Local Swan Population Surge Exposes Social Media Lunacy

Brentford West councillor Guy Lambert reports back

Brentford West councillor Guy Lambert

November 28, 2025

Gosh it is astonishing that it has got round to December. Drizzly on my balcony this morning but not too cold, and a cormorant saw mw coming out and decided to fly by and wish me good morning. Incidentally, is it me? I have seen an unprecedented number of swans on the Brent this autumn and when I cycled through Dukes Meadows this week I had never seen so many of the blighters infesting the Thames.

My social media has been infested recently with right wing correspondents assuring me that they are being captured and eaten by immigrants to provide a change from their preferred diet of domestic dogs and cats. Wes Streeting is concerned about the pressure on mental health services, but I don't think he is thinking about the lunacy behind all this.

Back in the sane world, we had our campaign launch. Enough people to make it very worthwhile and it felt to me and other people I talked to that it went very well. It was good to be supported by the Green leader in the GLA, Caroline Russell.

On Friday I was alerted to a road closure on Brook Lane North due apparently to emergency gas work on the A4. It irritates me when I get informed of these things after they have started, though if it is really an emergency I suppose that is fair enough. Anyway, I investigated. There was a diversion at the west end of Layton Road directing people into Brook Lane North. A bit odd because a) I knew BLN was closed but b) about 10M into BLN it says the diversion ends. The only escape from there is in fact a U-turn, so I observed to the traffic team that it was all a bit rum.

Well, there was a genuine big hole when I got to the top and one of those pipes looks definitely dodgy. Naturally there was nobody in sight which rather makes me doubt how urgent this emergency truly is.

Being an evil cyclist who is only concerned about other evil cyclists I observed that the cycle lane on the A4 would benefit from a bit of attention from Hounslow Highways, something I alerted them to. Clearing this might even help pedestrians as well but try as I might I cannot always help only cyclists.

On the other side of the A4 my favourite benefit from development was still in evidence but last week's plywood box had now become a concrete monolith.

Rumour has it that certain enemies of the Kray brothers make an element of the dodgy supports for the A4. I hope this does not in the same way entomb any of the victims of our friendly neighbourhood plastic surgery hospital. Any lawyers reading - this is a joke, and I don't have $5Bn.

Meanwhile the impossible pavement nearby has never been tackled despite repeated appeals to planning and Hounslow Highways to make the developer sort it. I have tried again with the Director of Planning. He is good at responding but so far still zero progress.

On Saturday my surgery in the library. One visitor, one of a number of people who live around Griffin Park and are concerned about vibration, noise and what seems to have been very flawed communication. More about that later but it was a pleasure to meet this man, who is a senior lawyer working for a government agency. I need to mind my Ps and Qs.

Wandering around the library, there is a very good display of local pictures from around Hounslow - my favourite panel, inevitably was this Brentfordy one .

Not much to report on Monday, though we Greenies have a campaign session on Zoom in the evening each week now.

On Tuesday, nice day, I went around Dukes Meadows to Hammersmith and back. My favourite gentle ride and I keep up with what is (not) happening in Dukes Meadows. In the 5 weeks they have allegedly been filling potholes they have filled a sum total of... zero potholes. The ones in DM are worth visiting because they are by some distance the deepest and most extensive I've seen throughout our borough. To be fair, they have tarmacked over an area that was previously shrubs, and very neat it looks

I'm told they are starting now, just within the 5 weeks.

The river in Hammersmith was beautiful that evening

On Tuesday meeting we had a very well attended session at the Armenian Community Centre. We had a senior enforcement man and the head of planning enforcement dressed in All Black as any self-respecting New Zealander should do if they anticipate a bit of bovver. Actually, there was little bovver for any of us, an illustration of how putting some effort towards respectful engagement really helps! We were supposed to be getting a copy of the presentation but for now you will have to settle for my amateur pic of a bloke with PowerPoint!

Well, that's kind of enough for this week, because I am off today to Hounslow to attend a Disabilities day event at the main church in the High Street. I have also offered to drop in to Metro Bank because they are still suspicious of my address despite telling them many times I have lived here for 11 years and been elected from this address 3 times.

Can't be too careful.

I have a play at Isleworth and Syon School this evening. Well, I suppose it is a panto from St Faith's Players - Dick Whittington. Tomorrow, I have another - Mother Goose at Hounslow Arts Centre. I am well known as not very keen on theatre, but I loved both 39 Steps and Earnest during the summer and this is the same excellent team.

One of the benefits (believe me there are few) of being a bit Mutt and Jeff is that I often watch the TV with subtitles. Sometimes this provides a light hearted commentary on serious matters.

Oh - don't forget - Brentford Christmas Market is this Sunday

Councillor Guy Lambert