• CAMDEN have produced a leaflet which invites residents to “have our say in the consultation” on a plan to change the layout at South End Green by closing the slip road and creating a permanent streatery on the west side of the actual Green.

This is another go at moving the 168 bus stand in response to a persistent and vociferous campaign.

Ostensibly the 168 buses will now share the area of South End Close where the 24 now stands, and 24 buses will pick up at stop B on Elm Terrace.

Anyone who knows South End Green will realise there is hardly ever sufficient space in South End Close for all the buses on the current two stands, and inevitably during actual operations a lot of buses will stand along Fleet Road, outside or close to Fleet Primary School; the difference from the last scheme tried is the buses on Fleet Road will presumably be 24s instead of 168s. Since stop B is to be extended to accommodate the 24, we can expect one 24 standing there most of the time, right in front of the houses there.

The leaflet claims closing the slip road would “create a new public space for community use”.

In fact the proposal is for the privatisation of public space to provide outside seating for Starbucks and other businesses that haven’t provided any for themselves on their own premises.

Possibly “community use” means handing the remaining space over to favoured groups.

This is the latest variation on the council’s attempts, going back at least to 2004, to oblige those who do not accept that South End Green is a transport hub, and want to make it a more “upmarket” part of town.

It might be worth investigating how these interests maintain an inside line to Camden Council.

JOHN WILSON, NW3