| Topic: | Reply | |
| Posted by: | Gordon Southwell | |
| Date/Time: | 01/09/21 11:09:00 |
Sorry Paul but I'm still no clearer over what your point is exactly. You keep repeating the phrase 'self-selecting poll' as if we will all understand what you mean. Ealing held a consultation which was broadly along the lines of most other consultations held by them and other local authorities. While, given the resources available, these consultations are never going to be 100% accurate, no informed person disputes that they generally give a rough guide to what is the state of opinion if questions are phrased in a reasonably neutral way — which they were in this instance. In the case of the LTN surveys, the views of residents were so marked that it is laughable to argue against the conclusion that there is majority opposition to the schemes even if you might quibble on percentages. The view about traffic displacement into Hounslow borough is not only that of 'anti-LTN campaigners' but that authorities traffic officers who met on several occasions with the counterparts in Ealing to discuss the issue. I can't understand why you are so determined to stick to your opinion that there was no displacement when every bit of evidence says you are wrong. You are also wrong that the council would have anticipated Gilligan's response. Earlier pronouncements from the Department for Transport had stated that schemes should not be proceeded with if they lacked the support of local residents. Therefore Peter Mason thought he was on solid ground by proposing consultations on each scheme. Gilligan seems to have acted on his own authority in suspending Ealing's funding without reference to Grant Shapps and this is likely to have come as a shock to Ealing. Obviously if it was expected, Mason would not have adopted this strategy. |