Car free day

When and where is the next car free day?

Sunday 23 September 2007

Outside Leytonstone tube station and in the surrounding area E11
1pm-7pm
All roads in Town Centre closed to traffic, family fun day on the streets of Leytonstone with a French market
What is car free day?
The aim of Car Free Day is to raise awareness of the health and environmental benefits of sustainable living and sustainable transport, by leaving the car behind. The event is a fun day out where visitors and the local community can enjoy one of the Borough's Town Centres as a
traffic-free urban space.

Londoners invited to decide on green proposal for city-wide ban on free shopping bags

Londoners are today being invited to help shape the capital’s future environmental policies by deciding whether or not to introduce a London-wide levy – or even an outright ban – on throw away shopping bags.
London Councils has launched a public consultation to give Londoners the opportunity to tell them what they think of one of the key provisions that will make up the 10th London Local Authorities Bill (LLAB).
The organisation first announced its intention to tackle the issue of throw away shopping bags in July, and is now calling on Londoners to tell them what they want. This is a unique opportunity for the capital’s residents to help shape and draft a future piece of legislation – and one that can make a significant difference to the environment.
The consultation asks the public its views on a range of options – from doing nothing, to an outright ban on all throw away shopping bags – or just for plastic ones. The consultation runs until Friday 26 October, and the views expressed in responses to the consultation will help shape the final proposal that will go into the 10th LLAB, due to be deposited in Parliament in November.
In the UK, over 13 billion bags are issued every year to shoppers – roughly 220 per person every year. For London, a conservative figure based on population size would indicate Londoners use at least 1.6 billion bags per year – although the number of tourists in the capital suggests that this figure is probably much higher.
While some of these bags will be re-used once or twice, official figures reveal that only one in 200 of these are recycled, meaning that billions of shopping bags are sent to landfill every year. Many of these will be plastic bags that can take over 400 years to break down.
The government, retailers and consumers recognise this as a problem, and many of them are already making efforts to reduce the amount of throw away shopping bags sent to landfill. London Councils agrees with these concerns, and wants to give Londoners a chance to lead the country in a bold initiative.
Speaking on the launch of the consultation, Chairman of London Councils, Councillor Merrick Cockell, said:
“This is an opportunity for London and for Londoners to lead the country in a bold initiative. We are asking for their views on our proposals to do something about the billions of shopping bags that end up sent to landfill each year, and their views will directly shape one of the key provisions planned for the 10th LLAB.
“Inevitably, the big solutions to environmental issues will come from our cities, and London, as one of the world’s truly global cities, is keen to step up to the mark and take the lead. I would urge everyone to seize this opportunity to help shape London’s environmental future.”
Commenting on the proposals, Councillor Sean Brennan, London Councils executive member for sustainability, said:
“London’s local authorities are at the sharp end of waste disposal, and as such, we are keen to take a lead on this issue. People need to realise that the ‘free’ shopping bag they pick up in the supermarket is not really free at all – certainly not in its cost to the environment.
“Introducing a levy on plastic bags should help consumers think twice before picking them up in future. But if Londoners feel strongly enough to propose an outright ban on free throw away shopping bags, then that is what we will lobby for.”
The consultation will go live on, Friday 14 September, and runs until Friday, 26 October 2007. To take part, please visit: www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/thebigquestion
What do we mean by a throw away shopping bag? Although plastic bags are often singled out – all types of throw away bag can have a significant environment impact.
So for the purposes of this consultation, ‘throw away shopping bags’ means all types of bags that are given away free and have a very limited intended and actual lifespan.
The outcome of the consultation will help shape one of the key provisions that will form part of the 10th London Local Authorities Bill, due to be deposited in November.
One role of London Councils is to help promote private legislation on behalf of the boroughs. As such, it helps to draft and then steer through Parliament, various parliamentary bills including the London Local Authorities Bills.
The most recent of these, the 9th Bill, recently received Royal Assent to become the London Local Authorities Act 2007. For more information on the LLA Act 2007, please visit: http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/llaact

