Published on The Times - January 16, 2010
Count the birds in your playground and help the RSPB
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/young_times/article6989945.ece
Sunday 18 April 2010
No longer going round in circles?
December 2009
London’s Circle Line has become a lasso-shaped route more than a century after it first opened.
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From December 13 all Circle line trains start in Hammersmith, run along the current Hammersmith & City line to Edgware Road and then do a clockwise lap of the Circle line before heading back to Hammersmith. They then do the journey anti-clockwise.
Ten 'meet the manager' events took place at stations in central and west London during the nine days preceding the launch of the new route, to inform passengers about the changes.
But passengers have expressed disappointment and frustration over the consequences of the most radical change ever on the yellow underground line. There will no longer be an automatic through service between the west and north sides of the current Circle line and passengers now have to change trains at Edgware Road. And the number of trains per hour has been reduced from seven to six, despite claims that the extension would have improved train frequency.
Andrew Rees, a graphic designer travelling every morning from Liverpool Street to High Street Kensington, said: “Since the new Circle line was opened, I have to wake up 20 minutes earlier every day to compensate for the time I waste changing at Edgware Road. It is not as good as it used to be.
“Before, I had a choice between travelling clockwise and anti-clockwise; now I have to stop and change in Edgware Road.
“When I first read about the new service I thought it was going to be an improvement: they described it as more reliable than it was before, so I guessed it was going to be more trains, but it is less, actually.
“I will leave a complaint note for customer service soon. I also feel sorry for the staff, because they have to work more than before.”
Emily Fasher, a model who travels every day from High Street Kensington to Farringdon, said: “Last Monday, I thought they were doing some sort of works and that things were going crappy on the Circle line for this reason.
“Today I found out it is permanent and I do not understand why they did change everything. Now I have to stop every day at Edgware Road and it takes up to 15 minutes of my journey if I am lucky, which is very annoying.
“Before, we could choose between changing train or going all round the Circle line, instead.
“I do not think this new system is any good.”
The plans have been designed to accommodate the new faster and longer type of train called ‘S-stock’, which will come on stream in 2010 and in 2013.
Tube chiefs say that even though changing train at Edgware Road is felt to be a disadvantage by commuters, scheduling means most travellers will be able to switch to a neighbouring platform instead of using footbridges.
Ray Patel, a station supervisor who divides his time between Edgware Road and Hammersmith, said: “I have been working for Transport for London for 14 years and I guess this new plan is not the best they did so far.
“Edgware Road used to be a through running station, now it is an interchange one. People take a bit longer than before to go to work or reach their destination and the interchange can also be uncomfortable when it comes to people with luggage, prams and older ones.
“When a train is cancelled from Hammersmith, there is congestion in Edgware Road and things get a bit more difficult.
“I am sure that Transport for London meant to make the service more regular and give drivers enough of a break to avoid potential unscheduled breaks in Edgware Road.
“But commuters are unhappy and many of them are complaining to the staff.”
The unquestioned benefit coming from the new plan is the almost doubled number of trains running to and from Hammersmith: the new Circle line trains, in fact, will run in parallel with the Hammersmith & City line ones, from Edgware Road to Hammersmith.
The new service will feed demand in west London, including the new station at Wood Lane. At present the Hammersmith & City line has only seven trains an hour. Adding the New Circle line route, there will be a tube leaving every four minutes.
Tom Bason, an accountant travelling everyday from Richmond to Wood Lane, says:
“I am lucky because the new service is advantageous to me.
“Once I have reached Hammersmith, I do not have to wait for a train to go to work now. There is always a through one for Edgware Road available on one of the platforms.
“By the way, I am aware of the discomfort for people passing through Edgware Road; they must be wasting time waiting for the following train.”
Mr Patel added: “I am sure the new Circle line is good for all those people travelling from Hammersmith to Edgware Road and vice versa: they now have got double choice at their service.
“The only problem that still remains is the staircase: the new service has brought an increased number of trains and passengers per hour, but they all transit along the unique staircase available. Before it was secure, but now it could be unsafe."
London’s Circle Line has become a lasso-shaped route more than a century after it first opened.
