former East Dulwich councillor - how can I help?

[James Barber]

For those that live in Norcroft Gardens today you should see new street name plates - one on the post to replace the missing one and one on an end wall of a house to which hopefully will make it much harder to vanish.

If any one else has missing street name plates please do let me know and i'll get it sorted for you....and your visitors.

[James Barber]

The chaos that is the current parking ban on Melbourne Grove (near that station) and Grove Vale, I'm sure the resurfacing works are finished. I've tried contacting council officers to find out what is going on.

The total lack of any clarity means I think you can park of o these streets while we await council officials to get this fixed an remove all those bollards saying don't park.

I'm really sorry the council has been cr*p on thris.

[Andrew1011]

James Barber Wrote:

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

> I'm really sorry the council has been cr*p on

> thris.

They'll blame the contractors, and probably rightly so to some extent.

The Traffic Order notice I had left on my car at the beginning of these works applied to works undertaken in the Goodrich Road area in October 2010. When I queried it they attributed the problem to a mistake in the notice template they'd used. However, that didn't ring true given that the information in the notice about the site of the works and the effective dates was actually hand written.

[uncleglen]

As regards the CPZ issue; it was interesting to note that there were no parking restrictions in the road nearest to Sainsbury's in Forest Hill when they had a LibDem/Conservative controlled Council the election before last, and then Labour got in 5 years ago and put parking meters in that road!

[maxthecat]

Dear James, I tried to use the Dulwich Leisure Centre swimming pool this morning and was told it was closed for the whole morning for swimming classes, 9am to 12noon/12.30. Is this fair? There were only 3 groups of 8 people in the classes.Why do they need the ENTIRE pool? Surely it would be more fair to the residents if they sectioned off half the pool (say, the shallow end!) for the learners and left the remaining area of the pool open for people who can swim. Saturday morning is one of only two mornings in the week when people who WORK MONDAY-FRIDAY , can actually enjoy a swim to start the day. And it's the people who work and pay council taxes and income tax who contribute towards facilities like this. The website, incidentally, makes no mention of the fact the swimming pool closes every Saturday morning at 9am until 12noon/12.30. I hope you can do something to stop this discriminatory situation, thank-you, Hilary

[James Barber]

Hi maxthecat,

Let me try and find out.

[James Barber]

The car club car on Cyrena will be moved across the road which should mean the home tha has been inconvenienced won't be for much longer.

[fazer71]

Hi James

I occasionally walk to Dulwich Village to get a morning paper, I have noticed for some time now that parking on the zigzag lines of the pedestrian crossing are constantly parked on by cars and delivery vehicles, I have witnessed several incidents where drivers have not been able to see pedestrians until the last minute.

In my view it?s very serious and is only a matter of time before there?s an accident at this crossing due to vehicles parking on the zigzag lines.

I have contacted Southwark parking and the Police several times and nothing has happened, every day particularly Weekends, drivers flaunt the zigzags parking laws and put pedestrians at risk.

I guess this is not your patch but if you could talk to someone who is responsible that would be good.

I seem to remember that it is an endorsement points on licence offence?

Thanks

[fredricketts]

Hi James, Can you tell me why Ashbourne Grove was left off the list for consultation on Grove Vale PCZ.

As you know this will affect Ashbourne Grove quite considerably, as if it isn?t bad enough now.

A lot of residents in the surrounding area are quite annoyed about it, as it will have a knock on effect, which could force residents to accept PCZ when in fact they are dead against it, why should residents pay to have visitors.

Best regards

FR

[James Barber]

Hi fred,

Hope you're well.

Short answer is money.

Longer answer, I asked that if the controlled parking question (and background research) was being asked that residents of Tell, Matham, Ashbourne, Chesterfield, Bassano, Blackwater and the rest of Melbourne Grove also be asked.

But I know that residents from a very wide area are responding to the public consultation and I would encourage you and your neighbours to also respond.

Their is also a public exhibition today from 4-8pm at Grove Vale library and would recommend that if you get the chance you pop along.

AS for paying to have visitors. Two options for controlled parking are proposed - 'lite' with it operating 10-12 mon-fri and 'heavy' operating 8.30-6.30 mon-fri. So IF it proceeds visitors would only need visitors permits to park in certain streets if their parking crossed into 10-12 mon-fri.

Hope that helps.

[fredricketts]

Hi James,

Thank you for your reply. Money is always a problem with the Council, because they waste so much, i.e.; Melbourne Grove, you resurface the road with new humps, then you take out the humps because of the buses going down there, then you put back the humps. Cost approx ?80,000. And so on. Perhaps it?s time the council started to use the 80 million pound it has in reserve. As for the consultation, it?s a farce; all the roads that you mentioned should have been included in the consultation, as it is going to affect them all. Unless the idea is to force them into accepting PCZ.