Low CO2 emissions to be rewarded with cheaper parking

Waltham Forest Council will soon reward drivers of eco-friendly cars with cheaper resident parking permits. The Green Parking scheme will come into place on Monday 1 October, and will link the cost of permits to the CO2 emissions of the vehicle.
The new charges will halve the current permit prices for the drivers of low emission vehicles, including electric or hybrid vehicles, while permits for high emission vehicles will double in price. It is expected that a significant proportion of drivers will be unaffected by the changes, as their vehicles will be classed as having average CO2 emissions, for which there is no change in permit charges.
From October, permits for low emission vehicles will cost £22.50 for the first permit in a household, £40 for the second and £52.50 for the third and subsequent permits. For average emission vehicles, permits will continue to be charged at the current costs of £45 for the first, £80 for the second and £105 for the third and subsequent permits in a household. High emission vehicles will be charged £90, £160 and £210 respectively for the first, second, and third and subsequent permits in a household.
Carbon dioxide emissions have been identified as a major contributor to climate change, and the Council is keen that residents choose greener forms of transport wherever possible.
Cabinet Member for Environment, Cllr Bob Belam, said “Waltham Forest has committed itself to becoming one of the greenest boroughs in Greater London. Green parking is one of many steps we are taking that will make a direct impact on climate change.
“We have identified cheaper parking as a positive way to reward drivers who help cut emissions. The Council estimates the number of low emission vehicles could go up by between two and five per cent as a result of green parking scheme.”
For more information on Green Parking, see www.walthamforest.gov.uk/parking-permits

'Drive at 70mph and save the environment'

The Commission for Integrated Transport (CFIT) has called for more to be done to cut carbon emissions from road vehicles, including installing gearshift indicators on dashboards to encourage drivers to use their gears properly and making drivers stick to a 70mph speed limit, generating 30 per cent less CO2 than at 80mph.The commission also said that emissions could be cut if air conditioning was used less and if roof racks were removed. It suggested that drivers could benefit from lessons in eco-motoring. Going easy on the accelerator and not breaking too heavily could make a significant difference. The CFIT called for all cars to produce no more than 100g of CO2 per kilometre by 2020 and wants the government to make flying more expensive. The committee said that its proposed measures would increase by 70 per cent the CO2 savings proposed by the government's climate change programme, ie rather than stabilise carbon emissions by 2020, they would actually be reduced by 14 per cent. • Research by the Liberal Democrats has shown that the government may talk tough on the environment but green taxes have actually gone down in recent years. Fuel duty, landfill tax, hydrocarbon duty, air passenger duty and others took 2.7 per cent of national income in 2006 compared with a peak of 3.6 per cent in 1999. The Lib Dem Shadow Environment Secretary Chris Huhne said: “Mr Brown has cut green taxes by a fifth even though they are crucial to changing our behaviour. He has cut flood defence and climate research budgets. He vetoed the plan to toll road freight, and he ditched the legal requirements on big companies to report their environmental impact in operating and financial reviews.”• The Lib Dems are the greenest party, according to the Green Standard report by such environmental groups as Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, WWF, the RSPB and the Campaign to Protect Rural England. The Lib Dems got three "green lights" in the report while Labour and the Tories didn't get any.

NORTHBANK ROAD

Cllr John Macklin and Cllr Bob Belam were on a regular ward walk when they came across these pot holes is Northbank Road. John posed for the photo and Bob emailed the department on Saturday 1st September to ask for them to be repaired.
A return email promised they would be repaired the following day.

Here is the proof. This we thought was good service.
However on close inspection we found that the job was not done too well and another hole nearby had been missed. We have reported this and expect the job to be done again!

Carbon emissions target is just hot air

Government is set to miss its target to reduce carbon emissions by a wide margin because of the failure by ministers to implement clear policies on renewable energy, a report by research group Cambridge Econometrics (CE) has found.The draft Climate Change Bill set out a schedule to cut carbon emissions on 1990 levels by 26-32 per cent by 2020, in order to prevent dangerous levels of climate change. But CE claimed carbon levels would fall by just 15 per cent despite the UK comfortably meeting its Kyoto obligations of a 12.75 per cent reduction by 2010.“These forecasts provide a reality check to the rhetoric on climate change that is now standard government fare,” said Professor Paul Elkins, a senior CE consultant.“The goals for 2020 will not be achieved without stronger policies than have yet been put in place.”Carbon emissions have not decreased in any year in the UK since 2002, but are expected to decline by 1.75 per cent annually over the next five years. The report found that renewable energy, including offshore wind power, will account for just 5 per cent of the country’s total electricity production by 2010 – just half of the government’s 10 per cent target.

