EUROPA PENTRU TINE!Află despre beneficiile și oportunitățile oferite Republicii Moldova de Uniunea Europeană Chișinău - Prime Minister Dorin Recean today visited the Lafarge cement mill from the northern Rezina city - the biggest producer of cement from Moldova The PM discussed with employees of the company and its directors the current activity the situation on market and the plans on the enterprise’s development The plant annually produces over 500,000 tons of cement and the assortment of products includes also other construction materials The number of workers exceeds 170 people and other workers are employed based on services contract the company has made investments worth 40 million euros and managed to extend the range of products to put into operation an automatic station of loading cement in bulk to set modern equipment for packing and depositing cement the company plans to construct a modern laboratory „The improvement of the conditions of work for the business environment is our permanent goal We want to create as comfortable as possible conditions for the entrepreneurs through the providing of jobs and contributions to the budget are our partners in the development of the settlements and the country’s modernization,’’ PM Dorin Recean said The PM and the company’s leadership also discussed the impact of the plant’s work on the environment sustainable and ecological industrial practices have been enforced here the technologies of production are modernized and fuels with a low degree of pollution are used The cement mill started working in 1994 and in 1999 it became part of the Lafarge Group; in 2015 – member of the LafargeHolcim Group – world leader in the industry of construction materials All materials featured on this site are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) Technical-technological administration: Information Technology and Cyber Security Service. said the council had begun consulting with locals about the traffic restrictions Traffic restrictions could be introduced on more streets in Kennington under plans revealed by Lambeth Council Consultation has begun with residents and businesses living in the Kennington Triangle about possible changes to reduce traffic and speeds on roads The area covered by the proposed scheme includes the Imperial War Museum the Cinema Museum and is bordered by Kennington Lane After an initial period of consultation finishes in April the council will draw up detailed plans for any traffic restrictions They will then come into force through a trial lasting between six and 18 months During this period data will be collected by the council and compared with pre-trial statistics to monitor how effective any restrictions have been in improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists include ensuring residents can access their homes when needed and encouraging people to walk and cycle more Depending on feedback received from residents the traffic restrictions could then be implemented permanently said: “Over the next few weeks the council will be speaking to the community to find out exactly what they want to see as part of this new Healthy Neighbourhood trial “We want people to tell us what they want improved in their local area as part of this scheme whether it’s more trees and greenery or reduced road danger “Healthy neighbourhoods can help rebalance local streets “I look forward to looking at the feedback over the next couple of months and working with the community to come up with designs for the initial trial period.” We'll never send you spam or share your email address Find out more in our Privacy Policy Please enter your username or email address to reset your password we're happy to send you some reminders Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications Home> Originals The 'inhumane' conditions of a forgotten prison in Eastern Europe have been highlighted in a new documentary - and while you might not feel you could survive a day some of the inmates have been locked within its four walls for decades This is because Rezina prison, penitentiary No. 17, in the Republic of Moldova carries with it an average sentence of 30 years With one of the highest incarceration rates in Europe many of Moldova's 'lifers' - prisoners with life sentences - are sent to this former Soviet facility As explored by host Raphael Rowe in the latest season of his Netflix docu-series Inside the World's Toughest Prisons the interior of the building looks like it hasn't been updated since well before the end of this era But perhaps most shocking of all is the treatment of prisoners who choose to live outside of gang rules Although Raphael himself spent 12 years locked up for a crime he didn't commit even he was taken aback by the conditions of the two inmates he spent a week inside with He soon finds out they had chosen not to join a gang inside and instead educate themselves and try their best to build in a home in their tiny cell But because the guards can't guarantee their protection the small group of people who live this way are made to stay locked up for 22 hours a day When they finally do get to spend a brief time in the afternoon outside their only solace is a crumbling old corridor which they pace up and down until their two hours are up Raphael joins them on their daily exercise explaining to the camera: "I've counted.. that's what I'm doing every time I walk up and down here "So when you next walk out of your front door take 32 steps and that's what these guys have been doing for years and years and years." Meanwhile, Maxim - one of the inmates Raphael stays with - says that they had to beg for the right to be allowed to live according to the prison rules as gang members who have huge control and influence on the institute are able to play sports such as football for their daily exercise "To deprive you of seeing the sky and touching the grass that is cruel and inhumane," says Raphael after discovering another of the detainees had been at Rezina for 27 years The documentary also explores how Moldova's judicial system comes down hard on offenders with many of the inmates committing crimes that would get far more lenient sentences had they occurred elsewhere who has been at Rezina for 16 years so far took part in an armed robbery in which a police officer was shot dead Although he claims to have not fired the gun he was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison while some might find the conditions far too harsh for the crimes committed families of the victims may feel it is fitting punishment In addition to Rezina, a number of other high-security penitentiaries from across the globe are examined in the latest season of Inside the World's Toughest Prisons Topics: Documentaries, Netflix, Crime, TV and Film Daisy graduated from Kingston University with a degree in Magazine Journalism, writing a thesis on the move from print to digital publishing. Continuing this theme, she has written for a range of online publications including Digital Spy and Little White Lies, with a particular passion for TV and film. Contact her on [email protected] InstagramXThreadsSnapchatTikTokYouTubeLAD Entertainment Leaders across integrated care are demonstrating a willingness to succeed in delivering on the digital agenda despite there not yet being a blueprint for success Integrated care leaders don’t underestimate the magnitude of the task they’ve been given. And they understand too that the ambitions of integrated care systems (ICSs) can only be achieved by harnessing the digital agenda. As part of our Digital ICS programme we’ve helped integrated care boards (ICBs) begin to understand their role in bringing about digital changes interviews and informal discussions with our networks and members across the ICS landscape The diversity in ICS leadership roles has given us rich insight into the current state of play of the digital ambitions and journeys of systems and we’ve begun to build a strong picture and understanding of how ICS leaders - executives non-executives and partner members - are improving their confidence and understanding in leading the digital agenda What stands out most from our conversations and engagement is that ICSs