former East Dulwich councillor - how can I help?

[intexasatthe moment]

No news on double yellow lines over dropped kerbgate ?

[willish]

I posted this earlier (now in the lounge) and was advised to post it here too. I'm aware you're not a councillor in my ward but am bringing it to your attention nevertheless.

I need to get this off my chest. I realise this may seem like a trivial subject matter, and indeed I'm aware that Southwark Council have life and death matters to attend to, but my frustration has grown at my difficulty in getting any answer to a simple query. I asked for a tree to be pruned back in May as it was blocking our satellite signal and was told it would be done in June or July. It's now mid September and not only has it not been pruned, but despite multiple attempts to get answers from the council, they have failed to even get back to me. I understand there may be a legitimate reason for the delay in tree pruning - but I deserve to be told about it. I've even escalated it to the head of the council who is in my ward and still nothing. The council obviously has severe communication issues - to ignore a tax-paying resident with a legitimate query for so long is not just customer service at its worst, it's also rude, uncaring and disrespectful.

Phew. Rant over.

[eastdulwichhenry]

James

Just a quicky, there was a closure at the end of Melbourne Grove tonight, where they're apparently resurfacing Grove Vale, by the rail station.

I approached this closure by car from the East Dulwich Grove end of Melbourne Grove, but there was absolutely no warning, either on ED Grove, or at the entrance to Melbourne Grove itself. The first I knew of the closure was when I turned the corner and there it was. There were several other cars behind me, and we all had to do awkward three point turns in a tight space to get out again.

Surely it is correct to post notices about such closures at the other end of the road, and preferably signpost a diversion for drivers as well?

[david_carnell]

At about 9pm it was utter chaos at Goose Green in all directions. Took more than 10mins to negotiate from the Bishop to the roundabout and up to Ondine Rd. Crazy.

[Earl Aelfheah]

Hi James. Would you back / help promote the campaign for an investigation into the sale of the Heygate estate? Petition is here: https://www.change.org/p/heygate-estate-scandal-demand-an-investigation?recruiter=152746700&utm_campaign=mailto_link&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition

[James Barber]

Apologies to everyone I'm a little behind due to illness but will catch-up by Monday.

[intexasatthe moment]

Wishing you better James .

[BrandNewGuy]

david_carnell Wrote:

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> At about 9pm it was utter chaos at Goose Green in

> all directions. Took more than 10mins to negotiate

> from the Bishop to the roundabout and up to Ondine

> Rd. Crazy.

Zippo's Circus were on the move. Ironically, the huge trucks managed the Goose Green roundabout fine - it was a couple of caravans that got stuck...

[ED - NAGAIUTB]

Hi James,

Is there anything to done about cars being parked up advertising "cash for scrap"? They seem to deliberately park them on or near junctions. There is one in particular on Sydenham Hill, junction of Sydenham Rise that, whilst legally parked, causes a bottleneck in the mornings and has clearly been hit several times despite being there for only a fortnight. It now has flat tyres and dented panels. Clearly the owners of these cars have no intention of ever moving them, regardless of how damaged they get.

Is it even legal to advertise in this fashion?

[MissusF]

h

[Earl Aelfheah]

I would love to see speed cameras (preferably average speed cameras), or even mobile traffic enforcement officers catching those driving dangerously, but please no more speed bumps.

[david_carnell]

Chicanes?

[Earl Aelfheah]

Definitely prefer chicanes to speed bumps, although difficult for buses I would guess.

[tiddles]

Hi James

any feedback about the dropped kerb confusion? either

a)is there is a misunderstanding in some quarters re yellow lines (they don't really intend to do this it is just a clarification issue) or

b) southwark are trying to implement a new plan which is probably going to cause a lot of aggravation all round and

c) if b is the case, how can we go about entering into discussion regarding this unannounced change in policy - one it would seem not implemented by other boroughs.

many thanks

ps hope you are feeling better

[Alan Medic]

Hopefully you are recovering James.

[Pugwash]

Barry Road and some of it junctions have had various improvements etc. over the years to reduce speed. Speed humps are a no due to buses. Traffic lights at both Upland and Underhill Junctions to reduce some speeding. Speed cameras might work. I live on Barry Road and travel down it most days by car and am always amazed that some drivers want to overtake me when I am doing between 20 - 30 mph as there are buses in front of me which I know are going to stop and I may or may not be able to safely overtake them due to on coming traffic.

[kford]

Do this to Barry Road and watch the speed drop: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/consumer-news/88464/tfl-claims-removing-white-lines-from-roads-reduces-speeds

[MissusF]

Yes, Pugwash it's a problem but I don't accept that "it's a no" to speed bumps because of buses. The safety of all the residents, especially children, is more important. Something really needs to be done.

Hope James is recovering.

[spider69]

MissusF Wrote:

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> Yes, Pugwash it's a problem but I don't accept

> that "it's a no" to speed bumps becausLe of buses.