.png)
From December 13 all Circle line trains start in Hammersmith, run along the current Hammersmith & City line to Edgware Road and then do a clockwise lap of the Circle line before heading back to Hammersmith. They then do the journey anti-clockwise.
Ten 'meet the manager' events took place at stations in central and west London during the nine days preceding the launch of the new route, to inform passengers about the changes.
But passengers have expressed disappointment and frustration over the consequences of the most radical change ever on the yellow underground line. There will no longer be an automatic through service between the west and north sides of the current Circle line and passengers now have to change trains at Edgware Road. And the number of trains per hour has been reduced from seven to six, despite claims that the extension would have improved train frequency.
Andrew Rees, a graphic designer travelling every morning from Liverpool Street to High Street Kensington, said: “Since the new Circle line was opened, I have to wake up 20 minutes earlier every day to compensate for the time I waste changing at Edgware Road. It is not as good as it used to be.
“Before, I had a choice between travelling clockwise and anti-clockwise; now I have to stop and change in Edgware Road.
“When I first read about the new service I thought it was going to be an improvement: they described it as more reliable than it was before, so I guessed it was going to be more trains, but it is less, actually.
“I will leave a complaint note for customer service soon. I also feel sorry for the staff, because they have to work more than before.”
Emily Fasher, a model who travels every day from High Street Kensington to Farringdon, said: “Last Monday, I thought they were doing some sort of works and that things were going crappy on the Circle line for this reason.
“Today I found out it is permanent and I do not understand why they did change everything. Now I have to stop every day at Edgware Road and it takes up to 15 minutes of my journey if I am lucky, which is very annoying.
“Before, we could choose between changing train or going all round the Circle line, instead.
“I do not think this new system is any good.”
The plans have been designed to accommodate the new faster and longer type of train called ‘S-stock’, which will come on stream in 2010 and in 2013.
Tube chiefs say that even though changing train at Edgware Road is felt to be a disadvantage by commuters, scheduling means most travellers will be able to switch to a neighbouring platform instead of using footbridges.
Ray Patel, a station supervisor who divides his time between Edgware Road and Hammersmith, said: “I have been working for Transport for London for 14 years and I guess this new plan is not the best they did so far.
“Edgware Road used to be a through running station, now it is an interchange one. People take a bit longer than before to go to work or reach their destination and the interchange can also be uncomfortable when it comes to people with luggage, prams and older ones.
“When a train is cancelled from Hammersmith, there is congestion in Edgware Road and things get a bit more difficult.
“I am sure that Transport for London meant to make the service more regular and give drivers enough of a break to avoid potential unscheduled breaks in Edgware Road.
“But commuters are unhappy and many of them are complaining to the staff.”
The unquestioned benefit coming from the new plan is the almost doubled number of trains running to and from Hammersmith: the new Circle line trains, in fact, will run in parallel with the Hammersmith & City line ones, from Edgware Road to Hammersmith.
The new service will feed demand in west London, including the new station at Wood Lane. At present the Hammersmith & City line has only seven trains an hour. Adding the New Circle line route, there will be a tube leaving every four minutes.
Tom Bason, an accountant travelling everyday from Richmond to Wood Lane, says:
“I am lucky because the new service is advantageous to me.
“Once I have reached Hammersmith, I do not have to wait for a train to go to work now. There is always a through one for Edgware Road available on one of the platforms.
“By the way, I am aware of the discomfort for people passing through Edgware Road; they must be wasting time waiting for the following train.”
Mr Patel added: “I am sure the new Circle line is good for all those people travelling from Hammersmith to Edgware Road and vice versa: they now have got double choice at their service.
“The only problem that still remains is the staircase: the new service has brought an increased number of trains and passengers per hour, but they all transit along the unique staircase available. Before it was secure, but now it could be unsafe."
End of a chapter as Borders closes
December 2009
Book-lovers in Islington have been flocking to snap up Christmas bargains after the Borders bookshop chain has started a closing-down sale in all of its 45 stores.
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The N1 centre store in Islington is one of the biggest, with its coffee shop and huge range of magazines and books. There is nothing like this in Angel and the spacious two-storey store has been a popular base for passionate readers, writers and journalists for almost a decade.