remain overwhelmingly willing to succeed We’ve heard that ICS leaders want to add value to the work already happening within the system if a trust within an ICS is procuring a new electronic patient record (EPR) system how can the ICB avoid duplicating the assurance role of the trust board by asking the same questions about value for money Answering this involves the ICB considering its unique strategic role and position in the system to add value to the work already underway This might include bringing in support from another trust in the same system As there is not yet a blueprint for what success looks like ICBs are convening and influencing across their system this means helping partners understand and align on what their shared priorities are and developing shared language around digital and data The biggest culture change for me will be when I can stand back because people are connecting by themselves One ICB chief digital information officer (CDIO) we spoke to described what they had focused on in the first 12 months in the role They said they had started by getting people talking about the priorities at place level which involved ‘show and tells’ between different organisations They then sought to grow confidence levels trust and alignment with and between partners the CDIO brought a group together and asked them to write down their biggest challenges and share them back The biggest culture change for me will be when I can stand back because people are connecting by themselves.” There is a maxim that ‘once you’ve seen one ICS you’ve seen only one ICS.’ Not only do ICSs vary in size and geography but they also vary in terms of their partnership working and how they are set up beyond just the ICB board itself Many ICS leaders are also still getting to know each other Many CDIOs in post are interim while permanent posts in this profession continue to be recruited for This means some ICBs are not getting past the ‘forming and storming’ stage which fundamentally has an impact on being able to get on and deliver and realise their digital potential there is a need to build awareness of what work is already underway within their patch but also to strengthen relationships with partners Bringing this together will be fundamental to help develop and then deliver ICS digital strategies different groups are forming to help support delivery and give digital programmes direction we anticipated the need to frame digital through the lens of the four core purposes of ICSs: improving population health; tackling unequal outcomes/access; enhancing productivity and value for money; and helping the NHS to support broader social and economic development but want to understand more about how digital can act as a key enabler and can often incorporate a range of stakeholders from across the ICS And it’s not just CDIOs acting in these groups below board strategy directors and other clinicians taking an active role we now intend to capture and share this emerging good practice it’s about providing ongoing support to the sector we’re going to surface where ICBs and ICSs need to do further work it is important we provide support for greater collaboration and help facilitate difficult conversations We’re going to continue to help ICBs develop a common language to talk about their joint digital vision and priorities And we’re going to continue to push ICBs to get buy-in from diverse organisations across their system to ensure there is genuine collaboration and partnership working embedded into the next phase of digital delivery across systems Rezina Hakim is senior policy adviser at the NHS Confederation. Adam Wright is programme development manager at NHS Providers You can follow Rezina and Adam on Twitter: @hakimrezina @adamwrite Join us on 11-12 June at Manchester Central for the leading health and care conference delivered in partnership by NHS Confederation and NHS England 11 June 2025 08:30 - 12 June 2025 16:45 GMT In person conference in London for health and care leaders interested in system working discusses the challenge and need to articulate the economic and social value generated by NHS trusts discusses practical approaches to moving health onto the high street is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations Visitors leave with countless photos of the scenic castle But some snapshots will feature the turquoise water as a mere backdrop A delightfully fluffy square of Bled's signature cream cake Almost every cafe along the lake offers the cream cake known as kremna rezina but the bakery that started it all is located inside Hotel Park After chef Ištvan Lukačević came to work at the hotel following World War II he developed a new cream cake recipe and debuted it to the public in 1953 contains a puff pastry that’s been folded seven times a lightly sweetened layer of whipped cream The bakery has churned out more than 12 million pieces since its debut and they use the original recipe to this day This style of cream cake dates back to the 18th and 19th centuries Most countries once under the Hapsburgs’ reign each have a version but Slovenian kremna rezina has a bit of extra fanfare surrounding it Lake Bled's version enjoys protected designation of origin status and a special cake drive-through attached to the hotel is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations A delightfully fluffy square of Bled’s signature cream cake Lake Bled’s version enjoys protected designation of origin status Sign up for our newsletter and get the best of Gastro Obscura in your inbox A Forest-to-Table Gastronomy Adventure in Slovenia this eatery marks the birthplace of Lake Bled's signature cream cake Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders Deputy Leader of Lambeth Council and Cabinet Member for Sustainable Lambeth and Clean Air When I read the heartbreaking words of Rosamund Kissi-Debrah on the loss of her nine-year old daughter Ella to air pollution from the South Circular Road I knew we needed to act faster on this issue Air pollution is a poison running through our community that wrecks shortens and takes lives and as cabinet member with responsibility for air quality at Lambeth Council The London Borough of Lambeth is home to more than 317,000 people and millions come to visit each year to see the sights and our famous landmarks It is a place with a long history of fighting for social justice equality and calling for progressive change to make peoples’ lives better It was in that rich tradition that we became one of the first local authorities in England to declare a Climate Emergency in January 2019 to recognise that urgent climate actions need to be taken now not kicked into the long grass for future generations to deal with.  We knew we had to devise policies that were sustainable while also planning for the long-term vision of a borough that was less dependent on cars and had better infrastructure around active travel to help people lead healthier lives We were confronted by the fact that air pollution including the toxic emissions pumped out of the exhausts of petrol and diesel cars councils have the powers and tools to tackle pollution from transport and so I will focus on this here The Local Government Association estimates that air pollution leads to more than 9,400 premature deaths each year We know in Lambeth that around a quarter of air pollution comes from road traffic while having one of the lowest car ownership levels in London with only around four in ten households having access to a private car or van It was clear we needed to treat the climate crisis as a public health crisis too the council published its Climate Action Plan to set out bold and ambitious targets for us to reach Net Zero by 2030 It outlined measures we need to take to reduce our carbon footprint as a council as well as how we need a behavioural shift away from motor vehicle dependence to healthier Analysis of Net Zero pathways by the Greater London Authority informed our target that the overall vehicle journeys in the borough needed to fall by 27 per cent while improving active travel routes so 85 per cent of future journeys are completed by walking Central to our response to air pollution is the roll out of low