Too Dense to feel like Wendover

Princess Mary’s Hospital Development - Planning Reference 07/03446/ADP
Too Dense to feel like Wendover

As this brown site has been derelict for many years I welcome the initiative to develop it. However, the high density approved in the outline planning has resulted in a detailed plan that includes unwelcome precedents that brings us nearer to a status of an Aylesbury Suburb:

* Houses with no gardens or no parking;
* Awkward building relationships – corner houses in funny angles to their neighbours and interesting garden boundaries.
* Three and four story apartment buildings that for some reason are considered ‘in keeping’ with the rest of the atmosphere of Wendover.

Moreover, insufficient growth space has been allowed for the MS centre. And the pathetic number of parking places allocated to the MS centre will ensure a conflict with the neighbouring residents.

An important aspect is the provision of sustainable routs to schools and the High street. The cycling routs within the development are planned to be in some parts between parking cars and the road. This is an invitation for an accident: a car pulling in or out, a driver opening the door, cars parking partially on the cycling lane. Furthermore, pedestrians and cyclists will find the new roundabouts proposed awkward to negotiate. Tring road is a very busy road and crossing it alongside the roundabouts involves several meeting points with the traffic.

The proposed planes amuse me when they claim that the bus will go through the “Centre of Wendover” (i.e. the clock tower): that will not provide a solution to people visiting the Manor Waste and retuning with bags of shopping from the high street, let alone linking to the train station.

Another entertaining paragraph details how the parking requirement predictions are based on the ratio of cars to households in 2001 for Wendover. This pivotal ratio includes council housing, farms and many pensioners. Therefore it will not be long before the insufficient green on the plans will be converted to parking by the new residents.

In Short, it just does not work. The outline-planning permission specifies a maximum not a target for the density. These planes should be rejected with an instruction to the planners to give more weight to the quality of life of the new residents and their neighbours.

There are a few aspects that are not the direct responsibility of the developers that need addressing:
There are no plans to add new bus routes to link the development either to Wendover train station or to Tring train station.
More parking should be created for the visitors to Wendover High Street.
The outline permission stipulates that the Clocktower junction should be improved to cope with the extra traffic. This should be done in keep with the tranquil character of Wendover. We hope the Horse and Jockey fiasco is not an indication of what we might experience.
A cycling path should link the development to the Schools (Halton School and John Colet), Wendover town centre, and the train station.
The Health facilities and resources in Wendover should be augmented. We can not find any trace of the promised provision for a health sub-centre on the development site.
The train capacity should be enlarged either by adding carriages or more trains.

Three Cheers to AVDC Cycling Team (Bike It)

A few years ago the Wendover Parish Council sent, on my request, a letter to Chiltern Rail. The letter pointed out the inadequacy of the existing cycle racks at the Wendover station as they were exposed to the elements and insufficient. It also appealed for a solution to crossing the rail tracks for wheeled punters (prams, pushchairs, wheelchairs, bicycles and suitcases). The response was more than disappointing.

Last year I contacted AVDC on the same issues. Two people took on the tourch. The liaison officer (with Chiltern rail) has given me hope. Lee Stevens of the cycling team got the ball rolling for the cycle storage. Lee has moved on within AVDC. Several people have come and gone and I was afraid the task would be forgotten. Not so.

Simon Glover, of the bike it team, visited Wendover last week to inspect the installation. Here is a photo from today.

Enjoy

An email to BCC Highways On Call about Manor Road

From: Eli Y. Kling [mailto:eli_kling@hotmail.com]
Sent: 15 January 2008 14:32
To: HOC@BucksCC.Gov.ukCc: eli_kling@hotmail.com; Fiona Lippmann

Subject: Manor Road & Wharf Road in Wendover 185216

Dear Madam or Sir,

I am the Neighbourhood-Watch area coordinator for Wendover and a resident of Manor Road.

When I introduced myself to the residence of Manor road, all raised the traffic as a major concern. They all told me about a consultations that took place in 2006 (I moved here June that year). But no one can tell me what came out of that consultation. Some raised the concern that the residence of the new
development (Princess Mary Hospital site - 400 households) would use these roads as a shortcut instead of Tring road.

I also attended a few meetings of the safer roots to school at the John Hamden were traffic issues on these roads were lamented.

There are a few issues that I feel need addressing;
The top of the road is a hill that ends with a bend:
Cars wiz down the hill but cannot see beyond the bend.
Neighbours told me of cases where the school buses did not manage to negotiate the hill in bad weather and hit parking cars.
Drivers approaching the hill rev-up (usually already in Wharf Road)
Parking cars all along the road narrow the road into a single lane and a head on collision is a permanent risk.
During the School-Run in the morning and afternoon the road becomes highly congested. The situation is aggravated due to the school buses that park on Wharf Road – not much road is left for cars coming both ways.
The corner of Wharf Road, Manor Road and the entrance to the school is complicated for the Children to cross. Rightly, a school safety patrol (lollypop person) was deems necessary.
The road is used as a (false) short-cut also by lories.

