03/04/2014 BBC London News

effort to put people off smoking. That is all from the BBC News at

Six. Have a lovely evening `nd we joined the BBC's news teams where

you are. A cyclist is killed after being hit by a lorry at the junction

where six others have been seriously injured. It makes me nervous. I just

started cycling into London. Is senior Metropolitan policem`n denies

he disseminated against a colleague because she was black and a woman. I

have been at a North London school where some pupils have been kept

inside. The Ambulance Service has said it has seen a rise in dmergency

calls. Prince Charles pays tribute to the charity work of cabbhes.

Good evening. A cyclist has died at a Junction has a history of cycling

accidents. The collision with a track happened this morning in that

gate circus where it meets Fleet Street in the city of London. There

have been six serious injurhes there since 2008. Captured on a mobile

phone by a worker in a city office block, the aftermath of another

cyclist death in London. Thd blue police tent masking the full horror.

For much of the day, this p`rt of the city was sealed off. Thhs is an

accident blackspot which worries commuters onto Wales. I am probably

on This Road about five minttes before the collision. I think I

actually spotted that lorry there. It must have been further bdhind me.

A few of us cyclist talk about the Junction area being a danger zone.

Six cyclists have been injured over the past few years. Campaigners are

angry it is not on a City H`ll list announced in February of 33 specific

junctions that will be redesigned. Really need action now. `` we really

need action here. I am hoping they will get on and get this redesigned

as soon as possible. These workers had the grim task of retrieving the

victim 's possessions, as wdll as medical equipment. Only aftdr four

and a half hours are they fhnally reopening this normally verx busy

part of London. In terms of what exactly happened, it is not clear.

Investigators will be studyhng CCTV from nearby roads. This lorry driver

has been arrested on suspichon of causing death by dangerous driving.

As a cyclist, it is really scary. Every time you hear of a de`th, it

is typically a left turning lorry. Not enough is being done in terms of

infrastructure. City Hall insisted this spot will be redesigned as part

of a new route is cyclists. The cycling commissioner said this

junction is one of the main junctions on the new super highways

which will be consulted on this year and will be given a fully sdgregated

junction as part of a fully segregated cycle route. For now

though, for the third time this year, the family of London cyclist

is tonight grieving. Our political correspondent joins me now. Any

cycling death will inevitably lead to questions over what is bding done

to improve safety. We saw that most clearly at the end of last xear In

November, there were six cycling deaths over a two`week period. It

led to a big campaign from the very vocal cycling lobby. We need to do

something typically about HGVs. Lastly there were 14 cycling death

in London. Nine of those involved HG views. That has led to the lan

saying he may consider bannhng them from Central London if they do not

have particular safety devices, something like side bars on the side

to stop cyclists going under. As we heard in that report, this junction

as part of a new segregated scheme. That is the keyword. It is what the

cycling lobby has been pushhng for. There has been some sort of

recognition and City Hall that perhaps some of the first

superhighways that went in when not best designed and they have promised

to say, when we put them in in the future, we will redo them and make

them seven gated. They are `lso spending ?300 million at 33

junctions in a campaign. Anx death like this again focuses on the

actions of City Hall. Thank you 20 more to come tonight, including ..

`` plenty. Chelsea pensioners being moved into their new, 21st`century

accommodation. A senior Metropolitan police officer has today denied

treating a female colleague differently because she was black

and a woman. There are clails he discriminated against her while she

was working as a firearms officer in Central London. The tribunal today

heard how Sergeant Kelly trdated Carol Howard like candy he could toy

with. It is alleged he singled her out, targeting and intimidating her.

She is one of only two black women out of 700 officers working in the

Metropolitan police 's Diplomatic Protection Group. Part of hdr job

was working as a firearms officer at the American Embassy. She is the

only if the mouth police `` black female police officer she h`d `` he

had ever managed. He denied being attracted to her. The hearing was

told that Sergeant Kelly sent a marked police car to her hotse when

she called in sick. Her lawxer said, what it looks like is harassment. An

extraordinarily zealous approach to make her think she is being watched.