traffic neighbourhoods across the borough I know there are concerns about displacement among some in the air quality community the evidence from our LTNs is that when you give people safe walking and cycling routes they leave their car at home and traffic falls both on neighbourhood and boundary roads I think it is important to look beyond individual schemes in the short term and ask ourselves whether air quality would be better in a city full of LTNs or one without them the answer is both obvious and borne out by the evidence LTNs are strategic and will save many lives in the long run we are realistic that some households will need access to motor vehicles for a variety of circumstances like residents with a blue badge or who need a car club to move a bulky item We support disabled drivers by granting dispensations at some of our LTN filters and giving free parking to blue badge holders We encourage residents and businesses who otherwise need a car to drive cleaner vehicles and we price our parking permits so that more polluting cars pay more We recently published an Electric Vehicle (EV) strategy to support the transition to cleaner vehicles The UK Government has recently pushed back plans to stop the production of petrol and diesel vehicles until 2035 EVs are not without their significant drawbacks not least the environmental damage caused during the production process and ongoing air pollution from their tyres and brakes They will not do anything to address the hundreds of people being killed on London’s roads every year We do not want streets clogged with vehicles – whether electric or fossil fuelled the balance had to be struck between providing the EV infrastructure for the residents who needed it without losing sight of our desperate need to embrace sustainable Encouraging more people to switch up to EVs also does nothing to address the issue of transport poverty where households struggle to make ends meet purely to keep their car on the road because of a lack of alternative options we are already committing significant funds to improving alternative forms of travel so households can feel confident in giving up their vehicles but still being able to easily travel throughout the borough.  We are investing in new Healthy Routes to create safe ways to complete journeys around Lambeth while avoiding main roads and busy junctions Road danger is another factor in whether people feel confident switching from their cars so simply replacing petrol and diesel vehicles with EVs will not change that The social justice of car dominated cities is also stark – data shows people living in our most deprived areas are 2.5 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a collision on the road These considerations were crucial when our project team sat down in 2021 to begin to plan what a future  Lambeth EV Strategy could  look like The council’s challenge was to devise a long-term strategy that maintains our commitments to active travel and ending car dependency with our responsibility to provide the EV infrastructure that will be needed by some residents in 2030 Initial conversations were held across the whole of Lambeth Council to understand the needs of different service areas and the requirements of a future EV fleet Further conversations were held with housing estate residents and some of the larger employers within Lambeth’s gig economy The team then commissioned research to map out the present demand for EV charging infrastructure and how that may change year-on-year This data allowed the project team to forecast how many charging points will be needed now and in the future It required a delicate balancing act between ensuring the infrastructure is in place for EV while making sure Lambeth does not become one giant battery-park for EVs This data modelling will also help shape delivery plans for charging points each year to make sure they accurately reflect the demand We will also consider the placement of charging points so they are in the correct places and at the correct density The Lambeth Electric Vehicle Strategy also outlines the types of charging points that will be available We want to make sure the types of charging points are appropriate for each proposed location The regular speed charging points are more suitable for residential areas where drivers can plug in overnight while the fastest rapid charge points are better suited near busier areas our strategy means Lambeth council will be the owner and operator of this new EV network rather than looking for a partner in the private sector Our model ensures any revenue generated by the charging points will be reinvested back into the council to support other projects meaning the initial investments help make the network sustainable It will help us get more value for money for our residents as well as making this financially sustainable in the long-term Action on air quality has never been more urgent and requires action to encourage the shift from private fossil fuel vehicles to active travel and EVs where necessary we are driving this shift through changes to our streets and car ownership in the borough is declining but we won’t stop until everyone can breathe air that the World Health Organisation has determined to be safe and website in this browser for the next time I comment AirQualityNews.com is the UK’s news service covering air quality and pollution issues Advertising with Air Quality News You don't have permissions to access this page One of the most striking aspects of the response to COVID-19 has been the way in which health and care organisations have worked in new and digitally-enabled ways to discuss develop and deliver services in unprecedented circumstances It is vital that we now build on this to collectively reset the way we plan, commission and deliver health and care. The NHS Confederation is working with members to do this as set out in this written evidence submission to the Health and Social Care Select Committee's inquiry on digital transformation in the NHS.  Rory Deighton welcomes news that expansion of NHS App has stopped 1.5 million hospital appointments being missed The rollout of new technology to prevent the 8am rush for appointments and streamline how patients access primary care is very welcome Lambeth Council has set out its next steps for its ambitious plans to make the borough’s neighbourhoods safer and healthier for all Lambeth has some of the country’s most polluted air lacks outdoor space for exercise and socialising for the many local people who live in flats and dangerous roads resulting in too many people getting injured To address this a new Healthy Neighbourhood Plan has been set out to build on the pioneering work already undertaken in Lambeth and to work alongside local residents to create a better future This includes making the borough more equal Asian and Multi-Ethnic residents are more likely than average to be exposed to air pollution be injured in a traffic incident and suffer illness through lack of exercise The council is planning to mainly fund the work through ongoing Greater London Authority grants for transport projects Lambeth’s Deputy Leader (Sustainable Lambeth and Clean Air) The vast majority of trips are already made in these ways and most households do not own a car “We have managed to get an important amount of money for Lambeth so we can work with local people to create a borough that both builds on this with more trees and is better adapted to a warming climate which is causing a lot more heavy rain flooding and some dangerously high temperatures.” Cllr Chowdhury is appearing at an All Party Parliamentary Group on Wednesday (Sept11) to detail for MPs how Lambeth has consistently been at the forefront of rethinking streets and public spaces to make them safer She said: “We’ve done a huge amount of work in Lambeth already to reclaim our kerbsides We’ve worked in partnership to cut carbon emissions across the borough “But there’s still so much to do if we’re going to meet our 2030 ambitions “This new Healthy Neighbourhood Plan has a crucial role in that and I look forward to working with local people as we work together on achieving the changes we need to make especially for the