Zac Goldsmith Makes Pre-Mayoral Election Visit To Chiswick

Makes pledges on Piccadilly Line stopping at Turnham Green, air pollution and development

Mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith visited Chiswick today (2 May) as part of a whistle-stop tour of south west London and said if elected this week he would push TfL to have more Piccadilly Line train stops at Turnham Green during non-peak periods.

He also hinted that a high-rise project such as the controversial 32-storey Curve would not be the sort of development he would approve of if asked to make a decision as Mayor. He said developments had to be in keeping with the local area and had to be acceptable to local communities.

Zac Goldsmith (on right) pictured with James Cracknell in Chiswick

He was welcomed to Chiswick by members of the Conservative Association of Brentford & Isleworth, including Olympian James Cracknell, LA member Tony Arbour and local officials and councillors. The group carried out a leafleting campaign and met members of the public.

Mr. Goldsmith told chiswickw4.com that he felt "confident" ahead of the election and local people had raised issues of importance ranging from air pollution, the third runway, inappropriate development, and the quality of service on South West Trains.

Asked if he would be prepared to push TfL to have more Piccadilly Line trains stop at non -peak periods at Turnham Green he replied; "I would and I have committed to doing so, if elected. Mary Macleod is a very effective lobbyist and has briefed me and impressed on me how important it is for the area. I will use my influence with TfL to ensure that they revisit this urgently."

In relation to the controversial 32-storey Chiswick Curve, (the planning application for which is currently 'on hold'), he said this was very likely to be a matter which crossed his desk if he was elected but he could not give a definitive answer at present.

He said his default position was developments had to be in keeping with the local area and had to be acceptable to local communities. Clearly we needed to build more homes in the city, but "we won't achieve that if we end up putting communities' backs up."

More often than not, low-rise low-density development tended to be what people favoured, though not that you couldn't have high rise in certain areas, he added.

Asked if he felt that local Councils including Hounslow gave a preference to development over the wishes of the local community, he said; "Lots of Councils have, ..... there is no excuse for inappropriate development.

"We need to up the number of homes being built, but it's an opportunity not to repeat the mistakes of the past. I want to build but I want to build well."

If elected Mayor would he listen more to local people rather than developers? " Absolutely, you have to work with communities, they on the whole get it right, it's not true to say communities don't want any development in their back yard, they just don't want inappropriate developments in their back yard, and they're right not to."

Would you say a 32-storey tower is acceptable at all to see from a World Heritage site such as Kew Gardens?

"I will re-evaluate anything that crosses my desk to ensure that it is in keeping with the local area and that it gets the green light of approval from local residents and on that basis it's hard to imagine this kind of development passing that test."

In relation to air pollution - high levels in Gunnersbury were highlighted last week, he said that the problem was that it is an invisible killer, 1,000 people die in London annually as a consequence of air pollution.

"As Mayor I will have all the tools and technology I will need to make London a pollution-free zone, it's not just a central London issue, I've just come from Putney High Street which has high levels of pollution.

"I've committed that if elected, by the end of the first term, every bus will be electric or low-emission zone compliant, the same with cabs and mini cabs, and I will have an electric car-club for all of London - Paris is doing it and it's working.

"I'll make sure that contracts are not awarded to companies whose works vehicles don't pass the highest standards. This will collectively have a massive impact, in terms of air quality, though clearly it's not the whole story. What I also want is to get from government, which currently doesn't exist, a London-wide diesel scrappage scheme to get the dirtiest vehicles off the road."

He said in relation to the third runway at Heathrow, that he believed that the battle had been won by the anti-expansion lobby. I really believe we've won the argument, though it remains to be seen, " he commented.

The Mayor of London & London Assembly elections take place on 5 May.

12 candidates are standing for Mayor and they are: (Alphabetically)

BERRY, Sian Rebecca - Green Party

FURNESS, David - British National Party

GALLOWAY, Respect (George Galloway)

GOLDING, Paul - Britain First

GOLDSMITH, Zac - The Conservative Party

HARRIS, Lee Eli - Cannabis is Safer than Alcohol

KHAN, Sadiq Aman - Labour Party

LOVE, Ankit - One Love Party

PIDGEON, Caroline - London Liberal Democrats

WALKER, Sophie - Women's Equality Party

WHITTLE, Peter Roin - UK Independence Party (UKIP)

Zylinski, Prince - Independent

May 3, 2016