'Pay as you pollute' taxes from Lib Dems

High polluting cars would be subject to an annual tax of £2,000 as part of a package of measures to combat global warming by the Liberal Democrat Party.Zero-carbon vehicles would be exempt from vehicle excise duty under the proposals put forward by the party’s climate change policy group while gas-guzzlers would face a tenfold increase. The recommendations will be presented to delegates at the annual conference in Brighton next month for a vote - before they become official policy.“The Labour government’s aim of a 60 per cent cut in carbon emissions by 2050 will not be enough,” said the report.“The objective of climate change strategy must be to make the UK carbon-neutral over the long term. A reduction in emissions of the magnitude that we are advocating will only happen if developed countries such as the UK take the lead by cutting their emissions.”The policy paper also suggests restricting airport runway capacity to current levels and new flight and freight green taxes.

'Give public money to go green at home'

The public could receive Council Tax rebates or interest-free loans for installing solar panels and wind turbines, according to the New Local Government Network.A new NLGN pamphlet has called for local planning laws to be relaxed to allow more people the option of installing eco-friendly energy sources to their homes. It has called for local councillors to be able to consult with local residents on whether to reduce the amount of planning permission required to install a microgeneration system. The pamphlet suggested that the forthcoming Planning Bill could be amended to reflect this new level of public involvement. It also called for councils to support residents wishing to invest in microgeneration technology, including offering interest-free loans to cover the cost of installation and giving a Council Tax rebate to homes with an eco-friendly energy supply. Currently the government offers a grant of up to 30 per cent to pay for the installation of micro-generation technology. Central government could also give local authorities incentives to promote microgeneration through a cost-neutral performance grant that would reward those whom improve most quickly. This could form a part of the local government grants regime and be cost neutral for central government, where the cost of rewarding successful authorities is offset by a mild penalty for poor performance.James Macgregor, author of the report, Finding the Energy, said: “Local authorities should be required to demonstrate that microgeneration plans were in the public interest. This would require neighbourhood level consultation and debate, giving citizens a powerful voice. Councillors would be at the heart of this process, supported by local officers. Listening to the voices of local people in this way would ensure that ‘residential amenity’ was protected as defined by residents. Council tax rebates and capital loans for householders that install domestic microgeneration equipment would incentivise local people to engage in the process."

Compulsory Recycling

Compulsory Recycling Q&A for WFD
London Borough of Waltham Forest
August 2007


What is Compulsory Recycling?

From 10 September 2007, residents of in Waltham Forest are being asked to recycle as part of a Compulsory Recycling scheme. This means that all residents in the Get Sorted! Door-to-Door Recycling Service have to recycle paper, cardboard, glass bottles and jars, food and drink cans, plastic bottles, textiles, shoes, batteries and engine oil in their black recycling boxes.

Support will be given to residents to ensure they understand the scheme and to help them to recycle. If they continually fail to recycle, they could be fined up to £1,000. Fines will only be used as a last resort for persistent non-recyclers.


Why is the Council introducing Compulsory Recycling?

The government has set recycling targets for local councils. If these targets are not met, the Council will have to pay heavy fines, which will have an impact on all residents through increased council taxes.

After a very successful trial in the South Chingford and Woodford Green areas, which substantially increased recycling rates, the scheme is being rolled out across the whole borough. The Compulsory Recycling Scheme has been undertaken to help Waltham Forest meet its recycling targets of 33% for March 2008 and 50% by 2012.


Does Compulsory Recycling apply to all residents?

No, currently Compulsory Recycling does not apply to some flats (in blocks and above shops) that have shared refuse facilities. However, we do provide a free recycling service to all properties in the borough. To request facilities, please contact Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000.


Is Compulsory Recycling legal?

Under Section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, Waltham Forest Council can legally ask residents to use particular containers for different waste streams. Therefore, the council does not allow residents to place paper, cardboard, glass bottles and jars, food and drink cans, plastic bottles, textiles, shoes, batteries and engine oil in the wheeled rubbish bin. A black recycling box is provided for these materials.


What items do I have to recycle?

All paper, cardboard, glass bottles and jars, food and drink cans, plastic bottles, textiles, shoes, batteries and engine oil must be placed in the black recycling boxes provided to every household in the Get Sorted! Door-to-Door Recycling Service. Residents must not place these materials in the wheeled rubbish bin.
More information: www.walthamforest.gov.uk/wfd/doorstep.htm)


How should I recycle these items?

In order to help the Council run an efficient recycling service, there are a few things you should do when recycling.

· All items placed in your black recycling box need to be clean, so please rinse cans, jars, bottles and foil.

