Peckham Rye Station (being revamped?)

[Louisa]

I cannot see a return to quality shopping on Rye Lane. I think the ship has sailed on that one. However, the station could at least be made to look more presentable.

[citizenED]

Thanks for the photo, Louisa - I wonder if, back then, the environs had that distinct aroma of p*ss that it does now.

citizen

[Jeremy]

Peckham probably smelled a lot worse back then, I think the sewerage system is a bit better these days!

[Louisa]

Peckham was a small village in Surrey back then, not sure what they did for sanitation but I bet the air was a little more healthy.

[Nero]

If only the police or wardens would enforce the parking laws more readily, then at least one of the unpleasant aspects of Rye Lane would be ameliorated. Being stuck on a bus because some van/taxi/other vehicle with 'disabled' driver or passenger in it has stopped on the double yellows is annoying. There used to be bollards that would drop down for buses and access, but they lasted for a short time as they damaged a vehicle, I heard. Rather than trying to improve it, it was obv. decided to do away with it altogether, which is not an efficient use of our money, is it? Nero

[SeanMacGabhann]

Nero - they didn't just happen to damage a vehicle - Drivers used to tailgate the buses so tightly to try and get past the bollard it was inevitabe that a few would be pranged

Call it initiative or stupidity (guess which my opinion is) but I don't think rising bollards can e be "improved" to prevent that kind of behaviour

[Nero]

But surely if they tailgate, then they are, ahem 'bang' to rights. (It's just flowing today.) That bloody Lane is lawless and it really cheeses me off. Blokes peeing in the street? Yes sir, of course sir. Illegal parking? That's no problem, madame. Rotting flesh and vegetable smells from dawn till dusk? Right away! Nero

[Red_Cat]

Apparently it cost a million pounds as well to put those bollards in, based on a very successful scheme in scandanavia.

Sweden/Rye lane peckham - spot the difference

[Louisa]

I think all the money pumped into Peckham was a complete waste of time. It did not solve any of the major issues and it did not attract any decent shops back to the area. What a waste of taxpayers money that was.. Oh yeah, you have a new library.. great!

[pk]

Louisa Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I think all the money pumped into Peckham was a

> complete waste of time. It did not solve any of

> the major issues and it did not attract any decent

> shops back to the area. What a waste of taxpayers

> money that was.. Oh yeah, you have a new library..

> great!

attracting decent shops is important?

may be didn't SOLVE any of the major issues, but depends what those issues are (aside from decent shops)- may be nice coffee bars?

and there's no value in e.g. the library, the pulse, the new health centre, demolishing the North Peckham Estate?

I just don't get some people

[tommy]

Rome was not built in a day and all that...

Anyway, I'm going to the meeting on Monday evening - anyone else who has an opinion should do so too

[batdog]

Peckham was.... !!!

[LuvPeckham]

Just joined the forum, despite living in ED for 13 years, and qualified to comment on this post as I represent the traders in Peckham as part of the town centre management group (yes Peckham is attempting to improve and manage itself)

Station : The concept of opening up the forecourt to the station is one that is supported by a lot of different people, but has difficulties in terms of the lease left on the shops (they signed a 100 Year lease back in 1930 when the shops were put there), Cost of CPO and demolition and also finding private and other investors to support the scheme.

The Council has just agreed to put the concept on the agenda and is looking to find some funding to conduct a study of the concept. The Tram coming to Peckham may generate some complimentary measures funding that will assist in either moving the scheme forward or to actually make the scheme happen.

Shops in Rye Lane : The Peckham Town Centre Management Group (PTCMG) are looking into ways of both retaining the exciting range of ethnic and food related businesses in Peckham whilst also encouraging new and diverse businesses to come to the table. Whilst we don't want to see Peckham becoming another Clone town (aka Bromley / Croydon ...) we do want to see that the offering available suits all the local residents in the area and also attracts people from far and wide. Those of you who attended the RLSAG meeting on Monday night will have heard the comment that the best way to attract new businesses to Peckham, or to change the items that they sell is by actually stopping and shopping there and asking the businesses for the goods you want (if they don't currently stock them)

Other businesses will only locate in Peckham if there is deemed to be a demand for them, therefore if you want a shop providing (for example) a M&S type offering then you need to be seen shopping in the area by the businesses so that they can justify that the demand is there for their goods.

Bollards : Least said the better I think, the problem with cars tailgating the busses wasn't so much in damage to the cars but more to do with the damage to the bollard system. It cost (from what I have been told) ?50k to replace each damaged bollard after they went into the chassis of a car....

Parking / Rye Lane Traffic : The businesses down Rye Lane, in the main, don't have rear access for goods to be delivered, and as a result Southwark council has allowed loading/Unloading on one side of the street from Midnight till 1am and on the other from 1am till Midnight. This allows the businesses in the lane to receive goods, however does sometimes cause problems with traffic management when (as happened today) the Council waste team are moving slowly along Rye lane to collect trade waste. We are looking at this issue and with the upcoming Peckham Area Action Plan being taken for consultation by the Council in the next few months we hope that this is something businesses, residents and commuters will comment on to make the system work for all.

