former East Dulwich councillor - how can I help?

[edhistory]

The nominal length of a parking space was reduced.

John K

[James Barber]

Hi stacey-lyn, edhistory,

We have seen a decrease in the space left for parking, post bus lane operation, due to the two new crossings. But as part of that a complete review of all parking restrictions was undertaken and more parking space recovered by reducing parking restrictions on side roads at their junctions with Lordship Lane. From memory 12 spaces remved and 14 added.

I've also had agreement that the parking on Whateley Road outside Bells is relaxed so people can legitmately park there.

Overall we have more legal parking in East Dulwich.

[James Barber]

Katrionaf,

Fingers crossed - first a traffic count to see what the evidence tells us.

Regards james.

Katrionaf Wrote:

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> Hi James

>

> Just following up here. I sent you an email

> re:Copleston Rd this week. Did you have a chance

> to have a read?

>

> Many thanks,

>

> K

[James Barber]

Hi bloonoo,

The lines etc were renewed last Friday.

I must admit i didnt notice.

Is it ok?

Regards james.

bloonoo Wrote:

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> Hi James. Can't see if this hasIus been.mentioned

> before but are there any plans to repaint the

> zebra crossing lines on goose green roundabout?

> They're really fading away and some people don't

> stop at the crossing. Thanks.

[UncleBen]

Dear JB, I see the councils tree contractors are cutting down 9 or 10 trees in Camberwell New Cemetery incl poplars. The trees look ok to me. There are scrappy bits of paper attached to the trees saying the trees have been surveyed and are being cut down for public safety. As it is spring and our remaining wildlife are dependent on trees esp' at this time of year can you please find out (1) what the alleged public safety issue is, (2) Is it the private contractor tree company that carried out the 'survey', (3) Why do this at this time of year, (4) When does this companies contract end. Thank you.

[James Barber]

Hi UncleBen,

I can answer question 3. Tree planting and purning sohuld ideally take place Jan-Feb but you can get away apparently with Dec-Mar. Hence why doing more drastic work is done such as now outside of those times.

Question 4. The council is looking at all its options and considering insourcing as one of several options.

Question 1 & 2. I'll ask now.

[UncleBen]

Thank you JB.

[Nigello]

On Goodrich Road outside the school there use to be zig-zag lines. They were removed and I was told by the school that they were to be replaced with another form of 'deterrent'. The road is busier than ever, especially when the children are there. Any update, James, on why the zig-zags were removed and whether they will be replaced? Thanks.

[James Barber]

Hi nigello,

That's odd. Let me try and find out.

[BeccaL]

I think the zigzags on Goodrich road were moved to Dunstans, as the gate on Goodrich Road isn't used for kids to get into/out of school any more. They've certainly been introduced on Dunstans, though tend to be ignored...

[James Barber]

For those that travel past or via Denmark Hill you will probably have noticed all the bushes and tress have been cutback in one section uncovering a huge litter dump. Although not in my ward I've contact one of the local ocuncillors there to try and resolve.

[James Barber]

Hi Nigello,

BeccaL is spot on. Effectively the zig zags have been moved around the corner to the new entrance.

[James Barber]

James Barber Wrote:

I've been lucky and found a direct Network Rail contact.

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

> For those that travel past or via Denmark Hill you

> will probably have noticed all the bushes and

> tress have been cutback in one section uncovering

> a huge litter dump. Although not in my ward I've

> contact one of the local ocuncillors there to try

> and resolve.

[fl0wer]

I'm staggered that tree surgeons are at work in the Camberwell Old Cemetery area just as the wild birds start to fledge. The humans have had a whole long winter to clatter around and disrupt everything in this area of sanctuary woodland. I would remind everyone that we're bound by the various wildlife protection acts, and doing anything to hurt nesting birds is an offence. Chainsaws and noisy strimmers count as 'hurt', OK, whatever anyone tells you.

Furthermore I am not at all happy to see that our taxes and rates are being used to strim right down to a mush, many areas of beautiful flowering wild plants around the gravestones. There is no call to reduce this grassland to a short back & sides. It is full of invertebrates and increasingly threatened, rare amphibians. Also protected species.

Please intervene, ASAP James.

[fazer71]

James Barber Wrote:

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> Hi Fazer71,

> Since I've been a councillor May 2006 we now have

> fractionally more parking around Lordsihp Lane

> than we did before.

