This week Caroline Russell, the Green Party’s No 2 candidate for the London-wide section of the London Assembly, visited Newham in advance of her election campaign.
She issued this statement after seeing the double concrete wall cutting through Silvertown to create the route of the new Crossrail line.
“This ugly, impassable barrier runs right through the heart of Silvertown where it blights local commercial activity and creates an intimidating environment for pedestrians.
“Shame on the Crossrail planners for showing such contempt for local people. I don’t for one second think they would have treated a more affluent part of London like this. But because Silvertown is poor, they think they can get away with it – and the worst of it is they’re right.
“There is very little that can be done to alleviate the ugliness and the physical obstacle, but at the very least TfL should green the concrete so they are giving something back to the area they have so badly scarred.”
Caroline Russell is a member of Islington Council where, as the sole Green member, she constitutes the entire opposition to the Labour Party. She is also the Green Party’s local transport spokesperson.