BARNET PARK SET TO BECOME CLEANER, SAFER AND GREENER

Writing for the Barnet and Potters Bar Times this week, MP for Chipping Barnet, Theresa Villiers, celebrates good news for Dollis Valley Green Walk after Londoners voted it into the top-ten in the Mayor of London's 'Help a London Park' scheme...

After months of non-stop bad news on the economy, it was great to have some good news last week. I was delighted to learn that the Dollis Valley Green Walk in Barnet is in line for a £400,000 make-over, after Londoners voted it into the top ten in the Mayor of London’s ‘Help a London Park’ scheme.

In November, as part of his quest to make London cleaner, safer and greener, Boris Johnson invited Londoners to vote on a shortlist of parks and green spaces across the capital, nominated by their local Councils, to say where they would most like to see improvements made.

Over 4000 people cast their vote for the Dollis Valley Green Walk which curves through the south west corner of my Chipping Barnet constituencies and down towards Finchley. I applaud the work done by the Council and by the park’s “Friends” group in promoting support for this much valued local green space (though it was a bit of a shock to stumble across Cllr Andrew Harper talking about this on YouTube!).

I am certain that almost all of my constituents would agree on the huge contribution local parks and green spaces play in our quality of life here in the suburbs. I certainly enjoy strolling down the Dollis Valley Green Walk and cycling the stretch along Dollis Brook which is open to bicycles.

Following the vote, a variety of improvements are up for discussion, including better footpaths, more lighting to improve safety and new play facilities for children and families in Windsor Open Space, Brent Park and Riverside Walk. I am particularly pleased the introduction of new wildlife habitats is also under consideration, including a new wetland woodland habitat and reed bed and enhancement of the hay meadows along the walk. Work is also likely to begin on landscaping the entrances to the park to make them more attractive and welcoming.

Projects such as this one are important not just for aesthetic and qualify of life purposes, improving our public spaces can also play a valuable role in encouraging walking and cycling – key priorities for me in my capacity as Shadow Secretary of State for Transport. If the revamp of the Dollis Valley Green Walk can make it more accessible as safe and convenient route for residents walking to nearby shops, schools and public transport links, we will be helping to promote healthier lifestyles, providing an alternative to some short car journeys currently taking up space on the roads and helping to boost local retail outlets – so it is potentially a win-win-win situation.

Last of all, I should sound a note of caution. As well as being a pleasant place to take some time out and enjoy the scenery, Dollis Brook performs an important function in providing storm drainage in the event of heavy rainfall. As plans are finalised to make the park prettier and safer, we should not lose site of this more prosaic element of the benefits that the Dollis Valley Green Walk brings to our local environment and the Council needs to ensure that this is not jeopardised by any of the proposed alterations.