Information about my work as a Labour Councillor for East Finchley in the London Borough of Barnet

Friday 21 September 2012

Stirling Corner

Today, I visited Srirling Corner in Underhill to help deliver a survey for Barnet and Camden Assembly member Andrew Dismore. Andrew represented that corner of Underhill when he was an MP, and he and local Labour Councillor Anita Campbell have both been fighting for a proper crossing there for many years. To get from the caravan site to the Morrisons is to run a gauntlet of a busy roundabout with the A1 coming off it. Residents in fact have to take a bus to get the equivalent of East Finchley Station to Budgens. Not nice or safe.

Now we have Andrew in the GLA I think we can have a real opportunity to help these residents. I was struck by how nice the Caravan site is. I say caravans, but they are really more like bungalows. Really nice community, beautiful houses. As a self confessed urbanite, I am surprised by how much I like the place.

The only drawback is the road safety, it really is horribly inconvenient, as we discovered for ourselves. Given the age profile, I couldn't see the residents there darting across the A1. They are so close to the only local shop, but simply can't access it. It's nonsensical that it has taken so long for anything to be done, given how severe the situation is. In fact we were extremely well received by all but one resident, who were delighted that we are taking up the fight again. They appreciate the work done by Andrew and Anita in the past for them, and are angry that the Tories have let them down.