a bus fare. Yet Boris Johnson has put up fares this year by 11% - three times the rate of inflation. At present an unemployed person on JSA, with a weekly income of just £47, will end up paying £2 for a return trip to an interview. If they pay their fares in cash the fares will be £4.

“When you are on such a low income cheaper travel can make a world of difference to getting back to work.”

Thanks to this Lib Dem scheme, people on Job Seeker’s Allowance (JSA) or the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) for more than 13 weeks can claim half-price bus and tram fares. For more information on how to claim go to www.tfl.gov.uk/discountcard or ‘phone 0845 330 9876

In a week when the Conservative Mayor of London got caught out in the expenses scandal, your Liberal Democrat London Assembly Members have been working to hold the Mayor to account and improve life for Londoners.

This week saw revelations that one of Boris Johnson’s hand-picked deputies has been using a taxpayer-funded credit card to upgrade flights and buy meals and groceries over the last 9 months. Lib Dem Assembly Member Mike Tuffrey has been leading the call to hold the Mayor to account and called upon him to answer three specific questions;

“Boris Johnson’s pledge in the last election to restore trust in City Hall finances now rings very hollow. First, over a period of nine months Ian Clement repeatedly broke City Hall rules about personal spending. Why did Boris Johnson allow this to continue?

“Second, why is Boris Johnson still allowing his senior staff to bill taxpayers for taking each other out to lunch and dinner?

“Third, will Boris Johnson now agree to publish the full expense details of all his senior staff, so the public can judge just what sort of regime is he running at City Hall?”

Lib Dem Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon has also been calling for a new approach to upgrading the tube, saving money and creating less problems for tube users; as well as campaigning for Oyster Card access to London’s train services and for a fairer deal for Oyster users on buses.

You can contact the Mayor of London to ask him about the expenses claims - his contact details are here.  To get in touch with your Liberal Democrat Assembly Members, visit their website here.

Network Rail recently claimed that the revamped Kings Cross Station will leave St Pancras International Station in the shade (Camden New Journal, 11th June 2009).  It seems they’re getting carried away with their own rhetoric: not only is this highly unlikely to be true, it ignores Network Rail’s failure to listen to and deliver for local residents.

Like tens of thousands of others I derive great pleasure every week going out of my way to walk through, shop in or just having a cup of coffee under the 140-year-old sky blue William Barlow Shed arched roof of St Pancras.  I’m sure that the new Kings Cross modern concourse with mezzanine will have the usual array of shops and fast food, just like Paddington, but it cannot possibly compare with the heritage of the Undercroft and the John Betjeman statue.

Kings Cross is going to be a fully gated station, which means that nobody without a ticket will be allowed beyond the Western Concourse.  The Wharfdale Road entrance was recently sealed and residents of Islington and those living up York Way will have in future a very long walk down the exhaust-filled corridor at the bottom of York Way, across the front of the station to enter only by the Great Northern Hotel - even if they already have a ticket.  This because the old taxi rank has been replaced by a new platform which will boost the station’s capacity to 55 million passengers - lots more revenue for Network Rail but scant regard for the locals.  Indeed the tarted up Eastern Range facade to Islington might as well be the Berlin Wall for its impermeability.  The fact that Network Rail is offering a £1 million sop for urban realm improvements simply cannot alter the fact that both the new public square in front of the station and the canyon that is forever York Way will both have amongst the very worst toxic air quality in London.

Make no mistake, Network Rail, out of ruthless self-interest, has raised two fingers to the idea of permeability whereas, despite it being an international gateway, we can all still enjoy access to the delightful St Pancras from half a dozen entry points.  Shame on you, Network Rail.

Liberal Democrats across London have launched a campaign for a 1 hour bus ticket, enabling passengers using pay-as-you-go Oyster to pay only one fare per trip, however many buses they need to take.

Currently, passengers who need to use more than one bus to get from A to B have to pay a separate fare for each bus they use. This is an unecessary penalty and can put people off using public transport - at a time when we need to encourage greater use of public transport to save the environment, improve air quality and reduce congestion.

The Lib Dems have proposed a simple, common-sense solution: a single ticket that is valid for one hour, allowing passengers to make as many changes as they need. Caroline Pigeon AM, Lib Dem transport spokesperson in London and incoming Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, argued;

“You can already switch from tube to tube on the same ticket, so it makes real sense to allow people to do the same with buses. It really is unfair that people who use Oyster pay as you go have to pay a new fare every time they change buses.