most vulnerable in our communities.” Lambeth has seen a series of neighbourhood projects completed across the borough including in Loughborough Junction Dozens of school streets projects have been completed to make pick up and drop offs safer for children and more than 300 new secure cycle parking spaces have installed Other the next two years the council aims to continue refocusing local streets for local people more safe bike storage and more electric vehicle charging points Read Lambeth’s Healthy Neighbourhoods Plan online updates and opportunities and stay updated on what's happening in Lambeth Get email updates about things happening in Lambeth Explore our topics and pick the ones that matter to you Find local events and sign up to join the fun at your local library Lambeth Council has restated calls made 12 months ago for new laws to ensure dockless hire e-bikes can be more safely and equally used in the community To achieve this the council believes dockless hire e-bikes should only be parked in dedicated spaces off the pavement but there are currently no laws to enforce this The council first called on the Government last summer to give councils the powers needed to tackle this issue That call has now been restated to MPs amid growing concern about across London A voluntary agreement was reached between dockless bike operators and Lambeth Council last year that the dockless hire e-bikes had to be parked in one of 240 bays installed across the borough But because this is a voluntary agreement the concerns persist spoke at the all-party parliamentary group on walking and cycling – which aims to influence government policy – to call for urgent regulation of this industry Cllr Chowdhury said: “I explained to the parliamentary group that we remain concerned about dockless hire e-bikes being left on the pavement because they can cause a real hazard visually impaired or pushing a buggy or pram “The measures we have taken to date are only on a voluntary basis “Despite efforts in Lambeth and by other London boroughs we lack the legal power needed to control how these bikes operate on our streets We are continuing calls for the Government to give councils the power to act to really tackle this situation “Supporting active travel is vital to help tackle the climate crisis and we are committed to boroughwide cycle hire Dockless hire bikes are important if we are to achieve that without spending lots of extra money we need to ensure people are safe on our streets.” Lambeth Council has already invested heavily in making it easier for people to get around by walking school streets and healthy neighbourhood projects This month Lambeth Council set out its next steps for its ambitious plans to make the borough’s neighbourhoods safer and healthier for all Lambeth still has some of the country’s most polluted air To address this a new Healthy Neighbourhood Plan has been set out to build on the pioneering work already undertaken in Lambeth Lambeth Council celebrated the recent National Tree Week (23 November to 1 December) by inviting primary school pupils to plant the first new trees of the year in Brockwell Park Youngsters from Hitherfield Primary School turned out to Brockwell Park to help the council plant three new trees – the first of 92 set to be planted in parks over the coming months The pupils pitched up near the Brixton Water Lane entrance to the park where they got their hands dirty digging the three tree pits for the new additions They were able to help Lambeth Council’s Tree Team prepare the pits before lowering each sapling into place they helped to refill the pits and cover them with bark and make sure they were firmly in the ground Brockwell Park now boasts two new Acer Cappadocium Aureum and one Acer Cappadocium after the children’s efforts Planting season began in Lambeth in late October with the first tree of the season planted outside Minet Library in memory of poet and activist Benjamin Zephaniah The council is on track to increase the number of new trees in Lambeth by 5,000 by 2026 and has adopted Lambeth Urban Forest Strategy 2023-2030 that outlines its commitments to increasing canopy cover promoting biodiversity and climate resilience cabinet member for Sustainable Lambeth and Clean Air said: “It was wonderful to come down to Brockwell Park with the children and see how excited they were to be in the outdoors to dig around in the dirt and help plant a tree that will hopefully stand for many years to come “They showed passion and enthusiasm for helping our Tree Team and despite their young ages some of them were extremely knowledgeable about the ages of varieties of trees we have in Lambeth “The council is also enthusiastic about increasing the amount of tree cover we have because it has so many benefits from helping with our climate response and reducing flood risk to improving peoples’ health and wellbeing “By  April 2025 we will have planted more than 1,700 new trees not just in parks and on estates but in our neighbourhoods too.” Lambeth Council has announced plans to implement a lane rental scheme on 22% of its road network as part of efforts to reduce traffic congestion which builds on the Council’s statutory duty under the Traffic Management Act 2004 (TMA) will charge for works conducted on the borough’s busiest streets during peak traffic hours The proposed lane rental scheme targets high-traffic areas encouraging undertakers to schedule work outside peak hours or adopt more efficient methods The scheme aligns with Lambeth’s 2030 Our Borough Plan the scheme aims to cut emissions from idling vehicles The proposal also ties into the Mayor’s Transport Strategy (MTS) and Lambeth’s Transport Strategy Implementation Plan (TSIP) and improved public transport access and reliability Similar schemes operated by Transport for London (TfL) and councils in Kent and Surrey have demonstrated measurable benefits the Council must secure approval from the Department for Transport (DfT) submission of evidence such as cost-benefit analysis the scheme is expected to begin trial operations in late 2025 with full implementation targeted for January 2026 Lambeth Council plans to engage stakeholders and conduct extensive public consultation to refine the scheme The proposal reflects a collaborative approach drawing on traffic data and insights from pan-London initiatives to ensure consistency and effectiveness The lane rental scheme represents a significant step toward Lambeth’s vision for a greener By addressing the root causes of congestion and promoting sustainable practices cleaner streets for all road users and a borough fit for the future said: “This scheme will aim to directly reduce delays caused by street works and road works and support the Council’s broader climate and transport objectives “We all know terrible effect works can have on people’s journeys on the roads and as a responsible highway authority we need to put the right incentives in place for utilities to work at the least disruptive times” A new campaign to help boost recycling rates in the borough and support the progress being made by switching to fortnightly waste is being run by Lambeth Council from today Your Black Bin Needs Less’ features practical interactive information on how to recycle more which is particularly designed for younger people with the aim of getting them in the habit of wasting less early via green wheelie bins and food waste bin collections Black bins for non-recyclable waste are emptied fortnightly said: “We are ambitious for our borough and determined that by working together we can cut waste “We want to increase recycling rates in Lambeth to 50 per cent by 2030 and I’m confident that through this campaign There are so many ways of recycling now in Lambeth that I’m sure we can do this.” There are six recycling services available locally – which cover general recyclables Lambeth Recycling Centres and garden waste Your Black Bin Needs Less gives residents the tools and knowledge to separate their waste in the best possible way so less goes into black bins and more into recycling The campaign is being shared on the social media along with bus stop adverts around the borough All posts link to the Recycling