former East Dulwich councillor - how can I help?

[pebs]

Hi James, big shout out to you for sorting the Heber school lighting situation. Many many thanks!!!

[James Barber]

Hi Pebs,

The school head has been really helpful. Thanks for reporting the issue as presumably not just annoying you but also other neighbours.

[tiddles]

Hi James

Would you be able to look into lee Scoresby?s concerns about the lovely old

Lampposts bring removed on the path next to Peckham rye park.

It does seem a shame if his concerns about their removal are valid.

I have often thought how lovely these old lamps are along all those paths in that

Area.

Many thanks

[James Barber]

Hi tiddles,

I'll take a look and ask. Thanks for signing posting this to me.

[Dulwich Abbeyfield]

Thank you for posting this. There is a current vacancy at Abbeyfield Dulwich in Herne Hill, a sheltered home for 7 elderly residents.

[alex_b]

James - Do you know who I should be complaining to about Conway collecting the equipment from the Nutbrook St roadworks at 4am today? Since they were finished by 6pm last night and could easily have collected the equipment then, the decision to wake up a residential street in the middle of the night was pretty anti-social.

[Nigello]

Conway once left barriers for ages around a trea near my house and I complained directly to the firm. I told them I would send a copy of correspondence to my councillor and MP. The barriers were gone quickly.

[James Barber]

Hi alex_b,

4am noisy Conway working sounds terribly anti-social.

I will share this problem with the head of the service. Thank you for telling me.

[Penguin68]

James, the road condition of Underhill between Dunstan Road and Barry (actually even further back possibly to Ryedale), is deteriorating fast - a lot of pot holes, some quite deep and in this weather (when they fill with water) quite dangerous as their depth cannot readily be judged. At the moment this is the worst stretch of road in SE22, in my view, and, being a bus route is heavily used. The road humps are also breaking up. Clearly this is an issue for car drivers, with tyre damage, but rather more for pedestrians and cyclists who may additionally suffer injury. I know closures for resurfacing will be a nightmare but it is a bullet which must be bitten. I am sure that the council has run out of money for such work until April, but can you lobby for it to be scheduled in quite quickly. Once the road has started to break up (and it has, big time), traffic will just exacerbate it further.

[rjsmall]

FWIW I submitted a report via the Southwark website on the condition of Underhill Road between Friern Road and Langton Rise. There are many potholes and the humps are breaking up. The road surface has deteriorated rapidly and is becoming pretty bad.

[James Barber]

Hi Penguin68,

Yes, I noticed while cycling home from Camberwell Old Cemetery from radio interview Monday morning. I've reported this for Underhill and Whateley Roads - both had potholes so deep hardcore showing.

Hi rjsmaill,

Ditto !

[indiepanda]

I reported potholes on Underhill between St Aiden's Road and Dunstans to Southwark last week. Had a response a couple of days ago saying "I have forwarded your enquiry to the Highways Maintenance team and the site will be inspected; any problems found will be dealt with as soon as possible."

[IlonaM]

Dear James,

I have just posted in the General section regarding two no 8 Underhill Rd with two postcodes - http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,1905185

I am rather concerned that, although 8 Underhill Rd SE22 0AH is a longstanding address at the low numbers end of Underhill, a second address has been created on Picketts Terrace SE22 0QR/9DX. Although the Post Office postcode finder quotes the full address as 8 Picketts Terrace, 242 Underhill Road, LONDON, SE22 9DX, I have received a parcel for 8 Underhill Rd SE22 0QR and it has caused some confusion with taxi drivers who have gone to the wrong address in the past.

I was wondering whether this was something you would be able to look into please.

With kind regards,

Ilona

[Penguin68]

Actually one of those addresses would fall now in College Ward, not ED. They will both be in the new Dulwich Hill ward after the May elections, I believe.

[James Barber]

Hi Ilona,

This will be an occasional problem for all the houses at Picketts Terrace. It is surprising they weren't given Underhill Road house numbers. I suspect houses 1-6 Victoria Close on Underhill Road also have this problem - possibly not quite so confusing but still wrongly addressed.

Changing house numbers would need the residents of Picketts Terrace to request this - if you know they would want this let me know and we can set the wheels in motion.