“One hour bus tickets already operate successfully in Paris, Rome and Brussels. It is now time London caught up and gave bus users a fair deal.”

“One hour bus tickets would also make bus travel very attractive to a lot of people who often don’t use the bus at present. One hour tickets could even lead to a shift away from people using their cars for short trips and help to reduce congestion across London.”

To sign the petition, visit the campaign webpage.

At the most recent meeting of the London Transport Liaison Committee, on which I sit, I was surprised to hear from the operator of the 393 bus (Arriva) that the biggest problem for its service through Kentish Town is not, as I expected, the poor phasing of the lights at Regis Road by Kentish Town Underground. Far and away the largest cause of disruption to its service is the daily occurence of Somerfield unloading container lorries at the very narrowest point of Kentish Town Road, directly opposite the junction with Patshull Road.  Quite simply, buses and trucks can’t get past and there’s danger to cyclists too, as oncoming northbound vehicles have to encroach into the southbound lane.

Somerfield has being doing this without compunction for many months, despite a planning condition which precludes it from loading from the High Street. And at the same time they also clutter and block the pavement with a long line of trolley’s, making it difficult for pedestrians too.  Elsewhere in the Borough, Tesco has sorted such situations by using much smaller delivery vehicles, which could, of course, easily access the rear of Somerfield.

I note that the Co-Op has recently bought Somerfield.  Currently, it is spending a breathtaking £70m on advertising, with the Bob Dylan’s soundtrack “Blowing in the Wind” claim that it is “Good for…” fair trade, all aspects green etc and “good for” communities.  Well, perhaps the Co-Op can be good to Kentish Town by having a care and stopping the selfish loading of its Somerfield supermarket through the front door, with its harmful affect on our bus services and the congestion and health detriment that it causes us daily.  Let’s see some care in action please, Co-Op?

One of our major commitments to the residents of Cantelowes in the run up to the 2006 elections was to fight for a new cycle and pedestrian link to be built between Agar Grove / Murray Street and the top of Camley Street - providing a safe and direct link to St Pancras International Station, the hidden gem of Camley Street Nature Reserve and into the heart of the Kings Cross development.

We had a huge success last year securing the funds for the project - and at last there’s clear evidence of the work going ahead! These photos, taken by Cllr Paul Braithwaite on the latest of his regular inspections of the site, show the area cleared in preparation for the building work to begin.

Paul said: “Since being elected I’ve put heart and soul into getting this pedestrian and cycle link built. It’s been a lot of hard work, so I’m delighted to see real progress being made. It’s due to open this summer, and will provide a safe and enjoyable 15minute direct connection for local residents to St Pancras, avoiding the pollution of York Way and St Pancras Way. With this new link and Ben’s work to make York Way more pedestrian-friendly, we will have successfully secured access into the exciting new Kings Cross development that otherwise would have been closed off from Cantelowes neighbourhoods.”

The heavy snowfall last night has caused massive disruption to services in Camden and across London. I’ve done two tours around Cantelowes ward this morning to spot any major or urgent problems - if you have seen any I’ve missed I’m available all day by email and ‘phone - ben.rawlings@camden.gov.uk or 07823 533 415.

Transport across the city is severely affected, with no bus services at all and many tube lines partially or fully closed. For the most up-to-date information, see Transport for London’s website or read their adverse weather update. National Rail services are also severely disrupted - check National Rail’s website for up-to-date information.

Council services are also severely affected by the weather and the inability of many Council staff to get into work. However, all major Council buildings are open and essential services are being prioritised second only to services for vulnerable people. Most services are running but with reduced staffing numbers, so please be patient if trying to get through. Kentish Town District Housing Office reception is closed. Caretakers are out in force clearing paths and pavements - I’ve seen several as I walked around Cantelowes.

The Maiden Lane Estate Office is open, again with a reduced staff and concentrating on emergency services/responses, vulnerable residents and clearing/gritting paths. The Office will be open until 5pm today, after which time the normal Council number (020 7974 4444) should be used. Again if you have any problems, contact me on ben.rawlings@camden.gov.uk or 07823 533 415.

Up-to-date details on Council services are available on the Council website, or by calling 020 7974 4444. The forecast is for more snow and more severe weather warnings have been issued. You can find out more at the met office website.

Liberal Democrats on the London Assembly have used the draft budget to get the Mayor to seriously consider their proposals to improve transport across the city.