James on Parking not sure if it's your ward Peckham Rye stretch between Scylla Rd and Nunhead Lane there are parking restrictions but also double yellow lines between those restrictions why looks a little over kill for weekend visits.

Either single yellows but probably more parking spaces.

A quite bizzare use of double yellow lines.

[James Barber]

Hi flower,

Camberwell Cemetery - Officers and their contractors have stated the 12 trees are diseased. I've alsready a query with them to expand on that and fully explain the details.

Hi fazer71,

Those roads are outside East Dulwich ward. The north Scylla Road side of Nunhead Lane is in "The Lane" ward. The councillors for that ward are: nick.dolezal@southwark.gov.ukmark.glover@southwark.gov.ukrowenna.davis@southwark.gov.uk

I'd suggest you email them about this.

[intexasatthe moment]

" Officers and their contractors have stated the 12 trees are diseased " - yeah right ,lets hope their professional judgement has improved on that used to decide that lime trees be pollarded in August putting the trees under unnecessary stress and devastating all the insects etc dependent on the foliage .

And as for the visual effect etc that we mere inhabitants of the borough might enjoy - well who cares ?

[first mate]

Hi James,

Do you know for how much longer the double yellows along one stretch of Melbourne Grove will be in place ofr? The work seems to have finsihed now.

[fl0wer]

Even if the trees are diseased there is no reason to upset all the bird life right at this critical stage in the breeding cycle. ANY other season of the year would be better than this.

All the 'disease' would probably do is offer more insects for parent birds to predate on, anyway.

It's a money sapping scam and next we anticipate alarmist talk re: spending our taxes on toxic sprays against the plane tree disease and the oak processionary moth and the ash fungus. No, no, and no again. This is not how biodiversity works. You want those sudden surges of insect larvae, and stronger flocks of birds to build up again.

Later, having carefully observed tree growth over the summer, some dead branches can be removed in the autumn. Don't want any jolly bonfires either. Stack 'em in a safe place and let the stag beetle and dragonfly life regenerate.

[intexasatthe moment]

Absolutely right fl0wer ,it's to get the work done more cheaply , presumably same reason for pollarding trees in full leaf last August as no other reason makes sense .

No doubt if Southwark thought things through they could save even more money by adopting the approach you suggest . An approach which would have multiple benefits .

But I'm not holding my breath .

[tiddles]

I don't understand how a council can seem to emplouy 'experts' who seem to bugger everything up??

please excuse the professional terminology but I think that just about sums them up!

[intexasatthe moment]

They'll just argue that they havent buggered anything up ,the lime trees will come back ,that the camberwell cemetry work is scheduled on some spreadsheet in the sky to be done now .

And they wont use as many words but the text is " like it or lump it "

[fl0wer]

Can we not descend into an 'us' & 'them' trough just now?

We all have to live with the consequences of neglect, wrong planting, wrong attitude to climate in the past, failure to act to reduce fossil fuel use, etc etc. All means all - the wildlife included.

One issue confronts us all caring for the planet: science encourages ever more specialist study & narrower degree subjects proliferate.

Wardens, treasurers, road designers and planners who serve the borough may only have a basic grasp of salient aspects for biodiversity. It is up to them whether they find sufficient time & enthusiasm to study in more depth.

Administrative drives to current budget slashing and reducing carbon footprints could be pretty good places to start, from the wildlife's viewpoint, because these should lead to less drastic interference and fewer unnecessary tidy-ups. Cherishing the natural green coat on topsoil, is actually a hands-off business much of the time. Enlightened planning looks ahead as far as our grandchildren, not the next election or the next grant application.

For council tree advisors and park managers & staff to communicate with each other and learn lifelong re: bird life, ground flora, invertebrates and amphibians, would appear to be common sense from where I sit, but it cannot be taken for granted.

There are often pockets of great expertise in natural history amongst keen, self-taught members of the general public, people who love their locale & have spent decades studying what lives in it.

[UncleBen]

More tree butchery! When is it going to stop, JB? What disease? Why fell rather than treat? Where is the proof? The private firm 'surveys' trees, and then condems them, and then gets paid for butchering them. What Council Officer is responsible for monitoring this? Maybe JB should go directly to him/her with concerns. Meanwhile I would urge people to find out exactly what is happening and why when they see the tree butchers at their work.

[wtj]

Please can something be done about the number of people who leave their bins out all week on lordship lane- surrounding roads look much tidier because residents take their bins in.

Thank you