Finally : (yes short response I know and you can wake up now)

In order to promote Peckham, the I Love Peckham Festival is almost upon us again (weekend of 11th and 12th August) with lots of activities and events in the town centre over the weekend and other events occurring the week leading up to the event.

The Businesses in the town centre (30 at last count) are involved in a shop window dressing competition with artists designing and creating interesting displays for the windows to attract the passer-by?s eye. Well worth looking out for.

For more information on the Peckham Town Centre Management Group visit the Peckham Town Centre Management Group Website

[SeanMacGabhann]

splendid post LuvPeckham - thanks for the updates and hopefully we'll hear more from you soon

12th of August is, as you KNOW ;-) the Jerk Chicken Cook Off in Horniman Gardens in the afternoon but I'll be wafting around Peckham for much of the rest of the weekend

[Ko]

LuvPeckham - great the traders are doing something. I use the shops in Peckham every couple of weeks. Great to have an Argos and Woolies etc nearby and other useful shops. Ther are some small independent shops which are also good.

Went into Woolies last Sunday and couldn't believe all the litter inside. It almost put me off but there was something I really needed so I still went in. Not sure if this was because they don't have cleaning staff at the weekend, because its usually quite tidy.

[Nero]

Why are the shops 'exciting'? Don't be so bloody patronising. They are no more exciting than any other shop. Just because they cater to a minority does not make them 'exciting'. How can a shop selling cow heels be 'exciting'? Sheesh. They're just butchers' shops or hairdressing shops, so don't try to trade on s false and non-existent exoticism, as that is wrong and racist. Nero

[tommy]

Nero - I think your point is a little forceful, "exciting" may be the wrong word - but what you turn your nose up to may be exciting to other people.

[Nero]

It's campaign-speak laziness, council-talk jargon. It's like saying 'hustle and bustle' when they you really mean 'bloody awful, loud, noisy, pain in the arseness' when talking about those holiday markets we're told are worth visiting. I'm more ranting against that typically banal language that's increasingly employed to flam up what is at best quotidian, at worst annoying. Nero

[Jeremy]

I think "racist" is incorrect, and an inappropriate accusation. I do agree with the essence of your post though, Nero - there's nothing exciting about Rye Lane.

[Nero]

But to a West African, a shop selling West African products is about as exciting as a Tesco Express for most British people. It's that exotification effect, which is patronising and ultimately racist, I think. Nero

[Frisco]

"If only the police or wardens would enforce the parking laws more readily, then at least one of the unpleasant aspects of Rye Lane would be ameliorated."

Parking and stopping to load on Rye Lane is controlled by both parking attendants and CCTV.

"Being stuck on a bus because some van/taxi/other vehicle with 'disabled' driver or passenger in it has stopped on the double yellows is annoying."

Because, of course, the success of a shopping street is determined by the number of people who drive through it on a bus, rather than those who are able to have access to it to shop etc. Rye Lane is a disaster for shoppers, having become mainly a just a dehumanised bus lane that people don't want to use, so it's no wonder that shops are closing down or choosing to move out. I'm a 'disabled' (whatever the inverted commas are meant to mean) driver and I can assure you that there is no facility for 'disabled' parking on Rye Lane.

"There used to be bollards that would drop down for buses and access, but they lasted for a short time as they damaged a vehicle, I heard. Rather than trying to improve it, it was obv. decided to do away with it altogether, which is not an efficient use of our money, is it?"

Well it was an efficient use of my money, in that they were dangerous and the risk of having to pay out compensation was too high compared to any gains the high maintenance bollards provided. So yes, in my view, it was an efficient use of 'our' money.

[hoolley]

You are so right. You want to try getting to work in the morning. There is no-where to buy a newspaper, no-where to buy a sandwich or coffee and what shops there are there look like a visit from Evironmental health is needed. I mean, even the Metro don't leave their papers there!!!

[hoolley]

I agree with you. It is scarey. Also in a morning when I am running late for work, which is usually every morning, there is no-where to buy a coffee or a newspaper. Can we campaign to demolish Rye Lane and open some decent shops instead of row after row of ?1 shops and shops selling the same tack. They opened that new market called Sky or something and its full of more tack. There is no bookshops, record shops (unless its God squad stuff). No where to buy clothes, nowhere to eat. The place stinks of deprivation and we should all be saying something about it. Depressing.

[Louisa]

hooley I completely agree, the whole place has gone down the drain. The amount of retail space is quite astonishing, and it is so close to so many up and coming areas and yet nothing seems to rub off on Rye Lane. The millions spent by the EU on the area was a waste of time, it's made no difference to anyone.

[Alan Dale]

Some of the money spent in Peckham has definitely not been wasted.

The leisure centre is great. Our babies love 'rafts and rascals' and the soft play area. I also think the library is brilliant. The views of the city from the children's section are fantastic.