Campaigners who fought relentlessly against a proposed bus garage near their homes have been celebrating after Transport for London (TfL) abandoned the plans.
Residents in Hanworth Road, Hounslow, feared a huge new depot on the site of the former Williams Dye Works would cause unbearable traffic, noise and pollution – and have been calling for a new public park to be built there instead.
Tirthankar Bandyopadhyay, who led the campaign, told London Mayor Boris Johnson in a letter that the area “has a dearth of decent open spaces and parks, and conversion of this site would bring a lot of benefit to residents, especially children and young people”.
He has now been told London Buses no longer wants to use the site, and has called for Hounslow Council to negotiate with the Mayor towards converting the land into a park.
Hounslow Heath Councillor John Connelly, who has agreed to support the bid, said: “The decision to abandon the bus garage plan comes after a long campaign against the proposal by residents who feared that congestion, noise and pollution would be unbearable if the development had gone ahead.
“It represents a victory for the community over a large public body that had Hounslow’s planners behind their plans.
“Mr Bandyopadhyay’s proposal for a public open space is supported by many residents, and I hope the council leadership is open to the idea of purchasing the land for the benefit of people. I will certainly push the idea forward as much as I can.”
Mr Bandyopadhyay said: “I pay tribute to those who have highlighted the problems that might have arisen if the bus garage had been set up along the Hanworth Road.”
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