I appreciate all that you try to do, and I admire you for taking the flack on these sites, it?s how you learn by your mistakes. Keep up the good work.

[James Barber]

Hi Fred,

Each hump costs about ?1,800 and I think 4 have had to be removed and will be replaced so sad to see around ?9-10,000 but nowhere near ?80,000.

I wouldn't call the consultation a farce but I would have preferred different coverage. But it appears clear more people are responding from the surrounding streets than normal traffic consultations.

[fredricketts]

Its because we know the affect it is going to have on our streets, they are bad enough now, let alone the commuting cars looking for new parking spaces.

[James Barber]

JFYI - after a gap the latest, bit reduced, Cleaner Greener Safer capital funding scheme has just been released.

Apply via www.Southwark.gov.uk/cleanergreenersafer before 6 January.

Normally applications are between ?1000 and ?25,000.

Get your thinking caps on - what relatively small things could we do to make East Dulwich even better?

[Pugwash]

Hi James,

The row of shops from the Plough to CP Road, could do with better lighting, especially around the funeral directors and Moulin Restaurant as they both lay back from the pavement. If the Plough Homecraft's lights are not on the whole area around there is very dim - especially near the bus stop.

[James Barber]

Hi Pugwash,

Let me take a look. And assuming I agree will ask for better lighting there.

GENERALLY - I've suggested to the Friends of Peckham Rye Park that they might want to consider applying for CGS funds for a lost children post as they have a very successful one in Dulwich Park. Reall win win in that kids are lost for much less time and far fewer mass call outs for Police searching for lost kids.

[fazer71]

My experience of CPZ's in Clapham and Herne Hill are that they work very well as long as they are setup to stop commuters parking all day long.

The best ones have all bays as pay and display from 12.00 mid day to 14.00 that stops commuters and keeps parking free for the locals and shoppers.

It?s incredible how many parked heaps it clears off the streets and how much nicer the area looks after this type of cpz is introduced the ?125 a year is a small price to pay for a guaranteed parking and a nicer environment.

Once it?s in in the ABOVE format ! Then you?ll be thinking wish we?d done it years ago !

[James Barber]

Hi fazer71,

Many thanks for your comments and I hope you responded to the consultation - but I'd prefer to avoid this thread becoming another CPZ thread.

[James Barber]

Chesterfield Grove residents.

A number of complaints have been made to me about the Chesterfield Grove car wash which technically is at 94 Lordship lane. I've been surprised how far down Chesterfield Grove residents have been so annoyed to complain to me about it.

Council Planning enforcement officers have confirmed that its 1999 planning permission allowed for it to operate Mon-Sun 9am-7pm. Please see attached.

I've asked these officers to ensure the second condition about ensuring spray stays in the premises have been met.

I've also noticed what appears a recent new structure on site so have asked officers to ensure it has planning permission.

I'm sure this car wash can exist causing less nuisance to local residents and be a successful business.

If you have any concerns or issues please do let me know.

[reggie]

James

I was looking at your latest leaflet that came through the door about LibDem exploits in Dulwich.

It came across really snipey and gave the impression of being more interested in proving how much

better LibDems are than Labour than calmly just getting on with the job.

It wasnt a great advert for being grown up.

[Freddy1929]

what happened to the extra pedestrian crossings that were going to be put on lordship Lane? Has the Council run out of money, or have they given in to motorists again?

[northlondoner]

James, is there anything you can do about the streetsweeping around Hindmans Road. I tried calling the council to find out how often the road is swept - and couldnt get a straight answer. The litter around here is pretty bad and makes the area look and feel really scruffy. The same chicken boxes, squashed beer cans etc have been here for days now. There's only so much one can pick up onself before thinking - "hang on, shouldnt the council be doing this?"

[James Barber]

Hi Reggie,

Sorry you didn't like it.

Hi Freddy1929,

The extra crossing on Lordship Lane. The rasied entry treatment across the mouth of East Dulwich Grove where it meets Lordship Lane has been completed. The two crossing will be installed starting in January. I asked that they only be installed outside the Christmas period as we don't want to harm trade or distract traders with road workers at Xmas. The works will take from 6 January until mid March BUT most of that time will work wont be onsite but the elapsed time will be 10 weeks - concrete curing etc. Also, big depedency on TfL contractors to install the Puffin lights.

Hi northlondoner,

Street sweeping on Hindmans Road.

In February the Labour administration chose to reduce street sweeping to every 4 weeks. Litter picknig has also been reduced but several times a week your street should be litter picked - and yes it is a shame we still need to pay people to pick up litter dropped by idiots.

I have asked when Hindmans was last litter picked and when it will next be swept.

[northlondoner]

Thanks James.

[James Barber]

Hi northlondoner,

I've just been assured that litter picking is occurring every other day on Hindmans Road and it was last swept 3 weeks ago and will be swept next week.

If you find its not beeing swept everyother day could you please send me some picture of the same spot over several days?