Cllr James Hockney LLB (Hons)

Thank you to everyone who attended the public meeting this week.

On the panel was representatives from the Police, Council officers, Transport for London (TfL), GLA Member Joanne McCartney, Councillor Chris Dey chairing and myself.

A10 Speed Cameras:
There was broad support for the need for average speed cameras on the Southbury Road to Great Cambridge Road roundabout section. The Council will be meeting Transport for London this month on the matter.

Recently I placed a Freedom of Information request about the two sections of the A10. The figures clearly showed that when the average speed cameras were introduced on the northern section of the A10 – injury accident rates have reduced over the years. There is a clear need for the average speed cameras on the Southbury Road to Great Cambridge Road roundabout section.

Noise cameras:
On the discussion of illegally modified cars – there has been a trial of noise cameras in four locations across the country by the Department for Transport. Follow up enquiries will be made about next steps on this technology.

Car Meets:
The Council is progressing on the work needed to apply to the Courts to secure an injunction against car meets in Enfield Borough.

The Police continue to shut down car meets with the ongoing Transport Police ‘Operation Ghost Freak’ working with a dedicated local Policing team.
Enforcement in recent months;
16 x vehicles seized for no insurance and breach of section 59.
2x vehicles seized for no insurance.
25x Traffic Offences (Court summons).
2x tickets for breach of Enfield PSPO ( £200).
Arrest 1x offensive weapon zombie knife / supply of controlled drugs.
Arrest 1x wanted failure to appear at court – possession offensive weapon.
Arrest 1x drug drive initially failed to stop and mounted the pavement.
Arrests 2x possession of drugs intent to supply & offensive weapon.
Arrest 1x arrest for drug driving, possession cannabis.

I will continue to call for the London Mayor to implement ‘Operation Vision Zero’ which would bring additional Transport Police resource to tackle dangerous A10 speeding and car meets.

Both the Council and Police are in contact with different car parks about improving security at their sites. There are numerous car meet locations – the former B&Q site measures is a welcome step – but there is still more to do across the Borough. I have also been reaching out to a number of the owners / management companies of local car parks.
It is disappointing that the car park companies did not attend the public meeting.

Progress is being made – but I do recognise the frustration in the community about the amount of time this is taking. I will update when I have more information.

Firstly thank you to everyone that attended the meeting  – it was a great turnout.

So the good news. At the meeting the local Police reported they had secured additional funding for Police Officers to target the car meet hotspots. In the lead up to the meeting TfL also confirmed the Road Traffic Police will conduct more speed checks on the A10.

We had a great panel – including GLA Member Emma Best (who presented the 2000+ petition to the GLA Assembly), Councillor Chris Dey chairing, Insp Richard Lee and Sergeant Crosby from the Police, Derek Wheeler (Bush Hill Park Residents Association Chair) and Rob Varney from TfL. One of the business park land owners was also in the audience.

In the run up to the meeting I have had a series of discussions with a number of car park managers / owners on the issue. They are an important part of moving this issue forward. A lot of behind the scenes work has taken place on securing the concrete blocks at the Colosseum car park (former B&Q) – and pressed over recent months to address the delays on installation. Pleased to confirm additional concrete blocks are to be installed in addition to the ones that went in the other week.

Sadly Enfield Council did not have any Council Officers available to attend – however the Council CEO sent an email which was read out at the meeting – stating the authority is committed to tackling the issue. In addition to continuing to support the good work I am doing on the issue.

Next steps: I have reached out to the CEO/Leader of Enfield Council, my local MP and our GLA Assembly member requesting for discussion. To this end I will be meeting the Enfield Council Leader and CEO next month. The GLA Assembly Member office is scheduling a time to chat. Still awaiting to hear back from my MP.

To be clear I am in constant contact with the Council, Police, GLA and TfL on this issue. I have always been clear that the different agencies need to come together to tackle this issues at hand. In addition I am now speaking directly to car park managers and owners.