Staff here and elsewhere have been warned they face losing redundancy pay if they talk to the press, while administrators for the 45 UK Border stores which have gone into receivership are working non-stop.
With only five days to go, the shop is full of banners offering discounts up to 90 per cent and queues are huge in every section of the store. It is not just books, but also CDs, DVDs and any sort of gadget and stationery.
Ali Karaaslam, a student from Islington, said: “I am really sorry and disappointed about the closure of Borders branches.
“I have been a regular customer for eight years. I buy all sorts of DVDs and CDs and story books for my children in Borders.”
Kira-Anne Macanzie, a shop assistant from Angel, said: “It is really depressing that people are not buying books as much as before. I guess most of them are choosing the internet as their source of infotainment, forgetting about bookshops and libraries.
“Borders is my favourite bookshop and I also reckon the Angel branch is very much part of Islington; there are no other bookshops like this in the area.”
Even some tourists are regular customers at Borders, including Pyppos Helen, an accountant from Greece, who said: “This is my second holiday in London and the second time I come to Borders in Angel; even my family and friends like the Angel branch.
“Last time I bought several travel and psychological books that I cannot find easily in my country.
“Today I found out the company is closing down and I am surprised. Even though high discounts are beneficial to customers, it’s a bad sign for the market in the long term.”
Borders is only the latest of a series of local bookshops to shut. The Bookhouse in Upper Street recently closed and have been replaced by an optician’s, while another store called Angel Bookshop, left its premises to a travel agency and started an online business.
Book-lovers in Islington have been flocking to snap up Christmas bargains after the Borders bookshop chain has started a closing-down sale in all of its 45 stores.
.JPG)
The N1 centre store in Islington is one of the biggest, with its coffee shop and huge range of magazines and books. There is nothing like this in Angel and the spacious two-storey store has been a popular base for passionate readers, writers and journalists for almost a decade.
Staff here and elsewhere have been warned they face losing redundancy pay if they talk to the press, while administrators for the 45 UK Border stores which have gone into receivership are working non-stop.
With only five days to go, the shop is full of banners offering discounts up to 90 per cent and queues are huge in every section of the store. It is not just books, but also CDs, DVDs and any sort of gadget and stationery.
Ali Karaaslam, a student from Islington, said: “I am really sorry and disappointed about the closure of Borders branches.
“I have been a regular customer for eight years. I buy all sorts of DVDs and CDs and story books for my children in Borders.”
Kira-Anne Macanzie, a shop assistant from Angel, said: “It is really depressing that people are not buying books as much as before. I guess most of them are choosing the internet as their source of infotainment, forgetting about bookshops and libraries.
“Borders is my favourite bookshop and I also reckon the Angel branch is very much part of Islington; there are no other bookshops like this in the area.”
Even some tourists are regular customers at Borders, including Pyppos Helen, an accountant from Greece, who said: “This is my second holiday in London and the second time I come to Borders in Angel; even my family and friends like the Angel branch.
“Last time I bought several travel and psychological books that I cannot find easily in my country.
“Today I found out the company is closing down and I am surprised. Even though high discounts are beneficial to customers, it’s a bad sign for the market in the long term.”
Borders is only the latest of a series of local bookshops to shut. The Bookhouse in Upper Street recently closed and have been replaced by an optician’s, while another store called Angel Bookshop, left its premises to a travel agency and started an online business.
Soho shopkeepers flee the bulldozers
November 2009
An ambitious Crossrail project in London could force hundreds out of work and dozens of shop owners out of business.
The rail scheme is due to link Maidenhead in Berkshire to Shenfield in Essex, via Heathrow airport and central London, by 2017.
In order to purse this plan dozens of shop owners in Soho, central London, are going to quit their business early next week after having received five weeks’ notice under a compulsory purchase order.
Two massive old buildings in Dean Street will disappear in the space of a few hours, as bulldozers sweep away shops, restaurants and pubs.
Passers-by and commuters may be shocked by the different landscape, but shop owners claim they and their staff will face massive disruption.
Francesco Cipriani, manager at Spaccanapoli, has been helping to vacate the premises of his pizzeria for the last few days.