Rumble game that runs through where to recycle and features a race to the top of the leaderboard Take part by visiting recycling-rumble.co.uk More than half of London boroughs have already made the fortnightly waste switch and Lambeth used experience gained elsewhere to help make the change For more information on recycling services in Lambeth visit www.lambeth.gov.uk/rubbish-recycling as well as from properties that have their rubbish collected from sacks remain weekly The rollout of fortnightly rubbish collection is part of Lambeth’s broader 2030 vision that is a net-zero compatible borough with reduce New research into the impact of Lambeth Council’s Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTN) has shown a significant drop in vehicle journeys by residents The independent study was carried out by academics from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine to monitor driving behaviour of residents on the inside They found that households living inside an LTN will reduce their average car use by 6.4 per cent Cabinet Member for Sustainable Lambeth and Clean Air said: “This is the first major study to consider how low traffic neighbourhoods can help change peoples’ behaviour “We are delighted that an independent study carried out by experts in their fields shows our approach is having an effect and an overall six percent reduction is significant.” Lambeth Council has introduced five permanent low traffic neighbourhoods as it aims to cut air pollution reduce road danger and make local neighbourhoods more walking The researchers used annual permit parking data in four of the borough’s LTNs to analyse whether vehicle journeys increased or decreased over a five-year period from March 2018 Data suggests the decrease in car journeys was due to behavioural change meaning that residents within LTN’s were driving less on average rather than car-driving residents moving out of an LTN area There was no significant change in kilometres driven by residents living around an LTN It also found the impact of LTNs is similar for both affluent and less affluent neighbourhoods our findings suggest that residents in Lambeth started driving less once their area became an LTN.” It added: “…widespread roll-out of LTNs could make an important contribution towards reducing how much residents drive and towards reducing local volumes of motor traffic.” Lambeth Council has invested £16million in improving its transport infrastructure including new Healthy Routes to make it easier and safer for people to cycle around the borough The council has adopted a range of policies to tackle the climate crisis and has pledged to become Net Zero by 2030 as well as significantly improving air quality across the borough through its Air Quality Action Plan The recently announced Kerbside Strategy will see the council reclaim around a quarter of its kerbside space – the area between the road and kerb – that is normally used for car parking space will be created for social or community use Cllr Chowdhury said: “Lambeth Council is a leading local authority when it comes doing it all it can to make its neighbourhoods fairer and fit for the future “Our car dominated streets deny people with disabilities the opportunity to move around their area safely and with confidence children opportunities to play and present serious danger with hundreds of people killed and seriously injured in collisions every year “Lambeth believes big structural changes are needed and we are putting in place the building blocks for achieving them.” Find out more about the study and the findings online. Lambeth Council is set to kick start the latest phase of transforming the public spaces behind the South Bank to make the area safer and more accessible for the hundreds of thousands of annual visitors to the world-famous attractions The ‘South Bank Spine Route’ is the network of roads behind the South Bank that link the businesses cultural institutions and visitor attractions with the wider Waterloo area The changes will prioritise cyclists and pedestrians reduce traffic dominance and implement more greening whenever possible improving air quality as well as accessibility and permeability and strengthening climate resilience The measures include pedestrianisation of Concert Hall Approach pavement upgrades to improve accessibility and the introduction of more trees and greenery such as raingardens and planters Last year Lambeth Council published the Spine Route Masterplan that set out conditions to transform the streets around Jubilee Gardens The latest phase of these works is focussed on Concert Hall Approach with the aim to provide maximum public realm benefits to pedestrians and an improved connection with the wider Waterloo area The Phase Three works will support the masterplan by implementing several suggested improvements including the addition of a new zebra crossing at Belvedere Road to help pedestrians move through the area Previous phases of the Spine Route work have included a trial Healthy Route for pedestrians and cyclists at two locations as well as vehicle filters in Upper Ground Lambeth Council has been working with the residents businesses and cultural institutions to ensure minimal disruption during the construction phase The area will still be accessible to pedestrians and delivery vehicles as it takes place said: “This is a significant step in realising Lambeth Council’s vision of a South Bank that is safe and accessible for everyone “The South Bank is the jewel in Lambeth’s crown but we want everyone to be welcome and feel confident moving around That is why we have been working closely with the South Bank community to design a scheme that balances space for people while ensuring the businesses and institutions on the South Bank are supported “I am also pleased with the new greenery with planters and raingardens that will greatly enhance the climate resiliency of the area by providing more shade during the hottest days of the year.” Construction is due to begin in September and is expected to be completed in Spring 2025 For further information contact SouthBankSpineRoute@lambeth.gov.uk Lambeth Council has published data showing a significant fall in traffic volumes and the number of motorists breaking the the speed limit since the launch of the Brixton Hill low traffic neighbourhood trial The council’s Stage 1 Monitoring Report has now been published online using data collected since the launch of the Brixton Hill LTN trial in September 2023 The report shows that Brixton Hill LTN is meeting the strategic objectives of the Climate Action Plan Transport Strategy and is in line with the Lambeth 2030 Borough Plan by reducing the levels of traffic within the LTN area and boundary roads when considered together Before and after traffic data has been collected to assess the impact of the trial LTN and it shows that: Following the feedback from residents and businesses the council will be making some changes within the LTN The council will install new bins in the kerbside to alleviate clutter introduce more planters to make the area more pleasant and will increase parking enforcement after complaints by those who need parking spaces The council will also be planting and replacing trees in New Park Road and installing strengthened protections for them as dangerous driving has destroyed many of the existing stock said: “The LTNs have been introduced to our London borough to make the areas safer more sustainable and so that residents can live happier shows that LTNs are traffic reduction schemes When you give people conditions for safe walking and cycling “The council has a rolling programme of LTNs with other areas of the borough set to start benefitting from them soon.” Lambeth Council has announced a huge new investment in sustainable travel as part the borough’s ongoing and ambitious efforts to cut air pollution make our roads safer and to tackle the borough’s health inequalities The details outlined in two council reports focus on The Big Shift to help people cut car use and the next stages of borough’s bold Transport Strategy which will see more than £16million invested in transforming street layouts reducing traffic and promoting sustainable