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from Cathy (cathyvpreece@aol.com)

Campaigners plan a block to the system

Jul 2 2002

By Oscar Mortali, South London Press

TRADERS and residents will form a human roadblock at one of south London's busiest junctions in possibly the biggest public protest against Ken Livingstone's congestion charging plans.

Next Monday morning's rush hour will see the close-knit Kennington community converge on Kennington Cross at 7am to voice its fury about the scheme which people say will divide the community in two. It comes a week before Westminster council's judicial review against the plan is heard.

A similar legal challenge by The Kennington Association - to be funded by residents and shopkeepers - is to be heard later.

The focus of controversy is Kennington Lane, chosen by London's Mayor to form a boundary road.

Margaret Smith, owner of Barn-paul's haberdashers in Kennington Lane, is now planning to close the shop's shutters for good.

She said: "I am sick of this. I have been here for more than 30 years but this is the last straw."

Pensioner Doreen Holsworth, of Kennington Lane, added: "We already have lorries day and night. The proposed boundary will only make things worse."

Mark Rogers, of The Kennington Association, said: "We are going to show the Mayor how strong feelings are running and that we are not just going to roll over and let them split our community in two."

The blockade - expected to be attended by 100 businesses and most of the tenants' associations - is designed to "get Ken to think again" about his boundary lines.

Kennington Lane is a narrow, residential, single-track road lined with heavily populated housing estates. Residents insist the increased traffic will cause long-term damage to people's health.

The Kennington Association is one of 23 residents' groups across North Lambeth which are organising a petition to the Mayor which they plan to present to him when he moves into his new Tower Bridge offices on July 22.

Derek Turner, street management managing director at Transport for London, said they were disappointed by the proposed action.

He added: "Blocking the road in this way will do nothing to reduce congestion and will only cause unnecessary delay for drivers."

Mr Turner said Kennington residents were consulted on congestion charging, meeting with Mr Livingstone face to face.

He added alternative boundaries were "not as practical and would have caused traffic problems throughout Lambeth for drivers and residents alike".

(posted 7940 days ago)

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