Sergeant Kelly replied, I would have done the same for any colle`gue She

went on to say, you treated her differently because she was black

and/ or a woman. He said, I treat all officers the same. The tribunal

heard how Sergeant Kelly wotld ask Ms Howard about her sex lifd

questioned her ability at the job. The Met has said it will rebuff to

defend itself against a clahm. The hearing continues. Next, how have

Londoners been coping with the high levels of pollution. We havd heard

today they have reached the maximum level with a mixture of loc`l and

continental pollution and dtst from the Sahara said to be the c`use

Let's get more on this now Sonia Jessop, who has a good advantage

point. This guy is still looking little murky this evening. This

morning, Londoners are waking up to this thick, grey smog. The warning

is that even when the skies appeared to be fairly clear, London hs a very

polluted city. It is thought poor air quality contributes to thousands

of deaths in the capital evdry year. How have Londoners been farhng?

Break time at this primary hn Enfield. A chance to play and enjoy

being outside. Not for Toby. He has asthma and he is staying in because

of high pollution levels. I felt dust in my throat. I drink ` lot of

water and it has not helped much. Is it an uncomfortable feeling? Yes, it

is. Yesterday, all the peoples were kept in as a precaution. We do have

some official advice from the local authority and Defra that thd

situation really only affects children with respiratory problems.

Today we have kept children with asthma inside and everyone dlse is

playing out as normal. Next door is the busy North Circular. Thd school

is planning to plant treated to try to keep pollution levels down.

Across the road, the car wash has been busy, cleaning of Saharan dust

and general London grime. This is how Londoners saw the smoke will

stop the shard is shrouded. Pollution levels were at thdir

highest. The London Ambulance Service says it has a 14th dvent

rise in emergency calls yesterday from people with breathing problems.

`` a 14% rise. They must make sure they have inhalers with thel and do

not go out in the early morning when it is particularly dense. There are

such concern about egg qualhty, the city of London Corporation has

developed this app, advising people of the least polluted route to work.

They are trying to persuade businesses to sign up to behng

cleaner. It is about walking more and cutting down on taxes, tsing

hybrid rather than ordinary taxes. Organising deliveries is very

important. Boris Johnson saxs he is trying to tackle pollution. The

capital could face European fines over poor air quality and

campaigners say he needs to do more and more quickly. Although `ir

pollution has measured at its highest in London today, thdre is

some good news. The air is dxpected to play tomorrow. Some relidf

hopefully the those who do suffer from breathing difficulties.

Campaigners did call air pollution a silent killer and they say this

episode should serve as a w`ke`up call to London. We will get the

weather forecast later in the programme. Thank you. Supporters of

the teenager from Enfield, who has been denied asylum in the UK, say

they will fight to bring her back to London. The 19`year`old was put on a

plain black to Mauritius just six weeks before she was due to sit her

A`levels at an academy in Enfield. The Home Office says there was no

compelling case for her to stay The principal has accused the Government

of showing no compassion. A cyclist, who was left brain damage after

being hit by a police car on an emergency call, has won his case

against the magic Bullet and police at the High Court. He was rdturning

home to Stoke Newington when the accident happened in Islington four

years ago. He had been wearhng a helmet and hype is jacket. He was in

a coma for several weeks and now needs round`the`clock care. The

figures show there has been an estimated 75% increase in txpe

diabetes in London over the past decade. The number of cases have

been growing quicker in the capital than elsewhere in the country.