Mentioned at the meeting was the Charter for Action that I launched last month – has five steps the Council needs to take and three steps Mayor of London/GLA needs to take. Please do write to your MP, GLA Member and Councillors backing the aims of the Charter.

Police enforcement this weekend.

This weekend a major car meet of 300+ cars took place at the Innova Business Park.

There was danger of injury to the spectators and the Police closed the event down. With a stop site set up at the entrance to Innova Business Park. All vehicles were stopped and examined as they left.

However some participants broke down a wooden fence and exit barrier – enabling them to avoid the Police stop site.

Enforcement includes:

6x Notices of Intention to Prosecute. Including dangerous driving.

1x Arrest wanted on warrant.

4x Vehicles seized for no insurance

3x Stop and search

1x Lock knife seized

1x Possession of cannabis

19x TOR prosecutions including: no licence, not in accordance, plates and other construction and use offences.

50x Community Protection Warnings.

30x+ Section 59’s (s59). Once the Police issue the first S59 – a repeat offence within 12 months means the Police can seize the vehicle.

What the Council needs to do;

• Seek injunction against car cruising / meets. (as many other Councils have).
• Deploy ASB Council officers at car meet hot spots over the evening weekends.
• Deploying mobile CCTV to these locations.
• Amend the protection order – PSPO – to cover the whole of the Borough.
• Continue to press that the former B&Q car park and Innova Business Park car park have enhanced security measures installed.

What TfL / Mayor of London needs to do;

• Introduce noise cameras.
• Deliver average speed cameras along Southbury Road junction to Great Cambridge Road roundabout.
• Bring back the enhanced resources of the Vision Zero operation – to assist the current Policing / Operation Ghost Freak efforts.

What you can do to help:

Please write to your MPs, GLA member and Councillors calling for the above.

A10 Petition – Presented

The petition was presented to City Hall the other week with over 2,000 signatures. We will await the response from the Mayor.

This is secure average speed cameras along Southbury Road to Great Cambridge Road roundabout – our first petition secured the average speed cameras along the A10 Southbury Road to Bullsmoor – lets hope the second petition also succeeds.

The A10 has some of the highest levels of speeding and accidents in London.

Average speed cameras / noise cameras:

Since the petition was started the technology of noise cameras has come along. This technology is still in the trial stages. It was disappointing that the Mayor of London is still not supporting deploying noise cameras – despite the real need for them – we will keep pressing for action.

Background action: 

As part of the campaign to improve A10 road safety has included car meets – as these issues are interlinked. I have been holding multi-agency meetings over the years to try and move the issue forward – working with the Council, Police and TfL/GLA.

Public meeting:

I am working with others to organise a public meeting next month – scheduled for October 9th.

I appreciate the frustration on the ongoing issue – having been pressing on it for nearly five years myself!

What has been secured in that time:

1. Average Speed Cameras on the northern section of the A10 above Southbury Road.
2. Operation Vision Zero between 2019-2021
3. Operation Ghostfreak between 2021 to date.

What the Council needs to do;

• Seek injunction against car cruising / meets. (as many other Councils have).
• Deploy ASB Council officers at car meet hot spots over the evening weekends.
• Deploying mobile CCTV to these locations.
• Amend the protection order – PSPO – to cover the whole of the Borough.
• Continue to press that the former B&Q car park has security measures installed.

What TfL / Mayor of London needs to do;

• Introduce noise cameras.
• Deliver average speed cameras along Southbury Road junction to Great Cambridge Road roundabout.
• Bring back the enhanced resources of the Vision Zero operation – to assist the current Policing / Operation Ghostfreak efforts.

What you can do to help:

Please write to your MPs, GLA member and Councillors calling for the above.

A10 Petition – Presented

The petition was presented to City Hall on Thursday with over 2,000 signatures. We will await the response from the Mayor.

Thank you to everyone who has signed the A10 petition for average speed cameras along Southbury Road to Great Cambridge Road roundabout. Our first petition secured the average speed cameras along the Southbury Road to M25 – lets hope the second petition also succeeds.