I believe that probably one of the reasons the previous consultation on traffic calming did not result in action is that there were many options presented and no agreement could be reached. If a targeted consultation was placed to the residence it would be much easier to campaign in its behalf (a task I would happily take upon myself).

To my opinion two actions could improve the situation:
Make the roads into a one way system. This has several benefits as not only will it reduce the risk of head long collisions, it will also address the conjunction at school-run-time. I spoke to about 20 residence and all said they would support this suggestion. In which way it should go is another matter. There are arguments in both ways. I think the system should slow from Tring Road to Aylesbury Road:
This is the preferred direction for the school buses that park on Wharf Road.
The exit from Manor Road to Tring Road is not pleasant (mainly turning left) whilst the exit to Aylesbury road is through a roundabout.
This direction will be un-attractive to the commuters coming from Halton and the development on the Princess Mary Site: In the morning it would be congested due to the school run and in the evening they will not be able to drive up the one way system.
Very low speed rumps or bumps (something like http://www.speedbumpsltd.co.uk/) – People have objections to the “speed ramp hills” that might damage the cars.

I would start with the ‘one way’ solution as it seems to me easy to implement.

With Regard,
Dr. Eli Y. Kling

Sign of Our Times

Coming back from my Yule vacation I learnt about two sad losses to Wendover. The fire at Brook House and the death of one of the trees on the Manor Waist.

An interesting Idea was raises at the Parish Council meeting last Monday: erecting a village sign instead of the Tree. I am not sure why it should come instead of the tree as the costs are not equivalent and there is enough space on the Manor Waist for both. Councillor Prior provided me with a link to the Village Signs Society where examples are displayed. I turned to google in an attempt to understand why would we want such a sign. There were many entries amongst the top hits were:

The Village Signs of East Anglia;
Ridgequest;
Team Triplet;
And Village Signcrafters.

It seems that these signs are very popular in certain parts of the UK (and Europe). But when I tried to narrow down the search to village signs in Buckinghamshire I did not get interesting hits (apart from my letter to the Bucks Herald).

I have no particular objection to a village sign as long as it does not come at the expense of trees or the good people of Wendover. i.e. someone should donate the sign. The many examples I saw whilst searching the net suggest other sites in Wendover could be considered for such a sign (e.g. the meadows, the pond, near or on the Clock Tower).

In short, I would like to see the tree on Manor Waist replaced be another. Even better, I would be happy to see more trees along the High Street altogether.

On the top right of this page you will find a survey that will end just before the next Parish Council meeting.

If you want something done give it to a busy man

Last Monday, councillor Brian Prior surprised us all resigning, elegantly, form the post of vice-chairman of the parish council, exactly a month since his election (the previous meeting). To my opinion it is a shame as he was doing the right noises and seems like the right person for the job.

It takes a very strong personality to fight the current and keep one’s gowned. We all have experienced it. When joining a new organization (work, family, or politics), we assimilate to a certain degree the way things are done, even if we do not like it. Thus, to an extent, a person will become more efficient when dropped into a company where efficiency is truly valued and practiced. Alas it also works the other way.

I have a lot of respect for the people who volunteered to the Wendover Parish Council. However, I feel they could improve their internal and external information sharing. This is an issue that used to drive me mad at certain places I worked at. An important aspect of team work is realizing that not every body knows what you have gleaned or done. I am sure that at his work place, councillor Prior would not have allowed himself to do the mistake he did in the parish meeting of going with the flow, not thinking things thoroughly though, and believing it will all be alright.

Take last month’s meeting. The councillors did not really come prepared for dealing with Dr. King’s resignation. I am sure they knew about it. But they did not communicate with each other sufficiently to realise there were decisions to be made and probably some homework. Thus, councillor Prior was “ambushed”, proposed and elected as a vice-chairman. He accepted the honour without knowing what it entails and what work load it demands. That means that there were also some councillors that voted him in not knowing what they were voting for (4 of the councillors were co-opted in not that long ago). With hind sight, a memo should have gone out reminding every body what this position involves. I had the same cold feeling watching counsellor Ballantine present the planning applications she, and the rest of the council, lost focus. By the way, to the best of my memory, she was the one who surprised councillor Prior with the nomination.

I find it very sad that the way things are done by the Parish Council is stacked up against people who are still in employment or have a young family. Out of the 11 councillors only 5 hold day jobs of which, I believe, only 3 are full time engagements. I wonder if the job of the vice-chair could be shared. How did Dr. King, who has a very demanding day job, do it?

