News, comment and features

The first meeting of the Cycle Enfield Partnership Board to consider plans for a "key cycling commuter route" linking Enfield Town with Palmers Green will take place in the second week in January. At the meeting selected "stakeholders" will discuss the section of cycle route between Vicars Moor Lane (Winchmore Hill) and Broomfield Lane (Palmers Green).  As well as looking at the proposal for segregated cycle lanes along Green Lanes, passing through Winchmore Hill and Palmers Green town.......

We've been asked to promulgate the following warning from the Nationa Fraud Intelligence Bureau: Summary Action Fraud has received a large number of reportsfrom victims who have been defrauded when attempting to purchase items on online shopping and auction websites. Reporting shows that internet fraudsters  are increasingly exploiting victims’ readiness to sign for deliveries before checking the contents, which causes them difficulties when they later attempt to dispute the transaction........

A Winchmore Hill resident has launched a campaign for a 20mph speed limit on two roads which lead to Winchmore Hill Green - Church Hill on the western side and Station Road to the east. Philip Tsappas held a public meeting to launch his campaign in November and has now released additional campaigning literature (see below).  He is linking this local campaign with the national 20's Plenty for Us movement, which seeks to make 20mph the default speed limit on residential and urban streets........

At 2pm on Sunday 7 December we closed Devonshire Road in Palmers Green to let the kids play out – for the seventh time this year. We received our Temporary Play Street Order from Enfield council back in June, and ever since we’ve been closing the road to through traffic for a couple of hours once a month on a Sunday afternoon. We are carrying on through the winter. Temperature doesn’t seem to matter to the children, who make the most of the closed road to scoot, cycle, play ball games and.......

Palmers Green and Alexandra Palace stations are among a list of 26 stations where step-free access to platforms will be provided, according to an announcement made today by transport minister Baroness Kramer.  The work, part of the Access for All programme, will be carried out by 2019. The stations selected for the work were all nominated by the rail industry last year on the basis of criteria such as the number of passengers using the station or proximity to hospitals or schools for.......

Today (14th December) sees the start of the Winter timetables on the lines operated by Govia Thameslink, which include the Great Northern services out of Kings Cross and Moorgate..  Despite the publicity about "thousands more seats" on Great Northern trains, the improvements for commuters travelling from Palmers Green are far from dramatic:  four weekday evening trains will have six carriages instead of three and "some of the busiest" services on Saturdays will have six carriages too........

Congratulations to Hugh, Ann and everyone else behind today's St Nicholas Fair.  A great success!  Thanks also to the Met Office for playing their part and bringing out the sun (the thermostat could have been turned up a bit higher though!). The festivities will conclude tonight with a grand meteor shower, courtesy of N21.net. St Nick in two of his guises A human fruit machine! Fairground organ Photographs:  Colin Younger.......

Residents who want to dispose of unwanted electrical items or bulky furniture are being urged to take advantage for two free services Enfield Council is offering. The services are being offered to encourage recycling, reduce fly tipping and promote the reuse of perfectly good electrical items that have been replaced or which are no longer wanted. Enfield Council is also providing free compostable liners for food waste in council libraries for a limited time.Residents can arrange a free.......

The website Changing London has published the fifth in a series of publications which set out "a vision for London's next Mayor". A Healthy City - a city that does no harm and tackles sickness at source can be downloaded from the Changing London website.  The website's introductory page (reproduced below) concludes by pointing out the remarkable success of New York's Mayor Bloomberg in increasing life expectancy in his city through a series of measures to improve public health. London is.......

The application for outline planning permission to redevelop Chase Farm Hospital is available on the Enfield Council website (click on this link).  Members of the public are able to submit comments up until 15th January. The application seeks approval for the principle of the development, the amount of development, the maximum three-dimensional extent of development and access arrangements. If approved, these would form the parameters upon which future reserved matters applications would be.......

Starting early in 2015, the not-for-profit organisation Studio 306 will be running sewing workshops.  Starting with the basics - how to thread a needle - and ending up creating beautiful cushions or patchwork quilts. Studio 306, based in the Chocolate Factory in Wood Green, has the aim of empowering disadvantaged local individuals. It offers a creative space for people who are recovering from mental illness, where they can rediscover forgotten skills, develop new ones and boost their.......

After hundreds of hours of preparation and nearly a year of planning, the St Nicholas Fair will be here one week from today. There will be 85 stalls with a huge variety of foods, clothes, jewellery, gifts and unique hand-made items.  Plus a whole day of free children's entertainment run by volunteers from Hang out the Bunting, Lolly Pots, Nelly Jelly, Pirates and Princesses, Monkey music, Disco Ducks, Tatty Bumpkin and last but not least Smart Play.In addition there will be the amazing Mr.......