Lib Dem London transport spokesperson Caroline Pidgeon said: “If you can switch from tube to tube on the same ticket surely it makes sense to allow people to do the same with buses. At present people are penalised for using more than one bus on any journey. This is both unfair and in some cases a deterrent to people even using the bus.

“Other European cities recognise the benefits of time limited bus tickets and it is time the idea was adopted in London.

“Boris Johnson has already taken up the Liberal Democrat proposal to extend half price bus and tram travel to people on Job Seeker’s Allowance. The challenge to Boris Johnson is to go further and to adopt our sensible proposals to tackle fare evasion and time limited bus tickets.”

Although the Government forced through the third runway at Heathrow without even having a vote at Parliament, the Lib Dems both locally and nationally are keeping up the fight against the unnecessary and damaging expansion.

All three Cantelowes Lib Dem Councillors have signed up to Greenpeace’s ingenius new campaign, becoming ‘beneficial owners’ of the plot of land Greenpeace UK have bought in the area earmarked for the third runway. Beneficial owners have no financial stake in the land (so it’s like signing a petition), but they are entitled to legal representation if the Government issues a Compulsory Purchase Order. The more beneficial owners there are, the more difficult and complicated it will be for the Government to get ownership of the land and use it to build the third runway. If Labour won’t let us have our say democratically, we have to make our voice heard a different way!

I wrote to Camden Labour MP Glenda Jackson, who supports the third runway, to urge her to change her mind. You can see my letter here, and her response here. Local campaigner Jo Shaw is continuing the fight and pressing our MP to call the Government to account. Nationally the Lib Dems are leading the fight against Heathrow expansion, putting forward more sustainable and effective alternatives investing in a high-speed rail network across the UK. You can join in the fight to by signing up to Greenpeace’s Airplot! campaign, and supporting the Liberal Democrats.

I’ve just had the results of the investigations into the two areas of flooding on York Way, which I asked for as part of a series of improvements for York Way.

It seems the blue pipe wasn’t the culprit for the standing water that was causing so many problems for pedestrians, cyclists and users of the York Way Railway Bridge bus stops. It seems that a catchment pond in the Kings Cross lands beyond the bus stop was over-full, allowing water to escape onto the path and the road. The managers of the site have been instructed to lower the water level in the pond, and monitor it in the future.

At the Wharf Road junction the drain isn’t blocked, but some of the slotted kerbs have been sunk due to vehicles driving over them and the flatness of the road prevents proper drainage. An order has been raised to fix the sunken kerbs, and to improve the road surface to support drainage (hopefully without causing too much disruption to traffic!).

So hopefully these two problems will soon be resolved. If you see any other problems with flooding or standing water on York Way or elsewhere in the ward, do let me know.

Cllr Paul Braithwaite and I went to the Camden Community & Police Consultative Group meeting tonight, to discuss crime and antisocial behaviour on buses and public transport. A little unexpectedly, I think we were the only councillors there so Cantelowes was well represented!

We didn’t need to prompt for the (N)29 to dominate the discussion. The police recognised it as the main problem bus route in Camden, and they have targetted it with extra patrols. In response to a question from Paul, they confirmed that they do use the heaby-handed ticket inspections that see a small army of uniformed officers occasionally descend on a bus, to check for other types of crime and antisocial behaviour. However, they are moving away from this approach which is disruptive and intimidating (and, I would add, ineffective), and towards ‘mobile inspections’ where they join a bus and travel along with it. The Council re-stated its requests for an extra route to run from Camden Town at peak times, to relieve the pressure on the route when the buses often arrive full in Camden from the West End. This was something I led on when I was Executive Member for Community Safety, and it is very frustrating to see that there has been little progress from TfL. It’s also frustrating to see so little progress on scrapping the bendy bus - a step that I think would have a significant impact on the problems this route suffers from.

Another big part of the discussion was about young people on buses - and I was very pleased to hear how many people spoke up for the vast majority of young people who are law-abiding and against the negative image that young people suffer from. Young people are more likely to be the victims of crime - I am still struck by one young Camden resident who told me in a resigned voice how the drivers turn on the “antisocial behaviour will not be tolerated” message whenever he and his friends get on the bus. Of course we must challenge antisocial behaviour and make people feel safer on buses: but if we treat people like criminals from the outset they are far more likely to react negatively - whatever their age.

