Barnes Bridge Walkways, the 533 and the Boathouse Demolition

Chiswick Homefields ward councillor John Todd reports back on his week


Cllr John Todd

It’s local election time!

The vote takes place on the 5th May 2022 with Twickenham Stadium being used for the count. Your local Conservative team in Chiswick Homefields (me, Jack Emsley, and Gerald McGregor) has been busy out talking to many of you about our credible proposals for a better borough. We have an excellent group of candidates right across the borough who are prepared to actively represent their constituents in all aspects of the role when elected as councillors.

Chiswick House and Garden Trust

I represent the London Borough of Hounslow Council on the Trust.

The House and walled kitchen garden is opening on the 1st April 2022.

‘Meet me at the gates’ project

The Trust has been successful in raising funds to support our community project ‘Meet Me at the Gates!’ It’s a two-year gardening project in partnership with our local school, Cavendish Primary, which aims to:

  • Improve young people’s physical and mental wellbeing.
  • Increase access to and deepen engagement with green spaces.
  • Provide opportunities to learn about the environment and plants.
  • Develop teamwork skills and confidence in accessing the garden.
  • Have a space co-developed by the community, contributing to the Chiswick House vision of being ‘for everyone every day’, making Chiswick House and Gardens more welcoming, safer, and biodiverse.

Bus 533 banned by Tfl from stopping in Chiswick  

The 533 bus used to stop at various stops along the A316. Coming from Hammersmith bus station it whizzed down the A4 onto the A316. The alternative once an hour 190 bus goes through Chiswick making the journey time to the A316 an additional 30 minutes or more.

Sadiq Khan at members' question time agreed with Nick Rogers our GLA Member that reducing bus capacity was counterproductive to encouraging alternatives to car use. Nick and I were invited  to  meet with Seb Dance the Deputy mayor of London with his advisors. We made a researched credible  case for the 533 bus to stop in W4. We had a petition with 400 plus signatures, a letter of support from Laura Ellener Head of Chiswick school, emails from local residents and staff from Chiswick house and Gardens and residents from City Gate.

Seb promised an early reply, but no sign yet I'm afraid. Nick has sent a chaser email earlier this week. I'll post when we hear.

Barnes Bridge Projects - an update

The Dukes Meadow pedestrian bridge construction is progressing on time in Sittingbourne, Kent. There was a delay on site on Dukes Meadows with the piling operation as the contractor was offered a contract on the new high-speed rail line known as HS2 which he said he couldn’t refuse.

The bridge is to be finally assembled in Tilbury and brought to the Chiswick site by a huge vehicle, loaded on to pontoons barges and floated down river on a neap tide and bolted into place. Ballast pumps will be primed and initiated at the point just before touchdown to ensure the weight of the bridge is transferred onto the piers in a controlled manner, and to ensure the pontoon doesn’t ride up as the weight of the bridge is transferred.

Barnes Bridge Green Walkway project

In 2018 Emma Robinson, Barnes Town Centre Manager, working with the Barnes Community Association endeavoured to get the redundant rail track space on the listed part of the Barnes railway bridge, be designated as a Green Walkway project. We started our bridge project at the same time. We met frequently and both teams had provisional ideas how to incorporate access from their walkway into our bridge footpath and other options.

Regrettably they were unable to get initial project funding which they’ve now obtain from Network Rail many years later. You will see from the following photo that the disused rail track is wider than the current bridge footway. I believe this project will come to fruition. We will fully co-operate with Emma and her colleagues.

Barnes Bridge Green Walkway project
Barnes Bridge Green Walkway project

Chiswick Boat House finally demolished

Shortly we will begin building a new boathouse which will incorporate a café. LBH will manage this entity. The council’s ambition is to get every Hounslow child of secondary school age to experience rowing on the River Thames.

Final remnants of the LBH Chiswick Boat House Final remnants of the LBH Chiswick Boat House

Queens Platinum Jubilee Party celebrations

Hounslow Council’s small grants fund provide funding of up to £1,000 to community and voluntary sector organisations and informal groups such as residents' and neighbour's groups for projects that bring communities together and improve their health and wellbeing, including celebration events for the Queen’s Jubilee.

  • You can apply for a Small Grant at any time until 1 March 2023.
  • A decision on your application will be made within 2-4 weeks. 

To request an application form please email community.development@hounslow.gov.uk

Defibrillator installation - Church St Chiswick

Councillors were allocated by the Council a grant of £1,000 to be used for community purposes. I gave mine to an excellent initiative to purchase a defibrillator to be located on the wall of St Deny Hall in Church St. Chiswick.

Heather Johnson, a member of St Nicholas Church, initiated this suggested purchase and conducted all the necessary research with the full support of the Parochial Church Council and many donating parishioners and local residents, including the Glebe Estate Residents Association.

We all believe this equipment will save lives. An excellent initiative.

Cllr John Todd

John.todd@hounslow.gov.uk

07866784651

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 

Most council meetings are now taking place in person at Hounslow House though a few, such as licensing panel meetings, continue to be held virtually. Even if they are held in person, you can watch them live (or later) on  the council's YouTube channel  . Please check for each meeting by looking at the  agenda reports pack for each committee.

The key council meetings coming up are:     

  • 28th March – 5.00pm Audit and governance 
  • 5th April – 7.00pm Licensing panel 
  • 19th April– 7.00pm   Cabinet

SURGERIES ARE BACK!

We are now able to hold face-to-face surgeries again and, as before, will be available in Chiswick and in Gunnersbury. Chiswick: Every Saturday from 9.30am to 10.30am at Chiswick Library (the nine Conservative councillors take this surgery in turn). Gunnersbury: First Saturday of the month from 10am to 11am at The Gunnersbury Triangle Club, Triangle Way, off The Ridgeway, W3 8LU (at least one of the Turnham Green ward councillors will take this surgery).

Chiswick Homefields ward

Cllr Patrick Barr
patrick.barr@hounslow.gov.uk
07976 703263

Cllr Gerald McGregor
gerald.mcgregor@hounslow.gov.uk
07866 784821

Cllr John Todd
john.todd@hounslow.gov.uk
07866 784651

Chiswick Riverside ward

Cllr Michael Denniss
michael.denniss@hounslow.gov.uk
07976 703274

Cllr Gabriella Giles
gabriella.giles@hounslow.gov.uk
07966 270823

Cllr Sam Hearn
sam.hearn@hounslow.gov.uk
07833 376222

Turnham Green ward

Cllr Joanna Biddolph
joanna.biddolph@hounslow.gov.uk
07976 703446

Cllr Ranjit Gill
ranjit.gill@hounslow.gov.uk
07976 702956

Cllr Ron Mushiso
ron.mushiso@hounslow.gov.uk
07976 702887

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March 27, 2022