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Letters to the Editor
Dear N16,
The residents of Lordship Park welcome the Stoke Newington Traffic Report, since it
demonstrates the increasing damage being done to the quality of life of Stoke Newington
residents by large-scale traffic movement together with significant environmental and
safety problems.
It's absolutely ludicrous that a study could suggest closing off a thriving commercial
precinct like Church Street whose success is attributable to its popularity with locals
and visitors from all over London and then redirect the traffic to an entirely residential
area.
The proposals as they stand could turn Lordship Park into part of a 'ring road'. The
street has become increasingly worse over the years. Linking Stamford Hill to Green Lanes,
it is a long, straight road that becomes heavily congested at peak times. The Atkins
report noted that it had the heaviest traffic in the area with more than 2000 vehicles per
hour. When it's not congested, cars, buses and heavy lorries travel at breakneck speeds,
endangering pedestrians, cyclists and residents trying to get to their cars. On top of
this, most of the road is unstable, so fast moving 106 buses and lorries cause the houses
to shake at their foundations.
One of the key generators of traffic in Lordship Park came from the decision made 10 years
ago to prevent traffic travelling north up Green Lanes from turning right at Manor House.
The London Borough of Hackney has been promising for years to reinstate the eastbound
right turn at Manor House. Residents want to know when this will be reinstated.
Safety for pedestrians and cyclists must be at the heart of any proposals. Lordship Park
residents want a detailed study to be conducted to look at the traffic volume along
Lordship Park and Manor Road. We want the proposals to include traffic calming and volume
reducing measures and safer pedestrian and cycling use.
As a matter of urgency, we are also concerned about the traffic lights at the junction
with Lordship Park and Brownswood Road. Pedestrian phasing should be introduced to the
lights immediately. Pedestrians, the elderly and schoolchildren risk their lives crossing
there. Last summer two schoolboys were killed at or near that junction. How many more must
be killed before Hackney does something?
Terry Muscat
The Lordship Park Traffic Reduction Group can be contacted on 020 8211 8068.
Dear N16,
I am just about to go and stay for a while in Spain and it occurs to me that one of the
things that I shall missa lot is no longer being able to go to the Stoke Newington Library
on Saturday mornings. I would like to thank the staff for the excellent service they
provide, under what, at times, look to be difficult circumstances. I have always
found them extremely helpful , unflappable and eager to encourage use of the library. I
have always found something I wanted to read at the library and when I have specially
ordered books these too have arrived. I imagine people are all too ready to criticise when
there is a problem so I wanted to make sure that, before I went away, I expressed my
appreciation of their work.
Best wishes.
Helen Brown
Dear N16,
You ran an advertisement for Cat Care in the January 2000 issue which attracted a very
healthy number of enquiries.The January edition was great. Congratulations to whoever
designed the cover.
Best wishes
Barry Menteath,
CAT CARE, Phone: 0181 806 7264
To all at N16,
Our first visit to Stoke Newington or 'Stokey' as it is often called, took place late
October 1998. We were advised by our tour guides (two well travelled visitors to Stokey)
that we had to first board the infamous No.73 bus to see Stoke Newington in all its glory
As most visitors to London from the North don't see much of London other than the tube
stations, boarding a London Red Bus was quite a feat in itself.
Our first stop was the Rose & Crown pub where we were introduced to the esteemed
company of a friend of our guides. And then of course that infamous Stoke Newington pub
crawl. Pub names escape us though, as the alcohol took hold, but we are assured we visited
most of the splendid public houses and eateries along the way. Judging by the size of our
hangovers the following morning, I think it is fair to say we wholeheartedly imbibed the
'Stokey' atmosphere.
An apology must be made to our new friend for the 'liberation' (ahem) of a certain bottle
of brandy and a further apology to our colleagues for dropping said bottle in Russell
Square. However on our second visit to 'Stokey' in October 1999 we redeemed ourselves with
the purchase of a miniature House of Commons whisky hope he enjoyed it!
Of course, we can't close our piece without mentioning football the mighty Liverpool
having trounced Arsenal twice this season - but we won't dwell on that eh chaps! Hope to
be back this year - we may even descend for the 'Stokey' Festival watch this space and
lock up your brandy!
Ciao!
The Gruesome Twosome,
aka Julie Gibson/Sheryl Butterworth
c/o MTUCURC, 24 Hardman Street,
Liverpool L1 9AX.
I probably live over 150 miles from Stoke Newington but bizarre as it may
sound I got a Christmas present wrapped with a page of N16 magazine. The said page was a
picture of a rather stunning woman with the words 'Helsinki'. I got your web address from
the back of the page. Please can you put the article and the picture on your website. I
look forward to reading it.
Thanks
Alex
Editor Sorry, Alex, the picture of the beautiful model was from the Helsinki fashion
store advertisement, not from an article. Good to know the magazine provided quality
wrapping paper.
Dear N16,
I wonder if a reader can give any information about a local Stamford Hill character, alas
no longer with us?
I first saw him when I was a young child in 1937. My mother and I were on Stamford Hill
when we saw this man with shoulder-length hair unheard-of for a man at that time. My
mother told me he was a hermit who was quite old (she said 'about 80' although he looked
to be 35-40.) She told me he lived alone and was very healthy because he never ate meat,
walked everywhere and lived a healthy life. He always seemed to move between Stamford Hill
and Clapton Common. I kept seeing him over the years, but last saw him in Safeways about
6-7 years ago and I fear he must have passed on. I very much wished to talk to him, but
never did, as I respected his privacy. Even if he was 'only' 40-50 years old back in 1937,
that would make him a very old man when he died and he did not look it. I'd love to know
more about him.
Paul Farren,
Lincoln Court,
Bethune Road, N16
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