Saturday 19 March 2011

The Mayor of London in Barnet - Boris or Ken - Interactive blog

I have a little request for all of my legion of readers. When Boris Johnson took over, he said he'd be a "Mayor for all of London". I've been racking my brains trying to think of anything either Boris or Ken did directly for The London Borough of Barnet (Londonwide initiatives don't count). Personally I'm rather pissed off with Boris for not doing more to make sure Brent Cross redevelopment wasn't a monstrosity, but I also blame Ken for this.

Please can you add your comments if you can think of anything. I will also break one of my own rules. Any comments which do not specifically list something they've done for Barnet will be summiraly deleted. I just want a list of stuff they've done and not a list of boring comments that Kens bum smells and Boris is the reincarnation of Ghengis Khan. As both these chaps are icons, I'm sure that we'll get a rather impressive list.

3 comments:

baarnett said...

Well, Henlys Corner is being rebuilt - that road belongs to the Mayor, not Barnet, I think. It is shown in this picture.

Mike Freer rather over-egged the pudding, claiming it was all happening because of him. It will make it easier for him to drive his "Stop Me and Buy One" van around his manor.

Jaybird said...

Henly's Corner is a bit of a glass half full suggestion though. The most dangerous junction in London I believe, and certainly a place which would benefit from an overpass. The current roundabout will cost millions and I believe the deal was that it had to be shown not to work before TfL would consider an overpass (as opposed to just expected not to work).

I think it was the Mayor who gave the money to doll up Dollis Valley Park.

baarnett said...

Jaybird: You are right. Up to £400,000, no less!

SuperBoris is providing:
- new signage (see Vickim57)
- repairs to footpaths
- restoration of entrances
- production of interpretive leaflet
- repairs/improvements to footbridges
- vegetation management (as opposed to Barnet Cabinet's 'vegetative management')
- restoration of water flow through Brent River Ponds
- development of seasonal pond at Windsor Open Space
- creation of wildflower meadow
- new seating
- new/additional play equipment
- supply and installation of fitness equipment (the thought of Brian Coleman doing chin-ups, next to Lynne Hillan's weight-training[(c)DCMD] will disturb many people.

But Jaybird's idea of an overpass isn't my idea of an improvement. Which is cue for the second of those Barnet-produced videos, which I've just seen, this one about the abandoned Ringway Motorways of London. The first video is about the Northern Line, by the way.