News from Barking & Dagenham – December 2024
A lot of money invested in land
Now that the plan to relocate Billingsgate and Smithfield Market to Dagenham has been buried, it is not only the Borough that is discussing how to proceed. The costs of the project had continued to rise, but even abandoning it is expensive. 308 million has already been invested in the purchase and preparation of land.
There are firm plans for the continued use of the old market halls. Where Smithfield, the country’s largest meat market, still operates, there will be cultural offerings. Among other things, the new London Museum is to move in here. Billingsgate in Poplar, near Canary Wharf, will create space for several thousand flats. In view of the large sums spent on the Dockland site in Dagenham to date, all observers assume that plans for a different use will soon be on the table.
New names for Overground
The six London Overground lines are to be given new names and new identifying colours. The line from Gospel Oak to Barking Riverside, for example, is to be called the ‘Suffragette Line’ and the one from Romford to Upminster the ‘Liberty’. This is associated with high costs. Signposts and route maps will have to be renewed at all 113 stations. A total of six million is involved. The new system should make it easier for users to find their way. However, Mayor Sadiq Khan also points out that the names tell stories.
E-bikes: the threat of fines
E-bikes standing in the way are a problem throughout London. Users are hard to find when the bikes are left in the middle of the pavement or in the entrance to a bus station. Transport for London (TfL) is now taking action against the hire companies. They should ensure that their bikes are only left at the designated stations, otherwise they could face heavy fines or even legal proceedings. So far, there are 3,000 ‘proper’ parking spaces in the city, and 800 are to be added next summer. TfL has also made a million available for the boroughs to create 7500 new spaces.