travel – such as walking The full reports can be read here and here Measures outlined include more protected cycle lanes, a huge increase in bike storage for residents, new walking routes, more electric vehicle charging points, community grants for local greening projects, e-cargo bike hire schemes and seven new Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, the most recent of which has been created in Streatham Hill said: “Lambeth has taken great strides in improving local street and air quality over the last eight years by cutting traffic helping people to embrace cycling or walking to achieve our long-term goals and the aspirations of our residents which came across loud and clear during our citizens’ assembly on climate change “We must rid our neighbourhoods of the inherent inequalities that see our most at-risk residents being disproportionately affected by dangerous streets and worst hit by dirty air We want to help those most vulnerable to air pollution with targeted support for children or people with existing health problems who suffer the most “These latest measures are part of the bold action we are determined to take as part of our Climate Action Plan but they also help people in the short term by providing cheap safe and accessible ways to get around Lambeth.” The council is taking a leadership role in delivering climate action to create a fairer The borough’s Climate Action Plan puts equity and impact at the heart of what we do and sets out an ambitious roadmap to become “net zero ready” and climate resilient by 2030 This includes the need to reduce motor traffic levels in the borough by 27 per cent “Net zero” means not adding to the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere – through both reducing these emissions as much as possible and offsetting any that remain Lambeth Council has unveiled one of the most ambitious strategies of its kind that will make our kerbside fairer more accessible and more climate resilient The Kerbside is commonly known as the part of the road where cars are parked and is the largest public space controlled by Lambeth Council with an area equivalent to 1,158,000m2 – or 194 football pitches The Kerbside Strategy will commit Lambeth Council to reclaiming at least 25 percent of this space from vehicle parking and introduce sustainability measures to fulfil a key pledge set out in the Climate Action Plan (CAP) said: “This is a landmark strategy and one of the first of its kind in both ambition and scope which will ensure the shared kerbside is used for everyone’s benefit and not just for those wanting to park their cars “It commits the council to reclaiming public space to be enjoyed by everyone in Lambeth while also addressing the very real challenge of the climate crisis “Kerbside space is at a premium with large swathes taken up by parked vehicles while our pavements can be cluttered and difficult to navigate for everyone else We need this to change so people have more equal access to this important shared space.” Around 94 percent of the kerbside is currently taken up by parking spaces for motor vehicles despite Lambeth having one of the lowest car ownership rates in London – with just two in five households owning a motor vehicle The Kerbside Strategy outlines four priorities that will be applied to every street in the borough to enable accessible and active travel It will allow for the Sustainable urban Drainage Systems (SuDs) to reduce flood risk and create green spaces to provide shade on the hottest days of the year It would also mean a much more diverse kerbside with new shared scooter and bike bays cycle hangers and support for businesses using cargo bikes and electric delivery vehicles Reclaimed kerbside space would make way for the largest community parklet programme in the capital to provide more green space for people to meet and socialise Cllr Chowdhury added: “We need people to feel confident walking wheeling or scooting in our borough and we need our kerbside to support as many people as possible to do this.” “The strategy will create social spaces including London’s biggest community parklet programme so people can enjoy their neighbourhoods without them feeling dominated by parked cars “It will allow us to implement climate resiliency measures such as sustainable drainage systems to address flood risk and more trees and green space to provide shade during the hottest days of the year At the same time more green spaces will help to make our streets more inviting places to be in” “The Lambeth Kerbside Strategy is one of the most ambitious of its kind and will ensure we continue to show how to offer local solutions to the climate crisis while making our borough healthier and more equal.” said: “It’s fantastic to see the unveiling of Lambeth’s ambitious Kerbside Strategy This bold plan will reclaim 25 percent of the kerbside from parking spaces and enable accessible and active travel and reduce traffic and emissions across the borough “Commitments like these are crucial to tackling the challenges of air pollution greener and healthier London for everyone.” Programme Director of the Health effects of air pollution programme at Impact on Urban Health said: “Air pollution has devastating effects on people’s health in London It is the single biggest environmental risk to health “People on the lowest incomes in Lambeth are more likely to walk or use public transport It’s unfair that those who can’t afford to drive are disproportionately affected by toxic fumes from by cars “This Kerbside Strategy from Lambeth will help address a major source of poor air quality: traffic.” Authorities in town Rezina have authorized illegal transactions with land or public non- residential areas and several buildings over the past years These "businesses" harmed the local budget Police and prosecutors have been informed repeatedly but they did not investigate the cases some of them were closed on grounds that the officials have not admitted fraud of violations in their activity 2012 rules that the  City Council Rezina allowed setting up immovable property with a surface of  39 square meters on bd Sciusev to expose it to tender of land lease with a view to locate a temporary commercial kiosk In December 2012,  under the Decision No this property  was assigned cadastral number and is exposed to tender  of land lease for a term of ten years the Town Hall proposed to the Town Council to amend the Decision No.7 / 52 replacing the phrase "land lease"  by "sale-purchase"  destination of the  plot remained the same: "location of a temporary commercial kiosk" 2013 mayor Mihail Cebotar signs the in-kind  agreement of land transmission to the winner of the tender behavior of the mayors becomes more interesting Early  in 2015,  Fariman Godjaev  gets urbanism certificate signed by Mayor M Cioric and  they approve the project documentation for the construction on 39 square meters of land  of a shopping center which totally contradicts the General Urban Regulation the project developed based on the urbanism certificate is checked and authorized by the Town Hall registered at the State Construction Inspectorate being located out of the land purchased by F Leadership of the Ecological Inspectorate Rezina refused to sign the commissioning act of the center and cited a series of violations of legislation including unlawful occupation of a portion of the town's public land  The authorities try again to somehow legalize the illegalities committed previously 2016  Town Hall proposes to Town Council to   organize a tender of land lease  of 200 square meters of  adjacent land to 39 square meters sold by F area that already occupied by building and outfitting of the shopping center again the conditions imposed for the participants in the tender were shaped for a single beneficiary - F who proved to be the only participant and winner of the tender Based on the request of a group of municipal councilors Rezina Court intervened and forced the Town Council to stop any actions aimed to enforce  the decision Nb including the commissioning of the shopping center Orhei Territorial Office of the State Chancellery rules this decision as illegal and recommends its abrogation to the town