A LOCAL green group has quit a local environment task force and threatened to take the council to court.o

Walking group Waltham Forest Pedestrians Association (WFPA) has quit the Agenda 21 group in protest at what it has branded "secretive decision making" and "policies which favour car owning households".

Spokesman Eddie Sharpe said: "Our association is disturbed at the way the council is using pavements to meet the insatiable demand for more parking spaces.

"This council has abandoned all pretence at car restraint and it would not be appropriate for WFPA to remain associated with the Agenda 21 task force, which claims to set a green agenda for the council."

He said: "Figures show that walking is in steep decline and this council is accelerating the trend, not reversing it.

"The borough has no officer for pedestrians, has no coherent transport strategy for walking, does not monitor or measure walking, has not set targets to increase walking and has not a clue which local streets are important walking routes for commuters.

"Walking is particularly important to elderly people and the poorest households but their interests are being marginalised."

He said the group were particularly shocked at the way the council had created new parking bays on the pavement along both sides of Wingfield Road, Walthamstow a street which previously had no pavement parking at all.

Mr Sharpe said previous councils ensured that issues related to pedestrians and parking were openly discussed at transport committee meetings which were open to the public.

He said that, under Tony Buckley's leadership, key transport decisions involving pedestrians and parking are now made behind closed doors by holder of the environment portfolio Sally Buckley.

He said the decision to allow pavement parking on both sides of Wingfield Road could be illegal and that 1985 legislation was specific that local authorities should not use their powers to break a ban on creating footway parking.

He said: "Now for the first time in 16 years, the borough has done just that. We believe there are good grounds for a judicial review and this association is taking legal advice."