News, comment and features

Liz Robinson of the Palmers Green Action Team (PGAT) writes about the spring clean last month and the Team's future plans.

In his response to the draft revised Enfield Local Plan, the Mayor of London has voiced concerns about a number of aspects, in particular the proposal to release Green Belt land for construction of new housing. The response also questions the draft plan's wording on tall buildings and emphasizes the need to provide for car-free development and to provide high quality routes and facilities for walkers and cyclists.

Palmers Green is one of a long list of railway stations where money for improvements is being made available from Govia Thameslink Railway's passenger benefit fund, which has been set up to provide some sort of compensation to people whose journeys were severely disrupted by the chaotic introduction of new timetables in May 2018. Palmers Green station is in Tier 1 and £80,000 is being allocated. But are GTR yet capable of delivering the most important passenger benefit - a reliable train service? If not, is it high time that the Moorgate services were transferred to Transport for London?

Weekly ZuYoga pregnancy yoga classes have been suspended until further notice (because Zu herself is pregnant!), but she is still available to provide private sessions for pregnant women (and their partners, if they wish to be included).

Active travel can play a critical role in increasing levels of physical activity. Two recent reports set out why it must be a priority area for improvement in health and social care.

Enfield Council is to end the trial placement of large planters at road junctions in the Fox Lane area because traffic count data collected in May this year shows that the planters are not achieving their intended objective of reducing through traffic. Before trialling an alternative method of reducing through traffic, the council will ask residents to comment on its ideas.

Statistics provided by Cycle Enfield show that the number of people riding bikes past an automatic count point at Palmers Green Triangle has been steadily rising over the last four months. In February trips past the counter in either direction totalled 7,343. By May this measure had risen to 11,166. Average weekday trips rose from 304 a day in February to 396 a day in May

An ambitious crowdfunding campaign has been launched by a group called the Broomfield Pond Swim Society, whose aim is to revive wild swimming in Broomfield Park.

The most comprehensive study of bicycle and road safety to date finds that building safe facilities for cyclists is one of the biggest factors in road safety for everyone. Bicycling infrastructure -- specifically, separated and protected bike lanes -- leads to fewer fatalities and better road-safety outcomes for all road users.

Could you be a Compassionate Neighbour? Compassionate Neighbours is a community-led project supporting people with a life-limiting illness, who may be lonely or socially isolated.

Local fossil fuels campaigners say that an announcement made by the pensions minister today is an indication that Enfield Council is failing to keep up with the national trend which sees investors moving funds away from fuels that are contributing to the climate crisis. In a press release issued on Monday Divest Enfield say that the government announcement 'puts Enfield on the wrong side of history'.

Artist Edward Wills returns to Tottenham Art Classes with a new Still Life Drawing Course in July.