West Londoners in uproar as Ken attempts tram whitewash

Ealing Council in support as 17,000 voices are ignored

The Editor's inbox has been flooded today, as west Londoners voice their disgust at Ken Livingstone's attempts to dismiss the resounding 'no' given to the tram.

In a press release issued by Transport for London, Livingstone clearly attempts to 'spin' the consultation findings, by confusing the results with those of a far smaller piece of market research that does support the tram.

On Wednesday, Ealing Council came out in support of Ken, saying, 'it has always been the case that those opposed to projects are more active than those in favour'; which does beg the question: why ask in the first place?

Penny Wark, of Save Ealing's Streets, told us "This is dishonest reporting. The results of the consultation are very clear - the people of West London don't want the tram. It is misleading and insulting to give more credence to the views of a few hundred people, interviewed in their own homes without much information to guide them, than to more than 10,000 well-informed people who took the trouble to fill in the questionnaire and don't want the tram."

Here are some of the letters we have received. To add your voice, email editor@actonw3.com.

"I'm amazed by the apparent dishonesty and deceptiveness of the Mayor of London and Transport for London in their recent report relating to the proposed West London Tram. Their omission of the most important figures from the recent TfL press release simply beggars belief.

The people have spoken, and spoken very clearly. They must not (indeed, they cannot) now be ignored - not even by the Mayor of London. After all, he wouldn't want to look and sound like a dictator, would he?

John Holt

"Having taken the time and effort to complete a consultation document organised by Transport for London, I am appalled that they have decided their own consultation is flawed just because it did not provide the answer they wanted. Are we to be continually consulted until we finally give only the answer required? What sort of consultation is that?

My message to Ken Livingston is to stop the intended waste of Londoners money by stopping the tram, stop wasting our money by holding consultations that he then dismisses when the outcome is not what he wants to hear, and to understand that, having asked for our opinions, he should take heed!"

J. Jones

"It is not acceptable that the results of the extensive consultation on the tram should be dismissed so cavalierly. The consultation was aimed at those most likely to benefit from the plans and was accompanied by considerable explanatory information. There is no better informed or more appropriate audience. It is an insult to the residents of west London to claim otherwise."

Robert Brooke

"I voted for Ken - I always have. I did not vote for the tram, nor will I as it is wasteful and unnnecessary. I will not vote for Ken again - not because he says silly things in the heat of the moment - and I write as the child of refugees from Nazi Germany - but because in rubbishing his own much vaunted consultation he proves himself, most regrettably, no longer a democrat".

Susan Hamlyn

When one reads: "Of 17,000 people who completed TfL's consultation questionnaire, two-thirds are against the £648 million scheme. However this week TfL's press release on the consultation failed to mention this." and "The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, has said in the past that if the people of West London do not support the scheme, it will not go ahead." it seems that a mockery is being made of us residents. It's a sorry state of affairs when our wishes are completely ignored! Boo to Ken!

Millie Roy

To add your voice, email editor@actonw3.com

March 4th, 2005

West Londoners in uproar as Ken attempts tram whitewash

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