Wembley Park Station: We rely on you to tell us what's going on

A scene from the late morning rush-hour at Wembley Park station. Large queues for the ticket office, which seem to have been getting worse all week. Why?

The causal reasons - as opposed to the unintelligible ones - are that over 50% of the ticket machines were out of service or closed. In particular, machines that ordinarily accepted notes were closed or only accepting coins. Moreover, only one cashier was serving and another half a dozen or so service points were closed. I guess the only fault of the passenger, sorry customer, is that they either had complicated journeys, or did not have coins to the value of their ticket (who carries correct change for a £7.30 travelcard, for example?) or wanted to avoid spending on their credit cards.

The less intelligible reasons are that when I finally got to speak to the station manager - after first being offered a telephone number for a centralised customer service - he was apparently ignorant of what was going on in his own station. I pointed at the queue, asked him whether this was really acceptable, and reported back to him the advice of another of his staff earlier in the week, that some of the machines were malfunctioning. How about getting them fixed? Moreover, the manager was adamant that cash was being accepted at the machines but then qualified this to say only coins were.

I do think that commuters deserve better station management than this. Many locals already have to contend with being redirected the long way round the ticket barriers on their return journeys, when it should be obvious that at least 50% of people might wish to use the Kingsbury or Neasden-bound pavements and buses.

How about a transport system run for the benefit of passengers? Locals, and local businesses, will also face the impact of Jubilee and Metropolitain line closures this weekend.

Letter in Brent Times: Civic Centre Sums Don't Add Up

8 September 2011 edition

Greens contest Highgate By-election in Neighbouring Camden

Camden Green Party is contesting the Highgate by-election on 15 September 2011. We have a strong chance and already a track record of doing what it takes (convincing the voters), as in the memorable by-election win of 1 May 2008 (Highgate: Green, Alex Goodman).

This time the Greens are standing Alexis Rowell, who was last seen in Brent chairing the excellent Friends of the Earth hustings for Brent Central candidates in 2010.

Picture: Campaign coordinator Natalie Bennett, earlier in the week, over team talk before the final push.

Final Result:

•Anthony Denyer, Conservatives: 593
•Martin Hay, Liberal Democrats: 111
•Sally Gimson, Labour Party: 1,178
•Alexis Rowell Green Party: 947
Turnout: 34.26%
Commiserations to Team Green. We will be back for more!

London Living Wage: Bloomsbury Fightback

Campaign for low paid workers in university sector to get London Living Wage.

Entrance to Senate House, University of London.

Volunteer Jason prepares for musical rendition.

On 14 September 2011, Bloomsbury Fightback organised a successful day of action in support of the right of low paid workers of the University of London to get at least £8.30 (London Living Wage). Senate House cleaners currently receive just £6.15 per hour.

Key demands include:
1. Immediate implementation of the LLW of £8.30 backdated to 1 Sept 2011.
2. Immediate implementation of sick pay for outsourced wokers on the same terms as enjoyed by other University of London employees.
3. Commitment to implement LLW upgrades on an annual basis.

In a statement the University of London has said:
1. The LLW is an hourly rate of pay, currently £8.30, set independently each year by the Greater London Assembly.
2. All our directly employed staff are already paid above the LLW and also have access to a wide range of benefits which compare well with other London employers.
3. All contract staff, such as cleaners, porters and security, are employees of Balfour Beatty Workplace (BBW) and will receive the LLW by July 2012.
4. The University is working closely with BBW over implementation, which has already been brought forward by a year as a sign of our commitment.
5. We are fully committed to introducing LLW by July 2012, but to commit to doing so earlier would mean failing to address the significant implications for responsible financial and staff management.

Please sign Street Cleaning Petition

Brent: Street cleaning

Facts
From 2 October 2011, Brent Council plans to cut the street cleaning service:
• Most residential streets to be cleaned once a week instead of twice a week and not long ago it was three times a week
• Reduced service on other streets including limits on weekend work
• End of the seasonal leaf collection ie no separate clear up of leaves for composting and to protect pedestrians
• 20 street cleaning posts to go

Implications
• More people having falls on wet and rotting leaves + rubbish not frequently cleared up
• Elderly people, those with disabilities and children most vulnerable to injury (or death) from falls needing costly health and social care
• More compensation claims against the council for not properly maintaining the streets (health and safety issues)
• Dirty, messy, shabby, neglected looking streets, reducing the attractiveness of the environment and quality of life – loss of pride in the local area
• A Dirtier Olympic Borough
• More foxes, rats and other vermin in the borough
• More people (street cleaners) unemployed

What to do?
Sign the e-petition on Brent Council website (www.brent.gov.uk/epetitions) which runs until 23 September, calling for a reversal of the decision to cut the street sweeping services.

We the undersigned petition the council to reverse the decision to cut street sweeping services and to retain the employment of properly trained street sweepers.
(Started by Martin Francis – Brent Fightback)

Complain to your local councillor – names, contact details from Brent Council, website or Tel: 020 8937 1200, or from libraries

Get involved with Brent Fightback - brentunited@gmail.com