Monday 2 February 2009

Walthamstow in the snow



















(Above) Hoe Street. I didn't fancy cycling in this, so instead I walked. And on my travels I didn't see any signs of gritting anywhere, not even on steep streets like Hurst Road E17 and Falmer Road. I saw no council workers clearing snow anywhere in central Walthamstow.

Residents of Waltham Forest may wish to read this .

Should you have any questions you could put them to the Council’s cabinet member for the environment

Everywhere seemed strangely quiet. There was a lot less traffic around than usual. Most motorists were driving very sensibly, at a crawl, but I saw a couple of idiots, one in a 4X4, who were going far too fast for the road conditions.

(Below) Reclaim the streets! Pedestrians walk with confidence down the middle of the road on St Mary Road.


















(Below) All schools and colleges seem to have closed today.



















(Below) Not a good day for any two-wheelers.


















(Below) According to the Big Screen there was snow in London. Breaking news which, as usual, enthralled crowds of excited spectators, who gathered in their hundreds in the Town Square to gaze in wonder at the strange marvel of moving images on a screen.






































(Below) Walthamstow High Street. No sign of any gritting, no council workers out with brushes or shovels, clearing the snow for shoppers.



















(Below) Selborne Road, junction with Hoe Street.




















(Below) Plenty of spare cycle parking today, outside The Mall.



















(Below) Snow over ice. The cycle lane and pedestrian steps at the junction of St Mary Road and Hoe Street. No sign of any gritting.




















(Below) Evidence of cycling commuters, outside Walthamstow Central.



















(Below) The only cyclist I saw this morning.



















(Below) Walthamstow bus station




































(Below) Vital health & beauty products are transported to a nation in crisis.



















(Below) "I'm sorry officer, I was drinking this brandy because I was cold and I simply couldn't see the NO ALCOHOL ZONE sign because of the shnow..."




















(Below) Like everywhere else, the main pedestrian entrance to the bus station from Walthamstow High Street was a sheet of ice, with no sign of any gritting.




















(Below) The driver of this van had braked on the steep hill on Byron Road E17, been unable to stop on the ice, and had evidently crashed into a bollard. The front of the van was seriously wrecked. I didn't photograph the front because the driver and his mate were sitting inside and they looked seriously fed up. I can't say I blame them as it didn't look as if Byron Road had been gritted.



















(Below) St Mary's




















(Below) The Ancient House, Walthamstow village. Supposedly the oldest continuously inhabited building in London.