· Please try to separate different types of items as far as you can in your black recycling box / boxes. Additional black recycling boxes can be obtained, free of charge, by contacting Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000.

· Cardboard – flatten and fold to fit in your black recycling box. Maximum size: 28in x 18in x 9in / 71cm x 45cm x 23cm - pieces of cardboard larger than these dimensions cannot be collected by the kerbside service; please take them to a main recycling centre.

· Glass bottles and jars – rinse and remove all tops (these cannot be recycled)
· Food & drink cans and foil – rinse and flatten if possible
· Plastic bottles – rinse, remove tops (these cannot be recycled as they are made from a different type of plastic) and squash so they take up less space in your box. More information: www.walthamforest.gov.uk/wfd/recycling-plastic.htm)
· Textiles – place in a plastic bag to keep dry. No pillows or duvets please.
· Shoes – tie together in pairs
· Household batteries – place in a tied-up bag
· Car batteries – place next to your black recycling box
· Engine Oil – put in a sealed container in your box


If I cannot fit all my recycling into my black recycling box can I leave it next to the box?

No, all items must be placed in the black recycling box, except for extra large pieces of cardboard and car batteries, which must be placed alongside. Additional black recycling boxes can be obtained, free of charge, by contacting Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000.


What if I do not have a black recycling box or require additional boxes?

Residents can obtain a black recycling box or additional boxes, free of charge, by contacting Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000.


Are you introducing fortnightly refuse collection as part of Compulsory Recycling?

No, not at the moment. Weekly rubbish and recycling collections will continue to operate.


Will you be changing the recycling collection days?

Collection days may change due to the increased amounts of recycling that needs to be collected. Residents will be notified of any proposed collection day change.


How can I find out when my recycling collection day is?

View the collection schedule here (LINK TO http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/wfd/domestic-collection-days) or contact Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000.

How will Compulsory Recycling be enforced?

Black recycling boxes are emptied weekly so it will be easy to monitor which households are not taking part in the scheme. Recycling assistants will visit households who do not regularly recycle to explain the scheme and encourage residents to participate.

Residents who continue not to recycle will receive warnings and formal notices. As a last resort, the Council may prosecute the most persistent offenders. The Magistrates court can issue a fine of up to £1,000.


What happens if I place an item that I should recycle in my refuse bin by mistake?

The Council is trying to encourage recycling, not trying to catch residents out. The monitoring officers are only checking that items are regularly put out for collection in the black recycling boxes.


What happens if I am away and don’t put any recycling out?

The Council is trying to encourage recycling, not trying to catch residents out. We will only be following up with residents who regularly do not recycle.


Who collects the black recycling boxes?

The boxes are collected by our contractor, Verdant, which provides a weekly recycling and rubbish service on behalf of Waltham Forest.


Will I get my own black recycling box back after each collection?

Yes, but please do ensure that your box has your house name or number clearly marked to assist the recycling collectors.


What if I am physically unable to lift my box?

Residents can request an assisted collection. If a resident is unable to recycle due to health problems, and is unable to contact the Council themselves, a relative or friend should contact Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000.


Can I use other recycling facilities instead of my black recycling box?
Residents can use one of the three main recycling sites, or the mini-recycling centres across the borough. (LINK TO www.walthamforest.gov.uk/wfd/recycling-facilities.htm) If you do use alternative methods of recycling other than black recycling box, please contact Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000 so we can kept a record that you do recycle.


Why doesn’t Compulsory Recycling apply to all residents?

Compulsory Recycling currently only applies to residents living in low-rise households that are part of the Get Sorted Door-to-Door Recycling Service. This is because the black recycling boxes are not practical for flats in high-rise buildings, so a Door-to-Door service is not possible.

However, the Council does provide free recycling facilities for all properties in the borough, and is looking at ways of making it easier for residents in high-rise flats to recycle. To request facilities, please contact Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000.


What happens to the materials collected in my recycling box?

