Islanders block the buses - with tea and cake
FRUSTRATED Islanders waged war on rail replacement buses clogging their street – by blocking it with a tea party.
Residents passed around tea and sausage rolls in the middle of Saunders Ness Road on Sunday to disrupt the route of the double-decker buses, which were laid on as an alternative to the suspended Docklands Light Railway service.
Buses use the road as a turning point when the rail service is closed to make adjustments for expanded three-car DLR trains. But locals have complained about noise into the early morning and speeding buses.
Blackwall and Cubitt Town councillor Tim Archer said: “It was a very Isle of Dogs protest. We had a nice cup of tea and a sausage roll, and offered refreshments to the bus drivers, DLR representative and the police when they came down.
“It was a very civilised action, but with a serious point.�
As many as 14 buses backed up towards Canary Wharf when it kicked off at around 1pm. Following discussions with police officers called to the scene, organisers agreed to clear the road at 2pm.
Buses turn in Saunders Ness Road to return to Island Gardens station, allowing passengers to be dropped off near DLR stations. But residents are angry at disruption every three minutes from 5am to 1am, and fear the speed of the vehicles could lead to an accident.
Co-organiser Kathy McTasney said: "There's no consideration for people that live here. They come speeding down the road, and it's an accident waiting to happen.
"They come down here bumper to bumper. We've counted six buses within three minutes at one point.
"We just don't want the buses to come down this street anymore. We've heard we'll get the same disruption this May Bank Holiday as well. We just want a little piece and quiet on our weekends, which isn't too much to ask.
"It's not about causing disruption to Canary Wharf. It's about showing DLR we mean business. This will cost them a lot of money, but at this point we're at the end of our tether and we don't really care.
"Every time they decide to put the buses on, we may or may not decide to come out for a cup of tea, some cake and a chat. A lot of our neighbours came out on Sunday, and many of them are now asking when we can do the next one."
Residents fear disruption over the summer, with six weeks of closures planned during June and July. But a spokesman for the DLR claimed that, in that case, buses would loop around the Island to reach Canary Wharf, and would not turn on Saunders Ness Road.
He said: “We’ve been in correspondence with the residents for quite a while. There’s really nowhere else the buses can go.
“We’ve had someone posted near the road to manage the buses, and we’re more than happy to continue to do that.�
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