People of South East Asian origin are more likely to develop the

condition. New figures reve`l the mayor 's top aide ran up thd

expenses of more than ?24,000 last year. Sir Edward Lister is the chief

of staff. Labour has critichsed the amount, particularly at the time

when he has provided over ctts in services. City Hall has defdnded the

spending that night admitted that he may have breached rules on declaring

gifts and hospitality. Our political editor has more details. Thhs is the

record of his expenses, going back over the last year, revealed by the

Standard newspaper. He has `nd the nickname at City Hall of air Miles

Eddie. This may be the reason, this money spent on foreign travdl, trips

to the golf, China, Malaysi`, New York, Moscow, nice. In a five`year

period, there was only about seven days he was in the country. It was a

busy time. Then there are more than 11,000 or other expenses, m`inly

business lunches and dinners and accommodation juddering the foreign

trips and also where he has headed up GLA delegations who are

entertaining foreign business people or dignitaries. Finally, ne`rly

?1000 on taxis in London. You have a total of over ?24,000 for the year,

which has set Labour asking questions. Londoners will fhnd it

astonishing that the chief of staff is on a salary of ?150,000, more

than the Prime Minister and the Mayor, and six time what thd Lord

Mayor of London burns. Talkhng to City Hall, that could well be an

underestimate. It has emergdd there was another set of sites to China

and Malaysia and back from Hong Kong business class and about 4500 which

are not recorded. Plus, det`ils of another flight and hotel with

accommodation in China. That appears to have been paid for by an

insurance company, which have not been disclosed to the GLA, to the

gift of register of gifts and hospitality. What is City H`ll

saying about all of this? What they are saying festival is that it could

well be a technical breach. `` first of all. They will rectify that get

back on the website as soon as possible. The wider picture as to

how much has been incurred by him, they say it has been an unusual year

and he has had to be going out that as an advance party. The pl`nning

for that often require travdl, accommodation and business

entertaining head of the actual mayoral visit as well as thd mayoral

visit itself. These visits `re designed to promote foreign

investment into London antilarket London and the UK abroad. No word

personally from Sir Edward Lister today. He is actually on le`ve. He

is abroad, travelling abroad. Thank you. The family of a woman shot by

police nearly three decades ago have handed in a petition to Downing

Street supporting their bid for legal aid. Cherry Gross was left

paralysed when officers shot her by accident, which sparked the Brixton

riots. This all dates back to 1 85 when she was accidentally shot by a

police officer and, shortly afterwards, we saw the riots in

Brixton. She spent the rest of her life in a wheelchair. She fhnally

died in 2011. Later this ye`r, we will see an inquest into her death.

We are not prepared to leavd it in the coroner's hands. The

Metropolitan police have representation. Hertfordshire police

have representation, the falily I the only ones who do not have

representation. We are the only victims here and what we ard asking

for is a fair inquest and that that is not too much to ask. We think the

decision not to award legal aid to this family in these circumstances

is perverse and it is within his power to reverse it and revdrse it

he should. We know there ard ongoing issues in respect of trust between

the police and the Afro`Carhbbean community in particular. Thdre may

now be some movement we are being told in this case. We are bding told

by the legal aid agency that they are reconsidering currently dead

decision. It may be that thd family has got some movement.

Stay with us, still to come: this is Goldie and you will be hearhng about

my stage debut at Stratford Royal Theatre. Looking forward to that.

And you are never guess who I had in the back of my cab. Find out why

Prince Charles swapped his tsual London transport for a Royal taxi.

The Royal Hospital Chelsea has housed the Chelsea pensioners for

more than 300 years. It was founded for soldiers by King Charles II and

many of the rooms have barely changed until now. As part of a

multi million pounds refurbhshment the pensioners are happily loving

into the 21st`century. Please come in. Mine is 12 x 12. I have been

moved out this morning. This room is bigger than average for a Chelsea

pensioner. It has neither whndow, nor much headroom, that this has

been home to Michael Allen since he moved into the Royal Hospit`l. Come

on in, welcome to my new birth. Today he is upsizing, one of 80

pensioners moving into new digs on the other side of the buildhng. But

one feature remains, the emphasis on the corridors. The births are just

for sleeping in, but the idda was to get you out and to stop londliness.

By making people socialise ht stopped loneliness. You cannot be

lonely here, it is very difficult. You check on each other. Thd move is

part of a massive refurbishlent programme, constrained by the grade

one listed status, but compdlled by the 21st`century needs of its

residents. They will have rooms on view and ensuite bathrooms, instead

of showers. I am stuck for words, it is heaven. The Royal Hospit`l is a

charity and has raised the funding itself. They have all served our

country, in many cases valu`bly from the 1940s through to the

present time and our view is that there is a covenant between the

nation and those who servicd it and we honour that covenant herd by

looking after them to the bdst of our ability. There is great

attention to detail here. The pensioners say they are looking

forward to making their new home look shipshape.

And maybe enjoy their new home. He is the gold to the street artist and

DJ who became famous in the 90s is one of bass music. Now he is turning

his hand to a more traditional art form, acting at the Theatre Royal in

Stratford. Brenda Emmanus wdnt to meet him. He is a DJ, a mushc

producer, a contemporary artist and a participant in numerous rdality

shows. Now he has his stage debut `t the

Theatre Royal Stratford East in Kingston, E 14. Why are you

changing? You do not like Bdijing? It is a different form of energy.

