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Lost: tree we loved
• CAN someone explain why Transport for London (TfL) seems to have taken over Upper Street and why Islington Council is allowing it to ride roughshod over what is supposedly a conservation area?
First, TfL removed a tree that was outside our house. It was a healthy mature tree, it didn’t obstruct the traffic, its roots were not affecting the buildings and it housed a family of chiffchaffs. We loved that tree. We could watch the seasons change from our windows, watch the birds play in its branches and it shielded us from the passengers on the upper decks of buses. We have a print of Upper Street from 1819 showing a tree on this site.
When we phoned the council it seemed unable to give us an explanation, so we contacted TfL and received the reply: “I appreciate your concerns but please note that this tree had been struck by vehicles and buses on numerous occasions. It will be re-planted by the end of November with a Liriodendron Tulipifera.”
We have lived in Upper Street since 1984 and “this tree” has never been “struck” by anything. If it had, we should have known about it. To date, our tree still hasn’t been replaced.
Second, why is TfL resurfacing roads and replacing kerbs in Upper Street? There was nothing wrong with the surface of the roads and the kerbs were strong, attractive and adequate. The original kerb stones have now been replaced by asphalt. TfL has suspended loading bays for several days in Upper Street, causing problems for businesses. It parks its resurfacing vehicles on the side roads during the day, monopolising the few parking spaces available for visitors or residents yet it only begins work at 9pm. This makes no sense.
So, TfL is chopping down healthy mature trees and replacing them with saplings but only where it wants to. TfL is resurfacing roads unnecessarily and turning our pavements into eyesores. Given that the council holds sway over what colour we are allowed to paint our house because we live in a conservation area, we’d like to know why it let TfL get away with this.
Liz de Havilland
Upper Street, N1 |
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