London – A bridge-building exercise with the Orthodox community by Transport for London officials has been dismissed as a “sham” after suggestions for enhancements in services were rejected.
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During a meeting in February called by TfL to improve relations and discuss transport issues, TfL officers pledged to “get discussion going” on a range of issues.
These included relaxing parking restrictions on Shabbat and High Holy-Days, introducing public buses for Jewish school pupils and extending the 210 Brent Cross-Finsbury Park bus route to Stamford Hill.
But in a letter sent to those who attended the meeting, TfL maintained that many of the issues were too “challenging”.
TfL director of news Stuart Ross wrote that dedicated faith school transport would be “difficult to justify financially”.
He added that an extension of the 210 route would cost more than £900,000 per year and that introducing a new route would be a “more expensive option”.
As for removing parking restrictions on Shabbat and festivals, this would “undermine the objectives” of TfL to manage roads, could hinder traffic flow and would set a precedent, prompting similar requests from other religious communities and organisations.
Edgware Lubavitch rabbi Leivi Sudak complained that the TfL response “seems a complete contrast to the original spirit that was shared when the meeting was called. It was supposed to be about working together with the community. But coming back with these pathetic responses – the meeting was a sham.
“I’m really upset about their quasi-excuse for not bringing the 210 around to Stamford Hill. It’s not a fair answer and it is an answer just to push people aside and say ‘don’t be a nuisance’ – and that is hurtful.”
Why do yiddin throughout the world constantly seek to carve out special arrangements for their needs. At at time for fiscal constraint for public transit systems throughout the world, there is no money for such special arrangments that would benefit only jewish transit users. The shabbos parking issue, however, seems like somthing the City should accomodate.
This shows how things get dealt in london so do the police department do the same thing the only difference between those 2 departments are that the police don’t even sit down to negotiate cuz we have some stupid yiden witch are good with some officers they think they do good with it (yes a few times they must do ) otherwise they will get hated by the community completely, so wake up guys and get a life and go out and show these people who we are and then will start working with you “go shomrim go” just has to be run by a respectful person and people will back you guys and then we can all work together to show these people that when yiden have an issue (like the gnives)they have to deal with it not say yes and when we turn around they say screw you in a nice way!!
BTW, the 210 ends at Finsbury Park and then one has to catch another bus to go the last 10 minuets to Stamford Hill.
What most of the commentator’s do not seem to know is that Finsbury Park is a very rough and dangerous area, it is where an infamous mosque is located, where radical Muslims were planning attacks. This area is full of low, drunk, undesirables just itching for a chance to attack Jews. I myself have been attacked there more then once, the police seem to be incapable of protecting innocent commuters passing that area.
The attacks come from Muslims, Blacks and drunken Ukrainian and Polacks who hang out in that area.
All Jews know that if you are driving through Finsbury Park and you see a Jew waiting for a bus, you stop and pick them up because it is Pekuach Nefesh. And know, there really isn’t too much of a choice to avoid Finsbury Park.
We pay our taxes, we are entitled to protection(which we don’t get), and we are entitled to ONE bus route to go into our neighborhood so that we can travel safely.
From my own personal experience I do NOT find STAMFORD HILL any safer then finsbury park having been Mugged there once, so whats the difference?
It is like asking the B16 bus to start from 13th avenue 38th St so that we can get to Kings Highway easier without having to change buses – get my drift – nice of you to ask the TFL but not sure why they should oblige?
The problem with going to Brent Cross is that it “pas nisht” for the woman to drive as tznius issues blah blah blah but then they can parade their wares on the bus instead sharing the views with those sitting behind and in front – putting themselves in non-safe situations (like having to wait at finsbury park) and then sit in minicabs (that for your info is driven mainly by muslims in full garb) with male drivers that HATE US oh and let me remind you these same “male drivers” go to pick up the kids from school and take them home. If these woman would drive they could take their kids to school and get to brent cross without any life threatening situations.
Get my drift!
Milhouse.
You are absolutely right.
I have lived in London all my life.
The “leaders” of the community in general and the UOHC in particular have a good relationship with the authorities in London. The problem is that they never use their goodwill for matters of benefit to the wider community only when it is benefit to themselves. A good example is the “lofts” issue which affected 20 or 30 people at most.
The only way to get the askonim to do anything for the community is to be very rich.
The single shining example of benefit to the community is Mrs. Simons of AIHA who has done wonderful things for the community but all on her own and with her own staff keeping UOHC etc. right out of any aspect of control.
Don’t believe a word you read in the Jewish Tribune, it is controlled by members of the UOHC committee whose sole purpose in life is to line their own pockets with our money.
To London Posheter Yid:
You aren’t so poshut!
What absolute rechilus!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, Mrs Cymerman and AIHA have done wonderful things, but to have the nerve to state that the UOHC is out to line their pockets is outrageous! Perhaps the editors here should edit out lies and rechilus, particularly about Dayonim and Rabbonim who run a beautiful kehilla, well run and well thought of charedi kehilla and constantly upgrading itself. The UOHC committee is, by the way, voluntary and unpaid and consists of representatives of each shul of the Union. Every mosad has it’s detractors and this website is not an appropriate place to air your kvetches.
By the way, AIHA is subsidised by the Government, and together with the rents from housing, go to pay expenses and salaries, so let’s keep things in perspective!
On the one hand we have TFL saying that it would cost £900,000 per year to extend the 210 bus to Stamford Hill and on the other we have those who say that it would serve a purpose for the community. The answer, surely, is to give it a try. Tell the tzibbur that there will be a one year trial during which TFL will monitor the use of the additional service and then see what to do next. If the communal machers can’t get the public to use the service then it will be abandoned. If it is used sufficiently, then the trial will be justified. I think part of the problem is that TFL have put double deck buses on the 210 and any extension of the service will entail either reverting to single deck buses or rerouting the service at Finsbury Park to avoid the low railway bridges next to the station.