Average speed cameras / noise cameras:

Since the petition was started the technology of noise cameras has come along. This technology is still in the trial stages. It was disappointing that the Mayor of London is still not supporting deploying noise cameras – despite the real need for them – we will keep pressing for action.

Background action: 

As part of the campaign to improve A10 road safety has included car meets – as these issues are interlinked. I have been holding multi-agency meetings over the years to try and move the issue forward – working with the Council, Police and TfL/GLA.

Public meeting:

I am working with others to organise a public meeting next month – scheduled for October 9th.

Securing car-parks:

Many car-parks have seen safety measures taken to discourage car-meets. However, despite requests for security measures on the former ‘B&Q’ site (Dearsley Road) have been delayed for over a year – due to one of the leaseholders failing to sign-off on the proposals to date.

Latest Policing result over weekend:

The Police shut down the car meet at the former B&Q site over the weekend with the following results;

1x Arrest for Drug Drive. 1x Arrest for Possession of Cannabis and ID document offence. 1x Community Resolution for Drugs. Total Vehicles seized: 4x cars. 4x PG9 (roadworthy prohibition). 5x Stop and search. 22x TORs for offences including licence plate breaches, no seat belts, vehicle defects. 1x PND possession cannabis. 15x Section 59 issued at the time.

Policing results over past year (in addition to the above).

10x arrests (disqualified driving, offensive weapons and drugs). 51x vehicles seized ( breaking previous section 59 warnings and no insurance). 61x summons for construction and use. This is for changes such as exhausts without baffles, blacked out windows, non compliant number plates etc. The driver of the vehicle is summonsed to court for essentially an un-roadworthy vehicle which would fail an MOT. 180x Community Protection Warnings. 33x Section 59 warnings. The Police over this time have closed down large meetings at Lock Field Avenue, Innova Business Park, Lee Valley Recreation Centre and Dearsley Road (former B&Q).

I appreciate the issue is a frustrating one – but a lot of effort is going on behind the scenes to tackle the issues. And progress is being made. But there is a lot more to do – please write to your elected representatives calling for action as mentioned above.

The years long campaign to tackle speeding, noise and car meets continues.

It is worth noting that the A10 has some of the worst levels of speeding in London and sadly lives have been lost. We will not rest on improving road safety.

A10 Petition – Presented

The petition was presented to City Hall on Thursday with over 2,000 signatures. We will await the response from the Mayor.

Thank you to everyone who has signed the A10 petition for average speed cameras along Southbury Road to Great Cambridge Road roundabout. Our first petition secured the average speed cameras along the Southbury Road to M25 – lets hope the second petition also succeeds.

Average speed cameras / noise cameras

Since the petition was started the technology of noise cameras has come along. This technology is still in the trial stages. It was disappointing that the Mayor of London is still not supporting deploying noise cameras – despite the real need for them – we will keep pressing for action.

Background action 

As part of the campaign to improve A10 road safety has included car meets – as these issues are interlinked. I have been holding multi-agency meetings over the years to try and move the issue forward – working with the Council, Police and TfL/GLA.

The campaign has succeeded in dedicated Police resources to tackle car meets, known as ‘Operation Ghost Freak’.

I am also working with the Police to organise a public meeting.

Securing car-parks

Many car-parks have seen safety measures taken to discourage car-meets. However, despite requests for security measures on the former ‘B&Q’ site (Dearsley Road) have been delayed for over a year – due to one of the leaseholders failing to sign-off on the proposals to date.

What the Council needs to do;

• Seek injunction against car cruising / meets. (as many other Councils have).
• Deploy ASB Council officers at car meet hot spots over the evening weekends.
• Deploying mobile CCTV to these locations.
• Amend the protection order – PSPO – to cover the whole of the Borough.
• Continue to press that the former B&Q car park has security measures installed.

What TfL / Mayor of London needs to do;

• Introduce noise cameras
• Complete the corridor of average speed cameras
• Bring back the enhanced Vision Zero operation – to assist the current Policing efforts.