I hope councillor Prior’s will not totally give up, and keep towing his way. At one of the first meetings he attended, he quietly suggested that they should think not only of what to do (the letter of the law) but also how to do it (the interpretation and ethos). I hope his voice gets stronger in time.

Get Cycling, Wendover!

You probably have noticed the beginning of the roadworks on Aylesbury Road. We are told that this is the long awaited cycle path. This is the culmination of an eight years long effort many have contributed to. If you are please to hear this read on the email I just received from Laura Ferguson, a young, enthusiastic, inspiring Wendovrian who wants to contribute to our community:



Dear all,
Many thanks for your time last Thursday, and to Mary and Chris for your hospitality.
Before the next meeting, I will investigate the routes to becoming properly constituted as a group. I will also flesh out the public campaign and funding plans I raised at the meeting, which I think will form my main contributions to the group.
It was really very encouraging to hear about the work that is being done already by you all, especially in relation to lobbying local government and statutory bodies on cycling issues.
I hope that a public campaign supported by funding possibilities plus continued lobbying will prove to be fruitful aims for the new group.
In addition to your current lobbying, I have recently been in touch with the Forestry Commission about cycling plans in the main Wendover Woods (following one of my bi-weekly mountain bike rides into Wendover Woods). I will follow this up with contact with Go Ape and further discussions with the Forestry Commission over the coming weeks.
Finally, just to keep you all in the picture: I have had confirmation from Jane Larkham that the following piece will appear in January's Wendover News:
"Do you want to make a difference to the environment or to parking problems and traffic congestion in Wendover?
Have you got a bike?

30 November , 2007 saw the first meeting of “Wendover and Halton Cycling” (provisional title - we're open to suggestions!). This new group aims to help people to get on their bikes in Wendover and Halton.

If you would like to join this new group, or for further information, contact Laura Ferguson at lpferguson@fsmail.net or 07760 383641."
I look forward to seeing you all in January. In the mean time, my email and mobile are free to be passed to third parties (as seen above). Please do keep my home number to yourselves.. it is ex-directory!
Best wishes,
Laura

A bug or a feature

It the Wendover Parish Council trying to tell us something? Is it just a mischieful wink or a clever reminder not to drink and drive?

For the two and a half readers (and my wife) who do not get what I am talking about – the triangle on the top of the clock tower was installed on the off-side.

The parish council discussed today the very important subject of safety measures for the crossing to the area they are developing on the London Road. I support their decision to install an interactive sign that will flash to drivers the speed they are going (called SID or VAS). However, I think that is not enough. I hope the counsellors will follow up on their intention to insist Bucks County Council does its bit. For instance it could install a Toucan Crossing (a crossing with lights that are button activated at a height suitable for cyclers).

A resident from Vinetrees complained about parking issues. It seems this cul-de-sac is used by the people working in the High-Street. The council was quick to sympathize. A little too quick on the mark to my liking. I have an Idea – I heard the church just opposite the health centre is going to be demolished. Good, it is an ugly building. How about the site is turned to parking with special reductions for people who work in the area.

Happy Sir Isaac Newton Birthday

Vote for Sustrans Win £50 million Lottery Fund

We want more cars on the road. Yes put wheel on streets now! That seems to be the prevailing mode in our vale. The new Princes Mary site development in Wendover will not have a bus link to the Wendover train station nor to the Tring station. There is not much effort going into ensuring that the new 9,000 or so units planed for Aylesbury will be accompanied with a growth in the local job market. And yes, you guessed it, no buses to train stations. Last week we heard the cost of travelling by train is going to rise again by much more than the past and predicted inflation (Who was the idiot who nationalized the trains in the first place?). A recent unbelievable letter to the editor of the Bucks Herald moaned about the bus lanes that are used by empty buses. This person never heard of the chicken and the egg – “Ignorant and lacking of Vision” he said in desperation. So people working to promote cycling sound to me like science fiction. Here is something that landed in my in box:

I’m writing to ask you to help sustainable transport charity Sustrans win £50 million from the Big Lottery Fund to invest in 79 communities UK-wide.

In this winner-takes-all contest Sustrans’ Connect2 project is up against 3 other organisations - the Eden Project : The Edge, Black Country Urban Park, and Sherwood: The Living Legend, with the winner to be decided by public vote over the coming weeks.

I'm supporting Sustrans’ Connect2 because it will transform local travel in towns, cities and villages throughout the UK. By building new bridges and crossings over busy roads, railways and rivers, and linking these into networks of paths, Connect2 will make it much easier for people to get where they want to go under their own steam. So whether children are going to school, people to work and the shops, or friends and family to visit each other, they’ll be able to walk or cycle for many more journeys.

