Latest news with #Londoners
North Wales Chronicle
5 hours ago
- Business
- North Wales Chronicle
Government lifts ban on developing land reserved for bridge project axed in 2008
Transport minister Simon Lightwood described the safeguarding direction in relation to the axed Thames Gateway Bridge scheme in east London as an 'obstacle to much-needed development'. The bridge would have connected Newham to Greenwich, but was scrapped by then-London mayor Boris Johnson in 2008, who said the capital should focus on 'projects that deliver real benefits for Londoners'. Safeguarding is used to stop land from being developed in a way that would conflict with future schemes. In a written statement to Parliament, Mr Lightwood wrote that the safeguarding direction for the Thames Gateway Bridge dated back to 1940, when 'the area's transport needs were very different'. He went on: 'Since then, London's transport priorities have evolved, and over the decades we have seen major investments in London's river crossings – most notably the Dartford Crossing, and recently, the Silvertown Tunnel. 'The safeguarding directions therefore no longer align with the direction of transport policy or the evolving needs of this part of London. 'The continued safeguarding of this land has been an obstacle to much-needed development, and I am therefore lifting these directions. 'The Government is keen to deliver new homes and unlock economic opportunity, and we are taking steps to remove unnecessary barriers to progress.'
South Wales Guardian
8 hours ago
- Business
- South Wales Guardian
Government lifts ban on developing land reserved for bridge project axed in 2008
Transport minister Simon Lightwood described the safeguarding direction in relation to the axed Thames Gateway Bridge scheme in east London as an 'obstacle to much-needed development'. The bridge would have connected Newham to Greenwich, but was scrapped by then-London mayor Boris Johnson in 2008, who said the capital should focus on 'projects that deliver real benefits for Londoners'. Safeguarding is used to stop land from being developed in a way that would conflict with future schemes. In a written statement to Parliament, Mr Lightwood wrote that the safeguarding direction for the Thames Gateway Bridge dated back to 1940, when 'the area's transport needs were very different'. He went on: 'Since then, London's transport priorities have evolved, and over the decades we have seen major investments in London's river crossings – most notably the Dartford Crossing, and recently, the Silvertown Tunnel. 'The safeguarding directions therefore no longer align with the direction of transport policy or the evolving needs of this part of London. 'The continued safeguarding of this land has been an obstacle to much-needed development, and I am therefore lifting these directions. 'The Government is keen to deliver new homes and unlock economic opportunity, and we are taking steps to remove unnecessary barriers to progress.'
Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Health
- Indian Express
This English word is derived from the infamous history of a mental asylum — take a guess
When we say a scene is 'bedlam', we usually mean it's in utter chaos—loud, disorganised, almost out of control. But few realise that the word has its origins in a very real and very grim chapter of medical history: a medieval mental hospital in London. Here's how a single institution gave English one of its most evocative words for madness. The word 'bedlam' is a corruption of 'Bethlem,' short for Bethlem Royal Hospital, which was founded in 1247 in London as the Priory of St Mary of Bethlehem. Originally a religious institution, it began admitting mentally ill patients by the early 14th century and evolved into Europe's most infamous psychiatric hospital. By the 1600s, Bethlem had gained notoriety for its inhumane conditions, and patients were often chained, left in filth, and subjected to violent or bizarre treatments like bloodletting and purging. As the institution's name filtered into English usage, the pronunciation gradually shifted. The Middle English form Bedlem soon became bedlam, a more phonetically simplified variant that stuck. By the 17th century, the word had taken on a figurative meaning far beyond its geographical origins. It began to refer to any scene of uproar and confusion, directly inspired by the state of the hospital itself, where screaming, moaning, and hysteria reigned. Shockingly, Bethlem became a form of public entertainment. In the 1600s and 1700s, people could pay a small fee (sometimes just a penny) to visit the hospital and gawk at the patients, as if it were a human zoo. Some records suggest that hundreds of thousands of Londoners visited Bedlam annually, often treating the mentally ill as curiosities rather than people. This tragic voyeurism further cemented bedlam in public imagination as a synonym for frenzy, madness, and grotesque chaos. The infamous hospital and its treatment of the patient also inspired a movie by the name of 'Bedlam'. Over time, medical understanding of mental illness evolved, and Bethlem Royal Hospital was reformed. It still exists today as part of the NHS, offering modern psychiatric care under its historical name. The word bedlam serves as a linguistic relic, reminding us how far we've come in mental health care, and how language preserves both progress and prejudice. What we casually use to describe a noisy classroom or chaotic traffic jam was once the name of a real place of suffering, and public mockery.
South Wales Argus
9 hours ago
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Government lifts ban on developing land reserved for bridge project axed in 2008
Transport minister Simon Lightwood described the safeguarding direction in relation to the axed Thames Gateway Bridge scheme in east London as an 'obstacle to much-needed development'. The bridge would have connected Newham to Greenwich, but was scrapped by then-London mayor Boris Johnson in 2008, who said the capital should focus on 'projects that deliver real benefits for Londoners'. Safeguarding is used to stop land from being developed in a way that would conflict with future schemes. In a written statement to Parliament, Mr Lightwood wrote that the safeguarding direction for the Thames Gateway Bridge dated back to 1940, when 'the area's transport needs were very different'. He went on: 'Since then, London's transport priorities have evolved, and over the decades we have seen major investments in London's river crossings – most notably the Dartford Crossing, and recently, the Silvertown Tunnel. 'The safeguarding directions therefore no longer align with the direction of transport policy or the evolving needs of this part of London. 'The continued safeguarding of this land has been an obstacle to much-needed development, and I am therefore lifting these directions. 'The Government is keen to deliver new homes and unlock economic opportunity, and we are taking steps to remove unnecessary barriers to progress.'
Leader Live
9 hours ago
- Business
- Leader Live
Government lifts ban on developing land reserved for bridge project axed in 2008
Transport minister Simon Lightwood described the safeguarding direction in relation to the axed Thames Gateway Bridge scheme in east London as an 'obstacle to much-needed development'. The bridge would have connected Newham to Greenwich, but was scrapped by then-London mayor Boris Johnson in 2008, who said the capital should focus on 'projects that deliver real benefits for Londoners'. Safeguarding is used to stop land from being developed in a way that would conflict with future schemes. In a written statement to Parliament, Mr Lightwood wrote that the safeguarding direction for the Thames Gateway Bridge dated back to 1940, when 'the area's transport needs were very different'. He went on: 'Since then, London's transport priorities have evolved, and over the decades we have seen major investments in London's river crossings – most notably the Dartford Crossing, and recently, the Silvertown Tunnel. 'The safeguarding directions therefore no longer align with the direction of transport policy or the evolving needs of this part of London. 'The continued safeguarding of this land has been an obstacle to much-needed development, and I am therefore lifting these directions. 'The Government is keen to deliver new homes and unlock economic opportunity, and we are taking steps to remove unnecessary barriers to progress.'