“We have already sold all the furnishings and staff laid off here,” he said. “It is emotionally hard to leave this place after 16 years and for most of the 25 staff members the certain income is gone at the moment.
“The most experienced of us will move to our other branch in Farrringdon area, that is called Santorè, but what about the others?
“London has already got a great transport and I think it is not worthy to demolish these old buildings for Crossrail’s sake.”
Also worried about the future is Nicola Atkinson, manager at Cornish Bakehouse. She claims the takeaway chain serves hundreds of passing customers every day.
"Our last day will be on Tuesday and it is very sad to leave. We have been here for five years and it is deeply unsettling to vacate now that businesses are struggling anywhere.
“Hopefully we will be able to go to another shop, but is not sure yet. Consequences of this plan are terrible for the whole area,” she said.
More optimistic about the future and the project is Rajeev Kein, manager of Perfume Culture, a new shop displaying a wide selection of cut-price perfumes.
“I think this plan will only affect shop owners. Some people feel bad because they have been staying here for several years and rely massively on usual customers.
“We won’t be affected badly. We are a new business and we are renting; consequently, we have not been offered compensation, but now we are shifting to Oxford Street, that is even a better business venue, where Crossrail offered spaces for most of the businesses that will make way for the project.”
Under the rail scheme Tottenham Court Road will host both an underground and a Crossrail station.
Crossrail has allegedly offered landlords almost the whole value of their “assessed property value” in compensation.
But owners claim there is no guarantee of finding other premises in another well-known and central area and many businesses are still on stand-by, waiting for another place to move into.
Display fires memories of sporting past
October 2009
With the London 2012 Olympic games still three years away, a display of rare treasures and memorabilia from past Olympic games is now on show at Islington Museum.
It includes torches from the 1948 and 1956 trials, a gold medal, and the starting pistol from the marathon at the 1908 London Games.
Passing the Baton celebrates more than 100 years of Olympic and Paralympic experience and some of the items on show, such as postcards and stamps, have been lent by Islington residents in response to an appeal for souvenirs.
Alex Smith, heritage assistant at Islington Museum, said: “This is a great chance to show how the Olympic games and politics are related and how these games can bring co-operation among countries.
“All the visitors are enthusiastic about the initiative so far and during the open day most of them were among those who could even remember the London 1948 Olympic Games.”
The event runs until October 30 and highlights London as a three-time host of the Olympic Games with an exhibition, events and activities, including a free talk by Paralympics gold medallist Tom Aggar.
Young people can show their talent and design an Olympic poster, with prizes for the best one. Children can also download a free education pack on the story of the Olympic games.
News flash: Plastic bags are history
Published on the Islington Tribune (18-09-2009)
BBC political editor Nick Robinson proved his green credentials by signing a pledge not to use plastic bags at an event on Highbury on Saturday.
Mr Robinson is pictured above with his colleague, BBC radio presenter Sheila Dillon. The two both live locally and attended the first plastic-bag-free day at Highbury Barn and supported the campaign to stop the use of plastic bags, which clog up the seas and rivers and choke wildlife.
Nearly 300 people signed up to agree to ditch using them in future and switch to reusable bags instead.
Participants were also given reusable Highbury Barn bags supplied by Highbury east Councillors or loyalty bags from Frank Godfrey the butcher.
The Highbury Soul band provided a buzz about the Barn and retailers were enthusiastic about the atmosphere and the number of people promising to give up their plastic bag habit.
Love your lungs! MP lends his support to free lung screening scheme
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Published on the Islington Tribune (18-09-2009)
Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn had his lungs tested and was given a clean bill of health.
It was all part of the British Lung Foundation ‘Love Your Lungs’ campaign day. The free lung function testing event took place in Holloway last Wednesday, with more than 150 people availing themselves of the service. The borough is being targeted after research showed that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a particular problem in the area.
The lung function tests are quick and painless – they take around 10 minutes and require only that you blow into a tube.
Mr Corbyn said:“I feel great having had a lung function test! It is reassuring and extremely easy to do.”
The next event will take place on Thursday September 24 in Sainsbury’s, Angel N1 Centre, between 10am and 4pm. For further information, visit www.lunguk.org
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