London Buses have apologised to the disabled people of Haringey and promised to make changes following a meeting with Cllr Lynne Featherstone.

The meeting was arranged with TfL’s Peter Hendy, Managing Director of Surface Transport, following a number of complaints from disabled users of the route 41 and W3 buses that drivers were only opening one door and making access to the buses difficult or impossible in some cases.

“I am pleased with the positive response I have had from the TfL. They have promised to make design changes to ensure both doors open and access is easier for disabled users,” said Cllr Featherstone, who is a Muswell Hill councillor and a member of the London Assembly’s Transport Policy Committee.

“Although this may seem to many like a small issue, this kind of ignorance is compromising many people’s right to lead independent and dignified lives and is something that we as a party are trying to eradicate in society, both at local and national level.”

Haringey’s Christmas refuse collection timetable has been condemned by local Liberal Democrat councillors across the borough.

This follows Haringey Accord’s failure to keep to their special Christmas timetable resulting in rubbish left uncollected for several days. In an attempt to catch up on the backlog of missed collections, rubbish collections even had to take place on New Year’s Day.

“This is a serious concern,” says Councillor Lynne Featherstone, whose own rubbish collection did not take place on the advertised day over the Christmas period.

“Once again, Haringey has failed to get right the basics of providing services and residents were left with uncollected rubbish piling up,” comments Lynne Featherstone.

She has also expressed concern about where the money for the extra New Years Day collections is coming from:

“New Year’s Day was not meant to be a working day for the collection and I want to know where the extra money is coming from to pay for these extra costs. Residents should not have to foot the bill for the failure to empty their bins on time.”

Haringey Council’s wheelie bin information leaflets have been tagged “a waste of paper” by the opposition Liberal Democrats. The Liberal Democrats have warned local residents that the leaflet distributed in Stroud Green and elsewhere has left out key information about the new wheelie bins on issues that have been of concern to residents.

“There are various omissions on key questions that have been asked by many of the local residents borough wide,” said Cllr Bob Hare.

“One of the major issues some people have is that they don’t want some kind of unnecessarily large eyesore on wheels sitting outside their house, but the leaflet fails to mention that wheelie bins come in different sizes. Residents should be told that they had a choice of a much smaller version and how to apply for one.”

Cllr Hare has also criticised the lack of information on how to appeal against getting a wheelie bin:

“Wheelie bins make sense in some areas, but in others they are not appropriate. Residents should be provided with full information on how to appeal if Haringey Accord decide their property is suitable for a wheelie bin but they disagree.”

Residents wanting further information on how to apply for a smaller bin or to appeal against having a wheelie bin can contact the Lib Dems here.

Commenting on the decision from London Mayor Ken Livingstone to give the go-ahead for the Grosvenor Road barrier, Alexandra ward councillor Susan Oatway said:

“It’s good news that a decision has finally been made as it means we can now get a move on with sorting out the other traffic issues in the area. The continuing delays and uncertainty didn’t help anyone.”

Haringey’s Lib Dems have chosen local resident Neville Collins as their candidate for the Tottenham Hale by-election on 23 January.Mr Collins has lived in the Tottenham Hale ward in the Chesnut Estate, off Tottenham High Road, since 1975.

Neville Collins has already hit out at the Labour council for wasting money on PR spin, rather than front line services, and the prospect of huge council tax increases in the area.

Neville Collins comments:

“I am delighted to have been selected for Tottenham Hale, and my campaign will focus on the failings of the Labour council. We face the prospect of huge increases in our council tax bills, but where are the services to show for it? The latest primary school results show Haringey council slipping further down the list of London councils.”

Highgate’s Lib Dem councillors have secured agreement from Haringey Council that residents in additional roads to the north of the village will have their say over the possible controlled parking zones (CPZs) mooted for the area.

Residents in the Kenwood Estate, near the foot of the Great North Road, have expressed concern to their Lib Dem councillors that they should have a say on the plans, as they are within a relatively short distance of both East Finchley and Highgate tubes.

Local councillor Melanie Simpson, comments:

“Highgate residents living near the Great North Road should certainly have their say over the CPZ, as they could well be affected by any scheme, once Ken Livingstone congestion charging comes in.

“We will continue to champion the fullest possible consultation for Highgate residents, giving people the maximum number of options, when the consultation forms are distributed in the New Year – including the right to say yes or no to any council plans.”

Fellow Lib Dem Highgate councillor, Bob Hare, has attended a number of meetings with businesses on the CPZ, and adds: “We are concerned to ensure that the local businesses of Archway Road and Highgate village are provided with short-stay parking for shoppers, and will be making sure that further consultation takes place with them as well”.

Lib Dem councillor Wayne Hoban has accused Haringey Council of unacceptable delays over future improvements to “The Triangle” in Alexandra ward. Mr Hoban says that the site, at the junction of Crescent Road and Palace Gates Road, is an eyesore when instead it should be an attractive focal point for the local community. At present, the area is covered with graffiti and is often strewn with rubbish.

Following a Lib Dem consultation earlier in the year, local residents have suggested that more plants are needed, and have offered to help. A local landscape artist has even offered to help in any redesign work.

Cllr Hoban has been asking the Labour council to hold a meeting with local residents since February this year, but the excuse given is that the area is one of six sites in the borough that has been selected as a site for potential advertising revenue in partnership with a marketing company.

Mr Hoban says this is an unacceptable excuse – the site does not even have a sign indicating that it is available for advertising, to which local shops could respond, and that upgrade of the site is being unnecessarily delayed by the council.

Wayne Hoban comments:

“I have told the council how disappointed I am at their approach to the Triangle. Local residents have expressed strong support for improvements, and have even offered to help. There can be no excuses. I am asking again for a meeting to see how we can make progress in sorting this site out.”

Lib Dem Councillor for Crouch End Ron Aitken has warned of a scam being carried out around Crouch End that resulted in a constituent losing £800 to a conman.

The constituent, who does not wish to be named, answered his door to a caller three weeks ago and was asked if he wanted his front garden cleared of rubbish. The man agreed a price of £130 and the work was carried out. Even so the conman asked for more cash and when the householder said he did not have any more money on him, offered to drive him to a cash point.

On reaching the Crouch End cash point the man demanded further sums, made threats and locked the unfortunate victim in his car until he handed over more money. The victim was extremely shaken and contacted Cllr Aitken in order to warn others of the risk.

“I am extremely concerned about this scam and want to warn other householders about the dangers of unwanted callers. You should always ask for identification from the gas, electricity people, and only use reputable firms to carry out work around the house. Above all anyone else who has been a victim in this way should immediately call the police.”

Cllr Ross Laird, Leader of the Opposition, is pushing for a concerted effort from Haringey Council and Haringey Accord to clean up the entrance to Alexandra Palace Park and make surrounding roads safe for pedestrians and drivers alike.

Cllr Laird has received many complaints from local residents at the entrance to the Park, at the foot of Muswell Hill, about illegal dumping and abandoned cars, as well as traffic and speeding problems in the roads around the busy junction.

Cllr Laird comments:

“I have been given an undertaking from Haringey Accord, who look after street cleanliness, that they will look into dumping at the entrance to the park. I have also called on the Council to regularly check for abandoned vehicles at the site.

“Local residents are rightly concerned about the continued problems of speeding around Park Road, Muswell Hill and Priory Road and the urgent need to improve the junction. This is an accident black-spot and needs to be urgently assessed to see what safety precautions could be put in place.”