Council Rezina authorities' actions towards this goal have been the subject of several reports of some councilors and residents of the town of some controls involving law bodies and other state structures Orhei Territorial Office of the State Chancellery established that most of the points in the last three decisions of the Town Council were illegal Police Inspectorate in Rezina has filed a criminal case on these materials Godjaev and of some specialists of the Town Hall that the plot on boulevard Sciusev for the construction of a commercial kiosk  (the town's urban plan does not  include this  construction- n.r.) was set for F Godjaev; that "initially committee members have proposed him to take on lease the land requested but he did not agree and insisted to sell his land and build a shopping center for which he presented the design of the construction of the shop and paid thesums" Godjaev sued the head of the Ecological Inspectorate Rezina Ruslan Rosca because he does not want to sign the commissioning of the shopping center weekly newspaper CUVINTUL asked the Environment Ministry to  intervene in litigation and appreciate legally the actions of the head of the inspection Minister Valeriu Munteanu readdressed the statement of the editorial office to  .. Ministry of Territorial Development and Construction and the State Inspectorate for Constructions were requested to their  views on  the legality of the actions of the authorities  in Rezina and of the specialists who designed and supervised the construction of this shopping center  and  sent a formal response this story is in the attention of the Police Inspectorate Rezina (on some actions forgery - n.r.) but also pending at Rezina Court Many people believe that in the end nothing unusual will happen Like many other constructions built in Rezina with serious violations of the authorities did it on purpose as they had some interests.  As long as they are at power they will do their best to solve the problem in their favor" there is a land with address  No.15 which is situated near some 9-storey blocks of flats  A businessman intended to build there an agricultural store by 2002 But when the land was already bought and the construction of the store was about to start residents of adjacent blocks were against it arguing that the issue was not consulted with them as required by law there are plenty of shops nearby but there is not a place for rest and recreation for children and adults Authorities and businessman admitted their mistake and found another variant of the store location New Urban Plan of the tons was drafted and approved a few years later and taking into account the wishes of the citizens this land was  planned for arranging a square the new authorities of town Rezina proposed this land for tender of sale-purchase for the construction of  a store as the town knew who was the interested man and the company some city councilors were outraged by the actions of Town Hall a bit  amended reached the agenda of the Town Council and was adopted with the votes of the majority at power The residents of the neighborhood  organized some protests But the ruling majority  from the Town Council  ignored citizens’ opinions and  decided to bring the land up for sale Three representatives of tenants challenge the decision of the Town Council at the administrative court and the judgment prohibits the Town Hall to operate actions with the land until a final court decision is issued Town Council returned to the subject several times with different decisions imposing some absolutely unreal and discriminatory conditions for other people to participate in the tender: eligible for the contest  are legal entities who present a draft of plot’s arrangement for children has a statutory capital of no less than ten million lei and  has a bank deposit of  500,000 lei etc Individuals can participate in the tender if they present a business plan showing funding sources of the construction and a bank guarantee of no less than ten million lei the Territorial Financial Division Balti checked at the request of the Police Inspectorate Rezina the legality of these 6 decisions of the Town Council on this issue and reached the conclusion that there was not legal basis to develop the sale- purchase tender of the plot from str because the Decisions nb.2/39 dated July 11 2013 and  nb.1/13 dated January 31 2014 The Division requested the Town Council to elucidate drawbacks The Council requested the mayor to start a labor investigation and inform the disciplinary commission near the Town Hall about the violations committed by persons involved in actions of  purchase- sale of plot  in public property from private property on  str 27 August 15A – a classical method to hide illegalities They know very well who signed the draft decisions who organized the tenders and signed the illegal reports The Competition Council and the Territorial Financial Division Balti  showed the law articles that were violated But the disciplinary commission has the last word The majority of its members were involved in illegalities described above Commercial shops are built right in the middle of the roadway on the boulevard Sciusev One of the shops commercializes bakery products between the Center of Family Doctors and the Center for Public Health The roots of this  „innovation”  date back September 2012 when at the request of the administration of the town a special commission set the scheme to select 3 plots with a surface of 20 square meters each on the segment from the center of the boulevard the Town Council  under the Decision nb enabled setting up 3 real estate public properties for „exposure to public tender for arranging some mobile kiosks” The preamble of the Decision 7/41 dated 04.12 in 2012 writes that “cadastral plans and a series of laws of the Republic of Moldova served as technical substantiation" Examining the laws mentioned in the decision or destination of the road is for traffic and not to conduct retail 7 provides that while establishing immovable property the condition must be respected that "newly established properties mist meet the initial destination ecological and urban norms..." Law 835-XIII dated  17.05.1996 on  principles of urbanism and territory arrangement oblige local public authorities to put into practice the use of land in accordance with urban planning documentation points out that Şciusev boulevard is designed for the movement of vehicles The authors of the decision have not considered any stipulation of the  Law no 5 (1) that establishes that "the lands occupied by squares plots used for communication" relate to the public field of the town the three plots on Boulevard Sciusev cannot be used for other purposes especially for installation of commercial kiosks this activity involves a continuous flow of people on the road with very intensive road traffic CUVINTUL warned the public about these "innovations» on 7 February 2014 concluding: "We would be curious to know the   view of the State Inspection in Construction and Patrolling Inspectorate they have the possibility to correct mistakes (if they were mistakes) some kiosks have a surface of 25 square meters though the decisions showed 20 square meters which implies prejudice to the town budget Public bath converted in division of concrete and mortar  production Resident of the town Rezina Leonid Hanchevici  doctor by profession came to the editorial office with a problem: " the building of bath and laundry in construction is placed opposite our house it was sold and the new owner (as they spoke) intended to arrange here a storehouse of fruits and vegetables But the owner has changed later and now they are building a division of concrete and mortar production  And that just at 15-20 meter distance from houses Who could authorize such a construction near housing co-signed by 11 other people who live  near the construction Hanchevici is part of the controversial “operas” of Rezina authorities The unfinished construction „Bath and  laundry complex" for 100 seats 1 Mai 4/1 was sold at the price of 212.000  lei by the Public Property Agency in a tender organized on March 20 couple Larisa and Evgheni Gradinari (she – specialist