Kids are trying to find thehr way and they are trying to find

something. That is why they look at music. In theatre people ard more

grown up, they have got kids, they know what to expect to a certain

degree and they want a performance. It is that kind of calibre. He is a

self`confessed late starter. He did not make a record until he was 8

and he has had a couple of film acting parts, conducted orchestras,

and has seized every opporttnity that life has thrown at him. There

is that aspect of wanting to do something different and that is what

life is about for me. To most young people the message is clear, get out

and do what you want. Try and aspire to different things. I have done so

many different things. He rdfuses to state his name... Kingston 04 is the

latest offering from Roy Williams. It is a gripping tale of police

corruption and set in Jamaica with Goldie in the lead role of Joker, a

gang leader both admired and feared. It is quite ironic that somdbody who

has the capability to reallx hold a crowd is stuck behind a deck. It is

very bizarre. It is great to put him in the foreground where his

personality and his natural creativity and his love to work with

people can seriously blossol. It is fair to say cabbies often boast

about the passengers they h`ve picked up. Today it was a Royal one.

London's black cab drivers were given a royal seal of approval from

the Prince of Wales for the service they provide and also for their

extensive charity work. It was a day when the probldms of

congestion, customers and cxclists could all be forgotten becatse today

it was all about the cabbie. Out from behind the wheel in best babe

and awarded a Royal Charter from a man not normally seen about town in

a taxi, but nonetheless verx appreciative. I greatly admhred the

way in which taxi driver not only drive around London, sometiles it

can be slightly awkward, but nevertheless it is always

interesting to hear so many people say that they obtain such good

common sense... We had heavx traffic and with the wonderful out riders we

had, the Metropolitan policd, we whizzed round and we did a journey

that would normally take 40 minutes in ten minutes. Hackney cabs have

been around since June, 1654, a month in which Oliver Cromwdll's

parliament created the High Court and an act to regulate London

drivers. Hackney cabs have since then gained a name for its

charitable work. Every year they drive with a group of ill children

to Disneyland in France. Ond of the children who benefit it was at

today's service. What was it like meeting Prince Charles? It was a

good experience and fun. Wh`t did he say? He said, thank you, Jales.

After the service, the knees up The green gowns can only be worn by

drivers who have passed the knowledge. While the Prince stuck to

tea, this was an opportunitx for the others to enjoy themselves. All they

need to do now is hail a colleague to get them home.

Now it is time for the weather. What is going on with the polluthon

levels? We are in for some respite over the

next 24 hours and we will sde a shift in wind direction and the

pollution will be improving. It will happen over night tonight. @ bit of

light rain is possible. By the time we wake up tomorrow morning it will

be less hazy and it will be fresher outside. We have had quite ` bit of

cloud already. That will act as a blanket overnight, so temperatures

will not fall too low. Notice these wind arrows as we head throtgh

Friday and they come in frol the South West. That is introducing air

from the Atlantic. It will not be a cold night. Tomorrow to start off

the day we are looking at a cloudy morning. By the afternoon there are

some sunny spells breaking through the cloud. The air quality hs

noticeably better and it will not feel quite as muggy. 17 or 08 for

central parts of London and a fairly pleasant afternoon to come. There is

a small chance we could catch one or two showers in the latter p`rt of

Friday and into Saturday. At the weekend things are turning ` bit

more unsettled. For most of us it is another dry day. I think we will be

more likely to see one or two spots of rain on Sunday and some of that

could be happy. 16 degrees `s we head through the next coupld of

days. Things are looking frdsher and we will see one or two spots of

rain, but less pollution. A quick reminder of the headlines

cold on branding on cigarette packets is set to be banned across

the UK and replaced by plain packaging. It is hoped the love will

reduce smoking and make cig`rettes less attractive to young people

There has been a significant rise in 999 calls by people with brdathing

problems as people in large part of the country are affected by air

pollution. Jewellers at the Hillsborough

inquest have been hearing about the 96 Liverpool fans who died during an

FA Cup tie in Sheffield nearly 5 years ago. The coroner invited the

relatives of the dead to rights statements and read them out in

court. We will be back at tdn. Have a lovely evening.