There was some good news as well - overall crime on the transport network is down by 40%, meaning 800 fewer victims, and robbery is down 48% (80 fewer victims). Violence against the person is up 12% - but this statistic includes people found with knives, so the increase in pro-active stop and search may have led to an increase. Of course, statistics only tell part of the story, but most people at the meeting agreed that on the whole transport in Camden feels generally safe and it is the exception to have problems.

All in all it was a positive meeting - but there’s clearly more to do, particularly in finding longer term improvements for the (N)29 and resolving the problem of groups of young people being intimidating even when they’re doing nothing wrong.

Walking down York Way this morning (thanks to yet another transport failure that meant every 390 bus was jam-packed and not picking up passengers), I saw a drainage/run-off pipe that had been thoughtlessly placed behind the northbound York Way Railway Bridge bus stop. This produced a sheet of water over the pavement and road, causing those waiting (futilely) to get splashed by every vehicle that passed.

I’ve reported this, so hopefully it will be fixed shortly. I also reported the pools of water near Wharf Road, where it looks like there is a blocked drain. I also took the opportunity to chase up some of the other issues I’ve been campaigning on to make York Way a more pedestrian-friendly route, including installing a proper pedestrian crossing at Goods Way, widening the pavement on the western side of York Way between Wharf Road and Randall’s Road bus stop, and seeing if the planning application for the new bus depot means we can finally get rid of the bus stand that makes the last stretch of York Way by Kings Cross station such an unpleasant canyon of exhaust fumes.

I’ll keep you updated of any developments. Do you use York Way? What do you think needs doing to improve it? Do let me know.

The Government gave the 3rd runway at Heathrow the green light today, without a clear business case, denying MPs a vote and ignoring the massive impact it will have on the environment and the lives of Londoners.

The Liberal Democrats have long opposed the expansion of Heathrow and other London airports, and have campaigned for a reduction in domestic flights which would help cut carbon emissions. Instead, we propose investing in high speed rail links between the UK’s major cities along with major improvements in the rail network and lower rail fares - making it easier to move around the UK, boosting the economy and creating jobs, and reducing the number of short-haul flights (and all the pollution that they generate).

Camden Council has joined the 2 Million group campaigning against the expansion of Heathrow airport, and Camden Lib Dems have played an active and leading part in the campaign. Camden Labour MP Glenda Jackson supports the 3rd runway: yesterday I and a number of other councillors wrote to her urging her to reconsider her position.

Although the Government has made its decision the fight goes on. London MP Susan Kramer has taken on a new role leading the Lib Dem campaign against the expansion, and Greenpeace have come up with an ingenius way to continue the protest by buying up the land where the 3rd runway is due to be built.

For more on the protests and to sign up to the campaign, see the campaign website.

Older people in Camden can get out and about for free whenever they want to, thanks to an extension of the Freedom Pass that came into force on 2nd January.

Previously, the Freedom Pass (which allows people over 60 free travel on public transport) could only be used outside of peak times. But now, Freedom Pass holders can travel on the tube, buses, trams, the Docklands Light Railway and the London Overground for free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This change does not apply to national rail services, where the Freedom Pass can still only be used in off-peak times. Freedom Pass holders don’t need to do anything to take advantage of this new service - they are automatically entitled to the new concessions.

The Freedom Pass in Camden is funded by the Council, and any Camden resident 60 or over is eligible. If you are over 60 and haven’t got a Freedom Pass, you can apply by filling in the Freedom Pass form at any Post Office branch, or download it from the Council website.

Cantelowes Liberal Democrats’ campaign for improvements to York Way have seen a second success - the installation of a pedestrian crossing outside Maiden Lane, allowing people to cross safely to the southbound bus stop.

The first success came some months ago, when a proper pavement was put in alongside the industrial site (just south of the entrance to Maiden Lane). Before then the narrow piece of raised concrete meant many people could not walk down towards Kings Cross, and had to perch dangerously close to traffic before running across the road.

Local councillor Ben Rawlings said: “Finally local people can walk down this part of York Way and cross to the bus stop safely. I’m pleased that our work has paid off, but it has taken a long time to get this far and there is so much more to do. Earlier this month I questioned Transport for London on the unreliable service of the 390 bus, and it is still not safe or enjoyable for pedestrians and cyclists to travel down York Way to Kings Cross. Our campaign will continue, and this new success gives us hope and renewed motivation for the future.”