in the administration of the head of district he- chief-architect of the town) addressed to the Rezina authorities with the request to be allowed to buy the land afferent to the real estate afferent to the unfinished complex instead of  the surface of 0,54 hectares of land  under the cadastral plan of the construction at the request of newspaper CUVÂNTUL  the then head of the Territorial Office Orhei of the State Chancellery admitted that the : „Decision nb.4/15 dated 23.05.2012 of the Town Council Rezina „On the sale-purchase of the land of public property of  ATU town Rezina on str afferent to the private property of citizen Grădinari Larisa” was adopted with many violations of the current legislation The land afferent to the unfinished construction of 0.54 hectares sold to new owners was enlarged on the side of the public space (pavement)  on adjacent streets to str Energeticieni and 1 Mai with 0.1768 hectares The plot was sold at the price of 83.706,5 lei thus the budget of the town was harmed with a sum of 254062,8 lei co-owner of the unfinished construction and buyer of the land and representative of the Town Hall as town’s chief architect readied the documents and the decision of this real estate alienation.” The new owner addresses to Town Hall Rezina to get a urbanism certificate for changing the unfinished construction in car service station and commercial areas The document writes: "This certificate does not allow the execution of construction which will become possible only after the release of construction permit Asked to comment on the complaint of the residents living near the construction Mariana Druta said that  her actions as owner were legal and were approved by the State Construction Inspection; the concrete and mortar division is designed to meet her needs the request at the editorial office CUVINTUL Leonid Hanchevici sent the collective petition to the president of the district Eleonora Graur to the mayor of town Rezina Simion Tatarov Hanchevici received answers from the heads of Rezina SA subsidiary RED-Nord Rezina Police Inspectorate and the State Ecological Inspectorate who informed him that  this issue relates to the competence of local authorities and that "violations of law have not been detected." Asked by the editorial office to comment on the complaint of  L mayor Simion Tatarov said: "The building on str 1 Mai  is not listed as  bathroom but as an unfinished construction subjected to reconstruction in car service station and commercial space owner of the construction did not requested and did not get authorization for construction of the division of concrete production  If the information in the petition is true the Town Hall will notify the competent authorities " In the recordings on identifying real estate purchased by couple Gradinari issued by Rezina Cadastral Office on 30 March 2012 the construction is registered as unfinished building (bathrooms and recreation complex)  In other documents of sale-purchase and ownership the construction is registered as “unfinished building" We tried to find from Town Hall Rezina who and when changed the destination of the construction which is exclusively the prerogative of the Town Council secretary of Rezina City Council said that she did not have any document in the Town Hall that would attest such changes the works of assembling the concrete and mortar division on   the territory purchased by Individual Enterprise Mariana Druta  are in full swing (see picture) are interests of some officials who act through intermediaries and they are not officially listed as beneficiaries why the ruling majority in the City Council would promote so insistently some illegal decisions and authorities in charge to stop illegalities do nothing say residents who express their view on these rumors This investigation is accomplished under the Project „Shining a Light on Corruption in Moldova” carried by the Center for investigative Journalism and Freedom House with the financial support of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs kindergartens in the capital left in the parents’ care the kindergartens in the capital have not been provided with sufficient liquid soap or toilet paper The local public authorities argue that there is not enough money for these products The municipal authorities plan funds only for detergents and the hygiene of children in the pre-school institutions is left in the parents’ care.  Instead the state allocates abundant resources for quality hygienic products only MDL 26 were allocated from the public budget for the purchase of household hygienic products per child The Energy Efficiency Fund (FEE) was founded in summer,2012 to ensure efficient energy expenses by fundingsome localprojects of energy consumption reduction and use renewable energy FEE approved funding worth nearly half of billion lei for thermal insulation replacing windows and doors and installing public lighting in different settlements of the country Most of this money was handed to settlements managed by democratic mayors.  FEE is under the Ministry of Economy’s subordination that is managed by representatives of the same party Fund’s politicization is not the only problem How public money was spent for a road to the house of a Liberal Party councilor the Chisinau City Hall ordered pavement with chippings of about 1,000 meters of road in an area of villas near the village Tohatin Mayor Dorin Chirtoaca has allocated 300,000 lei from the municipal budget local authorities  in Tohatin argue that the road was paved namely in the sector where Mariana Lungu Liberal Party Councilor in Municipal Council Chisinau lives the road leads to the gate of the liberal MP Officials in Tohatin say that roads in neighborhood are muddy and the money for roads’ reparation is Illegal businesses with Chisinau City Hall endanger the activity of the seismic station   Illegal sand extraction from the Nistru and Prut Rivers: some get wealthy while the country has losses The Republic of Moldova has two inland waterways of international importance: the Nistru and the Prut Rivers Representatives of the fleets of these two rivers insist that they must constantly clean these waterways and every year on this pretext say employees of the Ministry of Environment the extraction of sand from rivers is not a commercial activity provided for by the Licensing Agency Moldovan businesses have found a way to buy up public land by paying several times less money than the market price of the land The scheme is simple: they lease in the land on which they have set their eyes from the local authorities and then they request to buy the land at its normative price as being adjacent to private constructions Although the Court of Account has been signaling for years in a row that this practice drastically reduces the budget revenues and can be qualified as “fraud risk” Eight million lei provided by the Ecological Fund in Moldova for “textbooks” that are not used How Moldovan Railways Has Lost Wagons of Millions How the “Kickbacks” from the Public Procurements Fatten the Budgets of the Political Parties in Election Campaigns The campaign of the political parties for the local election held in last June was copiously financed likewise the one for the legislative election of last November by employees of companies which had concluded fat contracts with the State over the past years The analysis of the financial reports submitted by the political parties to the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) during the campaign for the election of the 14th of June 2015 has revealed that founders managers and ordinary employees of companies which had signed procurement contracts with different State institutions are among the generous sponsors of the parties The stories from www.anticoruptie.md may be used in the limit of up to 1,000 characters Web pages must indicate the source and link directly to the article Radio and TV stations must indicate the source Publishing full version of stories is allowed based on a prior agreement with the Center for Investigative Journalism Articles published on www.anticoruptie.md are protected by the Law on copyright and related rights of Republic of Moldova