Glass – is sorted and processed at Berryman in Dagenham, Essex, to be made into new bottles or jars.
Cans – are taken to Edwards in Barking where they are sorted before being transferred to AMG Resources Ltd in Llanelli, Wales where they are recycled into new cans. Recycling cans saves huge amounts of energy and resources – recycling an aluminium can uses only 5% of the energy and produces only 5% of the Co2 compared to making a new one, and steel cans be recycled indefinitely.
Paper & Cardboard – go to Newport Paper in Shropshire where they are sorted and transported on to be made into newsprint - the paper used to make newspapers - and new cardboard.
Plastic bottles – are sorted into the different plastic types at Indigo Waste Services in Thetford, Norfolk, to be recycled into more bottles and other plastic products like guttering and even clothing!
Textiles & Shoes – are taken to LM Barry in Stratford. Textiles are sorted and good condition clothing is sent to developing countries, along with shoes. Remaining textiles are cut up and used for industrial cleaning clothes.
Batteries – are recycled at G&P batteries in Darlaston, Staffordshire. Batteries are shredded and separated into components that can be recycled, like gypsum, and waste materials like water and acid which are treated.
Engine Oil – is collected by Mallary Oils in Cambridge. Heavy metals are extracted from the oil which is then reused as industrial lubricant.


Aren’t the fines just a way for the council to make money?

Compulsory Recycling is not a revenue-making initiative for the Council. We all need to recycle more in order to meet national recycling targets. Individuals, communities and councils across the UK all need to do their bit to protect the environment and take care of where we live.

Fines will only be used as a last resort to persistent non-recyclers who have been given information and guidance on recycling. Based on the pilot that was run in the borough earlier this year, and evidence from other councils, it has been proved that threat of fines is an effective incentive to persuade people to recycle.

In the long term recycling will save residents money by avoiding national recycling fines, which would result in increases in council tax.


Why should I have to recycle – surely that’s the council’s responsibility not mine?

Individuals, communities and councils across the UK all need to do their bit to protect the environment and take care of where we live. Waltham Forest is working hard to make recycling as easy as possible for residents and have put in place extensive recycling facilities and door-to-door collections, but ultimately everyone must do their bit


What about businesses in the borough, so they have to recycle too? Surely they produce more refuse than households do?

Waltham Forest does not currently provide a trade waste recycling service. The Council is currently reviewing the trade waste service and this will include the provision of trade waste recycling. If you are a business looking for help with recycling, please contact a Waste Management Company that carries out collections of recyclables.

Are you going to use microchip tagging of bins?

There are no plans to introduce microchips in refuse bins.

Livingstone backs the Met on de Menezes

The 7 July bombers and those behind the attempted attacks on 21 July are primarily responsible for the tragic death of Jean Charles de Menezes, the Brazilian who was mistaken for a terrorist and shot dead on the London tube. That's the view expressed by the Mayor of London Ken Livingstone on the day that the Independent Police Complaints Commission ruled that Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Andy Hayman "misled" the public. The IPCC did not uphold a complaint against the Met's commissioner Sir Ian Blair.The IPCC Stockwell 2 report was in response to complaints brought by the de Menezes family about the way the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) provided information to the public after the shooting and didn't quash rumours that appeared in the media about de Menezes's behaviour at the time (eg suggestions that he acted suspiciously, tried to evade the police and jumped a ticket barrier at the Tube station).Livingstone said: “Jean Charles de Menezes's death was a tragedy. He was a further victim of the results of the bomb attacks on London on July 7 2005 and our thoughts and sympathies go out to Jean Charles de Menezes’ family at this very difficult time. We are aware that for them personally the loss is irreplaceable, whatever the wider circumstances."But it is important for all our future safety to remember the circumstances under which the Met Police were operating during those weeks. London had faced the worst terrorist attack in its history, followed just two weeks later by further attempted bombings. The professionalism and bravery of the police, in risking their lives to protect our capital, were second to none. All Londoners depended on their judgement and courage. These were exceptional times and, while lessons on improvements and communication of course can and should be made in future, the police had one overriding imperative – to protect Londoners. As one who has, on other occasions, raised issues in which police have acted incorrectly, I want to state clearly that in this case, I see no evidence other than that they were seeking to protect Londoners. This was in the most difficult circumstances, amidst strain, and with a responsibility for literally life or death issues that the public can scarcely imagine. Jean Charles de Menezes’ death was a tragedy that flowed from the terrorist attacks on London. Those who launched the bombs on July 7 and those behind the attempted attacks on July 21 bear the prime responsibility for his death."Livingstone said that a vicious campaign was launched in sections of the media against Sir Ian Blair at the time but the Mayor was "absolutely confident" that the commissioner would be exonerated by the IPCC. He said he gave Blair his "full support".MPA chair Len Duvall said the report did not make comfortable reading for the MPA, adding that recommendations from Stockwell 1 and 2 have now been implemented.He said: "Londoners must be able to trust what their police service tells them, especially in circumstances where they are being asked to be vigilant and maintain high levels of awareness. Trust in this information is absolutely paramount and in many circumstances can be a vital message of reassurance. The authority will continue to work to ensure that the MPS's internal methods of working and communications are efficient and effective."Duvall added: "The IPCC report also requires the MPA to consider the specific actions of assistant commissioner Hayman and the MPA Professional Standards sub-committee will now consider whether the allegations should give rise to disciplinary action against him."