Latest Policing result over weekend.

The Police shut down the car meet at the former B&Q site over the weekend with the following results;

1 x Arrest for Drug Drive.

1 x Arrest for Possession of Cannabis and ID document offence.

1 x Community Resolution for Drugs

Total Vehicles seized: 4x cars

4x PG9 (roadworthy prohibition)

5X Stop and search

22x TORs for offences including licence plate breaches, no seat belts, vehicle defects

1x PND possession cannabis

15x Section 59 issued at the time.

I appreciate the issue is a frustrating one – but a lot of effort is going on behind the scenes to tackle the issues. And progress is being made.

Bush Hill Park Ward – Community Road Watch – volunteers sought.

Delighted to say we are relaunching the project – which gives local residents the opportunity to work side by side with their local police teams, and use speed detection equipment to identify speeding vehicles in their communities.

If you would be interested in helping please message me.

The years long campaign to tackle speeding, noise and car meets continues.

It is worth noting that the A10 has some of the worst levels of speeding in London and sadly lives have been lost. We will not rest on improving road safety.

A10 Petition

Thank you to everyone who has signed the A10 petition for average speed cameras along Southbury Road to Great Cambridge Road roundabout. Our first petition secured the average speed cameras along the Southbury Road to M25 – lets hope the second petition also succeeds. We now have over 1,400 signatures – lets get to 1,500. www.change.org/A10Enfield

Average speed cameras / noise cameras

Since the petition was started the technology of noise cameras has come along. This technology is still in the trial stages. It was disappointing that the Mayor of London did not support London being in the current set of trials. There is a question submitted in Mayors Question Time (MQT) on both the average speed cameras and noise cameras for the A10. When the answer appears will update everyone.

Car meets – background action 

As part of the campaign to improve A10 road safety has included car meets – as these issues are interlinked. I have been holding multi-agency meetings over the years to try and move the issue forward.

The campaign has succeeded in dedicated Police resources to tackle car meets, known as ‘Operation Ghost Freak’.

Many car-parks have seen safety measures taken to discourage car-meets. Clearly there are still other hot spots as a result. The former ‘B&Q’ site being one. Through the Police and Council – the owners of the car-park will be installing safety measures.

I have also asked the Council to;

• Deploy ASB Council officers at car meet hot spots over the evening weekends.
• Deploying mobile CCTV to these locations.
• Amend the protection order – PSPO – to cover the whole of the Borough.

In terms of Policing:

The local Police and the dedicated team are working hard.

The other week the Police closed down a large car meeting at Lock field Meadow involving 100+ cars. Every car was stopped and examined leaving the location. Each vehicle was issued a Community Protection Warning.

Last week the Police conducted a local stop site, the following results were achieved included: two disqualified drivers, three lost/stolen vehicles recovered, one road unworthy car, 18 vehicles seized for no insurance and 28 various other traffic offences (TOR).

I appreciate the issue is a frustrating one – but a lot of effort is going on behind the scenes to tackle the issues.

Raglan School Road Safety Update

➡️ We continue to call for 20mph School speed limits at the Amberley Road and Raglan Road entrances. The call has been ongoing since 2018 and we not stop until this is secured. Currently only Wellington Road has a School time 20mph limit.

➡️ Add your support emailing Traffic@Enfield.gov.uk and please feel welcome to copy me in Cllr.James.Hockney@Enfield.gov.uk ➡️ Four years ago the community successfully secured the Zebra crossing and extended zig zag lines on Wellington Road.
➡️ We would like to see School walk to School project (known as walking buses) to encourage walking and reducing car use. Sadly there is £0 funding from the Council.

➡️ There have been complaints about anti social parking and we regularly contact parking enforcement about this. This occurs on many roads and most complaints are about Wellington Road and Manor Way. If you see anti social / illegal parking please contact parking enforcement.

We will not rest until there is a 20mph speed limit on Raglan Road and Amberley Road.