> The safety of all the residents, especially

> children, is more important. Something really

> needs to be done.

>

> Hope James is recovering.

Walk on the pavement not the road and be aware of your surroundings. Perhaps employ a man with a red flag to walk in front of all moving vehicles?

What happened to self awareness. Sorry that was the past

[James Barber]

Hi ALan Medic,

Parking Wardens should treat all road users the same. I've even heardo f a non urgent police car being ticketed but yet to hear of a parking warden vehicle being ticketed. Most now travel on mopeds to reduce this problem.

I would say an obvious busy van or lorry with doors open and boxes going in and out is much more clearly delivering in loading bays than Joe Public parked up with no activities.

Have you had a recent experience that you feel is unfair. If you do please email me direct so I can try and help.

Hi Peckhamgatecrasher,

Lordship Lane has looked a pickle. My ward colleague Cllr Rosie Shimell raised this and I have witnessed our mechanical street sweeping machine at work cleaning the place up. Rosie and I will speak with street cleaning to see what can be done to get our patch back up to scratch.

[Thanks Rob Miller broadly 20% of council spend comes from Council Tax, 75% central government, 5% from fees].

Hi ITATM,

Watch this space on the kerbs thing. Will have some news on this before next monday.

Hi Ant,

What is your address as clearly this isn't acceptable.

Hi willish,

Please email me directly and we'll get this sorted for you.

Hi eastdulwichhenry,

Yes, I will ask officers what went wrong. We've had several such problems recently - which residents beign told pavements being resurfaced but whole road done, marking only being redone and whole road resurfaced, etc. It does feel chaotic at the moment and I'm sorry this has affected you.

Hi rahrahrah,

Already signed.

Hi ED_NAGAIUTB,

Hmmm, we used to have this problem with red large vans for hire across the area.

I would contact your Police Safer Neighbourhood Team and ask them. If the vehicles is breaching a legal requirement then yes but otherwise no however annoying.

Hi MissusF,

I have tried to get average speed cameras installed on Barry Road because people do drive at crazy speeds. The highest recorded in a speed survey was 99mph - the recorded couldnt go higher. Hopefully it was a police car responding to a call.

With Cllr roaise Shimell we have funded our local police speed having speed guns. They are starting a a Community Speed Watch scheme to enforce local speed limits and they'd be really supportive of anyone wanting to join in - email me for details.

Being a bus route it has limited what physical measures we can have installed on Barry Road.

I'll see if we can get some extra enforcement.

I have several pieces of casework about people on Barry Road suffering severe building vibratinos due to the limited number of riased road junctions on Barry Road already.I suspect the whoel road would need to rebuilding to take the vertical battering it already is gettign let alone adding to this.

Hi tiddles,

Yes, Sotuhwark Council have gone bonkers about dropped kerbs. (yes on the mend thanks).

Rosie and I will have some ideas about what we can later this week.

Hi Pugwash, kford

TfL cost a lot to isntall traffic lights and take forever due to large backlog.

I prefer kford suggestion of removing wihte lines. I'll ask officers if we could remove the lines - and record speeds before and after.

hi spider69,

That's a not really unnecessary.

[pipsky2008]

Hello James.

There has been a bicycle locked to the cycle stand nearest to the entrance to the Co-op supermarket on LL for many months now.

I use this stand most days and it hasn't been moved in all that time.

Could it now be removed and donated to a cycle rebuild charity to free up this space.

Thank you

[James Barber]

Hi pipsky2008,

Isn't that immediately outside the entrance to 12 studio flats above the Coop/

Are you absolutely sure it hasn't moved in any way?

When I lock my bike up I always do it in exactly the same way with the same locks through the same points.

I'd hate for a resident to get entangled with Southwark Council about as bicycle being removed that they had legitemately parked.

[bloonoo]

Hi James

Hope you're well.

It may have already been discussed on this thread and may not be your area, but I was wondering if you knew when the road markings in the Herne Hill end of East Dulwich Grove and Half Moon Lane were going to be repainted, specifically the zebra crossing ones? They're very faded and not very obvious.

Thanks

[James Barber]

Hi bloonoo,

I don't but will find out.

[pipsky2008]

James Barber Wrote:

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

> Hi pipsky2008,

> Isn't that immediately outside the entrance to 12

> studio flats above the Coop/

> Are you absolutely sure it hasn't moved in any

> way?

> When I lock my bike up I always do it in exactly

> the same way with the same locks through the same

> points.

> I'd hate for a resident to get entangled with

> Southwark Council about as bicycle being removed

> that they had legitemately parked.

Hello James

You are correct about the location of the bicycle. I spoke to a road sweeper this morning who says he hasn't seen it being moved, either arriving or departing, in a long time, since the end last summer, he says. I would agree with that timescale.

Have a look at it's condition and road worthiness when you past it next and see what you think.