As many as 6 million people live within a mile of a proposed Connect2 scheme, and 1 million children go to school within a mile of a scheme. It is calculated that over 60 million active, low carbon journeys will be made each year on the Connect2 routes, potentially saving 79,000 tonnes of carbon - the equivalent of emissions from 79,000 people's annual car use.

Vote now online for Sustrans' Connect2 at www.thepeoples50million.org.uk. We need your vote to win 50 million pounds for walking and cycling. Phone voting from landlines and mobiles begins on 7 December - please text 'Connect2' to 80010 or complete the form at www.sustransconnect2.org.uk if you would like to be sent the number to vote. All voting concludes at 12 noon on Monday 10th December.

Remember Sustans’ contribution is pivotal to projects such as the cycle path along Aylesbury road in Wendover and hopefully its next stage – the bridge over the Wendover Arm to the schools.

Why don’t we have yet a real ‘Enterprise’ exploring space?

Sometimes officials make incredibly idiotic decisions, rendering satires such as Yes Minister boring. Would you believe the Beatles were not allowed into Israel for a performance. Another amusing anecdote is that for the sake of equality the TV signal was de-colured for years in Israel. It was thought that if the signal was black & white, although the broadcasting equipment was colour capable, there would be no incentive for the affluent to flaunt their riches with a colour TV set. Yeh-right.

Moreover, no restrictions were placed on other seemingly luxury items such as cars, fridges, and houses. It is amazing that my teacher was allowed to tell us that the world was round and that it was slightly older than the 6000 years (the Jewish count).

How lucky we don’t have such situations here in the UK. Oh – really?! So why does it take 4 working days to transfer, electronically mind you, money from one bank to another and why is it so expensive? Why does it take 11 days to change the phone provider? Why can’t one get health insurance after the age of 70? Or how can one explain the absurd requirement to prove where I live through a hard copy utility bill.

There are many such silly anachronisms that we take for granted now and probably will be thought funny in ten years. But like in mechanical physics the force required to start moving is greater then the force needed to continue moving. There is a stationary friction to overcome. It will take an international force to bring the cost of roaming calls closer to the real cost to the providers, change the ethics of locking mobile phones, to unify the DVD zones, to ensure the internet is really free and to stop mammoth software providers from dictating a slow pace of innovation.

Today the European Commission adopted proposals for a "Telecoms Reform Package". It is expected to become law by the end of 2009 and includes new consumer rights such as the right to switch telecoms operators within 1 day.

We need the European Union more than ever to keep our freedom from those who want to make us live in a gray, un ambitious world – trapped in other’s conservatism.

Hell is paved with good intentions

(http://www.samueljohnson.com/road.html)

The Israeli military slang is very rich and colourful. However, like cockney it is almost impossible to translate to another language. In Hebrew the words for putting in effort translates literally as ‘sinking it in’ thus the word play “He who sinks in, sinks!”. Meaning there is no point in putting in your hart, blood, and sweat as it would not be appreciated or worse it would be used against you. It is not hard to find such situations in military and public life. This saying is obviously not politically correct and is in contrast to the fable of the frog that beats the milk into butter by flapping frantically and aimlessly. It asserts that in most cases the frog will drown before the milk churns and in the few cases that the frog is dedicated enough to see the task through, a solicitor will be waiting for it to climb out just to hit it with a claim for damages. All this came to my mind when I heard that the Chair-person of the Wendover Parish Council has resigned. Today a new chairman was elected but the council seemed to tiptoe around the issue. Looking back at the meeting this evening, an official thank you was missing let alone a resolve to clear the waters and learn form the eperiance.

The sad thing about local government is that people don’t seem to care at best. I wonder how many fellow Wendovrian’s will notice that Dr. Shilla King resigned and how many of them could hazard an educated guess as to her reasons. Here is a person who volunteered to do something for her community, has spent many hours, and did her best to fight for our rights. From my corner in the public gallery she seemed to have done a good job at running the council meetings intelligently, made sure actions were followed though, was a positive driving force, was very liberal in her approach, and generally allowed the public to be heard. Naturally, some toes must be stepped on if you do your public job right. The question is not how to keep everybody happy all the time, but how to handle loaded situations. And here leys the gremlin: I believe that the current state of affairs in the Parish Council is down to fear of the litigation culture and the over reliance on legal advisors. This always leads to government paralysis and stifles any spark of originality. It defiantly results in a bad atmosphere and a general feeling of persecution and injustice – no matter who made the first call to the Dementors (a call that should not have been made).

I am sorry to see Dr. King go and I hope her bad experience will not put others off volunteering to help shape Wendover. It would be to the benefit of Wendover, if one day in the future she will decide to give it another go.