'Aspiration' that the 206 bus could serve Wembley on Event Days if talks with TfL succeed and funding is available

 

Wembley Park residents, and in particular those on the Kings Drive Estate (including Pilgrims Way, Summers Close and Saltcroft Close), have long been frustrated on Wembley Event Days when the route is curtailed at Tesco, Brent Park. 

Passengers, not realising there was an event, have been stranded at Brent Park, while others wait in vain at The Paddocks bus stop near Fryent Country Park for a bus that is not running. The route stops for several hours before and after the event and when there are consecutive concerts the route may be unavailable for much of the time over several days.

As the estate is on a steep hill this means that elderly or less mobile residents are cut off.

 

The Paddocks Terminus at the Salmon Street/Fryent Way roundabout

 

When plans were discussed over the rejoining of North End Road to Bridge Road  in Wembley Park, we were promised that buses could skirt around the stadium area and continue to The Paddocks terminus.

Now, as a result of a Member's Inquiry by Cllr Robert Johnson I can report that some belated progress has been made:

[Brent Council] are currently in discussions to re-locate the bus stand from First Way to Great Central Way. Subject to approval, the aspiration is to re-route the bus 206 to Great Central Way,  Fourth Way, Fulton Road, Albion Road and into North End Road. This is all dependent on TfL approval. TfL have advised they will consult on the proposed re-routing early January 2023 and post their consultation and approval, Brent Council will consult formally on the proposal, subject to funding and approval. 

 

It would then serve The Paddocks even on Event Days.

 

 

 

 

Cllr Shafique Choudhary (Barnhill ward) denounces his 'deselection' and cites 'nepotism' as a factor

 

Cllr Shafique Choudhary, currently a councillor for Barnhill ward, has taken to the community site Next Door to correct what he says are being told about him on the doorstep, as Labour campaigns for the upcoming Council elections.

He says that it is not true that he has retired as claimed but in fact he was 'deselected' by the Labour Party. In the recent boundary revision Barnhill was allocated only two councillors having previously had three representatives.  As Labour Party rules say that one must be a woman it meant that there was only one  male position.

I understand that all positions were contested this year so Cllr Choudhary could not have expected automatic re-selection for the post he has held for two years. Furthermore, selections are made by rank and file members at a special ward selection meeting and not by the 'Labour Party'. It appears that he was 'not selected' rather than deselected.

His claim that  'Nepotism is one cause' is an interesting suggestion. Neither of the new Labour candidates, Robert Johnson and Kathleen Fraser, are related to senior Brent councillors  as far as I know, although there were at one time unsubstantiated rumours that the other current male Barnhill  councillor, Mansoor Akram, was related to Council Leader Muhammed Butt.

Robert Johnson is a former Brent officer who was involved in the redevelopment of the Chalkhill Estate and Kathleen Fraser is a former Labour councillor and Chair of Chalkhill Residents Assoication.

 

 Cllr Choudhary flanked by Barry Gardiner MP, Cllr Muhammed Butt (Brent Council Leader), David Lammy MP and London Mayor Sadiq Khan at the Barn Hill Memorial for murder victims Bibaa Henry and Mina Smallman.

 

I live in Barnhill ward so Cllr Choudhary is one of my local councillors and he has been responsive on many issues I have raised.  We worked together for some time in the cross-party and non-party Brent Cross Coalition that opposed the redevelopment  on the borders of Brent Cross shopping centre. A search on this blog will give you the background.

Recently I have worked with Divest Brent on persuading Brent Council to divest its pension fund from fossil fuels. Cllr Choudhary is chair of the Pension Fund Committee as well as Kingsbury Brent Connects.

On Next Door Cllr Choudhary tells readers that the situation is not reversible and goes on:

I am using this media to say all of you thank you from bottom of my heart. Your community is an intelligent community prefer to live kind of of united Group. Also, you know well that you are the custodian of your area, you have a positive vision for both community enhancement and welfare of Barnhill. You have extraordinary strong and intelligent community representatives - nothing matching anywhere in Brent. I have with your kind help and generosity laid strong foundations for further future to build upon and carry on with the progress so far achieved. Please carry on with no hesitation.