Penalty Charge

A new two-tier scheme for penalising illegal parking
has come into force in the Capital.
The scheme is based on the seriousness of the
contravention committed. It means drivers parking
at bus stops, on pedestrian crossings, or in safety
zones outside schools, will receive a higher
penalty than those overstaying at parking meters.
Other contraventions include wrongly using bus
lanes, entering a box junction when exits are
blocked and ignoring a no-entry sign.
A £120 penalty will be applied to the more
serious contraventions in central London, while
lesser contraventions will attract a penalty of £80.
In outer London, the penalty will be £100 and
£60. All penalties will be reduced by 50 per cent
if paid within 14 days.
The introduction of the scheme follows an
extensive consultation with the public, motoring
organisations and other interested parties, carried
out last year by London Councils and TfL.
Go to www.londoncouncils.gov.uk for
more information.

Compulsory Recycling starting soon

Following a very successful pilot last year, Compulsory Recycling is being introduced across Waltham Forest from 10 September 2007. All residents in the Get Sorted! Door-to-Door Recycling Service are being asked to recycle paper and cardboard, glass bottles and jars, food and drink cans, plastic bottles, textiles and shoes, batteries and engine oil.

On yer bike, Livingstone tells Londoners

Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, announced today that he has asked Transport for London to examine the feasibility of bicycle hire scheme to promoting cycling in London. The Mayor recently saw at first hand the successful 'Velib' - Freedom bike - hire scheme introduced by the Mayor of Paris, which has enjoyed great success since its launch a few weeks ago. The Mayor and Peter Hendy, the Commissioner of Transport for London, witnessed the Paris Velib scheme at first hand during the recent Tour de France. Transport for London have been asked to look at international best practice in promoting cycling, including hire schemes like that of Paris, with a view to introducing a scheme which meets the specific needs of London. Cycling groups and other stakeholders will be consulted on the options. A London scheme would require the support of London Boroughs, as well as the Mayor, as most London roads are controlled by the boroughs.The Paris scheme offers 10,000 bicycles sited at 750 dedicated hire-points every 300 metres around Paris, with plans for 20,000 bikes at 1,400 hire points by the end of the year. The bikes are available at any time of the day or night and cost just about 70 pence to hire for half an hour. Theft is minimal because of the unique design of the bicycles, their highly secure parking facilities and because payment is via credit or debit card. If a bicycle is not returned the hirer is charged around £100.The Paris scheme has been an instant success, with the distinctive Freedom Bikes now seen all around the centre of Paris. Transport for London officials have been working with the Clearzones Partnership and central London boroughs to examine the potential for a similar scheme for some months and will be meet their opposite numbers in Paris, and other European cities, to discuss the practicalities of such schemes. Other cities with a strong record on cycling or with public cycle hire scheme include Barcelona, Lyon, Brussels, Vienna, Berlin, Munich, Oslo and Copenhagen.Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, said: ‘Cycling is a clean, fast and cheap way to get around London and we have seen an 83 per cent increase in cycling since I became Mayor. I have seen the Paris Freedom Bike scheme, and discussed it with the Mayor of Paris. It clearly works and is highly popular. I have asked transport officials in London to study the Parisian and similar schemes in order to draw up proposals for a scheme which would meet the needs of London. I am sure that we can learn from the success of the Parisian and similar schemes to expand access to cycling in London.'

Man fatally stabbed in the street

A man has been stabbed to death on a street in east London after a night out drinking, police have confirmed.
The man, believed to be in his 40s, was discovered at 0955 BST on Saturday in Forest Road in Walthamstow.
Emergency crews attempted to revive the victim but he died at the scene. Police are contacting next-of-kin in a bid to identify him.
A post-mortem examination will be carried out later to establish the exact cause of death.

291 & 293 Chingford Road

This is just to update you with regard to these properties.

The Council issued enforcement notices in respect of the unauthorised conversions and extensions. The owner appealed against the notices but the Planning Inspector has now dismissed the appeal. The owner therefore has to comply with the requirements of the notices. The compliance period is 6 months from the date of the Inspectors decision(19 June 2007).