“Network Rail needs to undertake essential engineering works at Feltham West level crossing.  To facilitate these works, the level crossing will be closed to pedestrians as well as vehicles from 11.00pm Saturday 21st January until 5.00am Monday 6th February (16 days)

The alternative pedestrian route for access to the other side of the crossing will be to use the footbridge or the route through the shopping centre.

For disabled access across the crossing please contact an on-site Amey member of staff who will assist as required.

Should you have concerns about these arrangement please contact Network Rail Community Relations on 08457 114141.
Alternatively, the Amey Rail’s on-site engineers can be contacted direct on 08700 781 000.

Thank you for your understanding and we are sorry for any inconvenience these essentialengineering works may cause.”

I received the following last Friday:

“Vehicles and cycles will be diverted via New Road and A244 Hounslow Road. We will work with TfL Traffic Signals to adjust the traffic signal timings at both the Bedfont Lane/High Street and Hounslow Road/Hanworth Road junctions to try and reduce any delays as much as possible.
 
Pedestrians will have three options; the footbridge adjacent to the level crossing will remain open at all times; the footbridge and ramp into The Centre will be available for use 24-hours a day; and there is the longer route via the footways on New Road and Hounslow Road. During the day the contractor working for Network Rail will have operatives on hand to offer assistance to anyone who has mobility difficulties to help and escort them around the closure, either through The Centre or via the lifts within Feltham Station itself.
 
Network Rail has already undertaken a letter drop to local residents and businesses. Advance notice signs are on site and signs specific for pedestrians will be on site before Monday. On Thursday and Friday next week there will be representatives from Network Rail on site distributing leaflets to all pedestrian and cyclists using the crossing advising them of the pending closure and the alternative routes available to them. Letters will also provided to the local primary schools for distributing to parents.”

I am going to have a little rest and then make progress with the casework picked up during the campaign!

I wish the other candidates well but hope that a majority will vote for me the Conservative, and local, candidate.

As I commented before the General Election, Politicians cross the road to meet the people.  With Boris, people cross the road to meet him.  It really is incredible just how many people want to say hello and have their picture taken with him.   I am uncertain whether there are many people like him and it is great to have someone like him on my side.

One of the differences between this by-election and the General Elections I have fought is the amount of media interviews.  A great experience.  Yesterday was no different with me talking with Hayes FM and Sangat TV.

Today and tomorrow to go and all to play for!

Nasty = See one comment posted in response to the above article.  No idea why this alias would have the need to say such things?  Of course, there are a handful of detractors who may get a kick out of reading it but never do they explain what value this adds.  My children are very young but I confess that I do not like the idea of having to protect and shield my children from seeing such insults.  No children would want to read it written about their parent and in a modern internet world such remarks can be easy to find or google.

Ignorant (and bizarre) = To be called a Toff is as bonkers as being referred to as a well-heeled member of the society (which I was before the 2010 General Election).

I thought that all candidates spoke well.  It was nice to see Jim Fitzpatrick MP in the audience.  I found him very pleasant.  I made reference to him a couple of times.

Many thanks to the Hounslow Chamber of Commerce for organising the event!

“The Conservatives that ran Hounslow from 2006-2010 gave us more tax rises and poorer services”

Which were these?  The Lib-Dem candidate will know about this blog and is free to post the answer.

There is a claim from two people on different forums that I used to report this and that via my blog when previously a candidate and then afterwards, “zilch”.

Three responses:

1. See link to archive (by month) on the right;
2. One of these two people was challenged to submit a Freedom of Information request on how much casework I do.  He is free to forward the response he had to me or comment on his findings via this blog;
3. The same person who had also accused me of being on holiday since the election was asked what – using the blog activity to make his claim – meant for 98% of Councillors who do not blog at all?  Never seen an answer but then he is not obliged to give one.  Thankfully, I answer questions when they are put to me.

I suppose next one of my opponents will claim that leaflets are only going out in Feltham North because there is a by-election and I have never delivered one, unless there is a vote coming, before?

In the past I had concerns about the carpark and the litter at the side of the parade.  Since the previous General Election, I did report things when I saw them but not as frequently as then.  Here is what I saw yesterday:

I will report to the relevant department at the Council.

What happened yesterday

Started the day outside handing out literature outside Feltham Train Station.  UKIP arrived around the same time and the Lib Dems quite a while afterwards.  I shook hands with both the UKIP and Lib-Dem candidates having not met them before.

I then met Hugh Robertson MP, Minister for Sport, and we went along to Feltham Community College and saw some of the brilliant approach to sport at the school.  We met Hounslow Kickz who have previously been to the West Area Committee.  Both Mr Robertson and I were then interviewed by BBC southeast BBC London News.  I understand that this was shown on tv today but I have not yet seen it.

I then did some campaigning in Hounslow West, Bedfont and Hanworth.

What happened today

Damian Green MP, Minister at the Home Office, visited Feltham this morning.  A number of residents raised Labour’s failure to control immigration when it was in power.

I could not believe it when I saw Clive Everton who is a respected Snooker commentator.  He seemed impressed when I recognised him.

Whilst this was a great visit, the highlight of the day had to be the visit from the Prime Minister.  He and I went to DHL and he took a wide range of questions from their employees.  I genuinely thought that it was the Prime Minister at his very best.  Here is a write up from the Chronicle.

This afternoon we visited Heston businesses.  A number of MPs visited.

Back out this evening.  A great campaign and one we are winning.