Hi Penguin68,

Not sure the relevance of your point this time?

[Penguin68]

James - I was just pointing out that you don't carry the can for the whole of Underhill, or possibly (I am assuming you will not be standing in Dulwich Hill, apologies if I'm wrong) for any of in in future. You often seem to get stuck with issues that fall outside your geographic area of responsibility (although I know you offer what help you can, or work with fellow councillors in other wards).

[Penguin68]

James, re Underhill Road potholes.

You might want to remind those I/C road repairs in Southwark that as the appalling state of the road has been recently reported to them, including by a local councillor with that stretch of road in his ward, and because the state is so bad that holes have reached hard core etc. - any accidents, including to people or to vehicles may become a fiscal liability for the Council - as this is clearly both (now) known to the council and is in such a state that it goes well beyond 'normal wear and tear' which could reasonably be anticipated by road users.

To put off repair for two winter months (having initially scheduled them earlier) when weather conditions are bound both to exacerbate the deterioration, and to conceal the full state of the damage (i.e, by being water or even snow filled) so that users may commit to dangerous stretches of road unknowingly may move the council from being sued for damages to being sued for criminal damages, where they knowingly allow dangerous road conditions to continue.

This at a time when it can be shown they repaved the south section of Langton Rise pavement when it was not in such a dangerous condition, and using paving stones rather than tarmac (much cheaper to lay, I believe) with which the pavements everywhere else locally are covered (Oh, and there's a big pothole in Langton Rise roadway itself untreated!) This seems a poor allocation of limited funds at a time, apparently, of budget restriction (not to mention the cost of painting yellow lines everywhere!)

[James Barber]

Underhill Road.

1st the junction of underhill Road with Dunstan's Road has been re painted and should be much clearer - and hopefully safer.

2nd This is the response I've had about the terrible Whateley Road and Underhill Road condition:

"

Dear Councillor Barber

Further to my earlier email I am pleased to confirm that both Underhill and Whateley Road are on our 2017/18 Capital project carriageway resurfacing programme.

Any necessary refreshment of worn road markings will also be picked up as part of these resurfacing schemes, however any worn statutory markings ie give-way lines e.g. at the junction of Underhill Road and Dunstans Road will be treated as priority.

Underhill Road was part of this year?s programme however this has now slipped and will be included as part of our 2018/19 programme.

Whateley Road was due for resurfacing in the next month but clashes with nearby development works so this scheme has now been pushed to the end of March.

Affected residents will be formerly informed of the works prior to any planned start but in the interim we will undertake temporary repairs to potholes or other defects which meet our criteria.

I trust this information assures you that the issues raised will be addressed, however if you require further clarification please do not hesitate to contact me.

Regards

Detail of what is proposed Underhill Road financial Year 18/19 - I'm trying to get the actual months when the works will take place:

Streamline Mews - Mellford Road 58M & Friern Road - Henslow Road 74m x 40mm surface replacement

St.Aidnas Road - Upland Road 9m & Upland Road - Friern Road 80m x whole road reconstruction

"

[rch]

FYI, I made it up to Underhill a couple days ago (yes, I'm sad) and noted that quite a few potholes had been filled in decently - fine, compacted tarmac rather than rough tarmac blobs. So, it looks like council engineers have paid attention!

But I saw at least two unfilled potholes on the same day, though, so I don't know if that means that they're new unreported ones or whether Conway's planned to come back the next day to finish off?

[sweetgirl]

Hiya James.....

Gentle reminder, any more news on the bins?

Thanks

[theboycj]

Hi james

I wanted to see if you could help by confirming if the council will collect old radiators as part of the bulky waste collection?

Do you know if they would also collect disposed wooden flooring also as part of the bulky waste collection?

Rgds

Chet

[Mantra]

Hi James

I'd like to speak to someone at Southwark about accessible playground equipment for children with additional needs. I've had a look on the Southwark website about parks/playgrounds and there doesn't seem to be many facilities for this from what I can see (the odd dish swing or roundabout).

Can you please advise who it is best I talk to?

Many thanks in advance.

[rch]

FYI, Traffic Orders in the Southwark News state that Crawthew Grove will be closed to traffic for roadworks on the 5th-6th March and Frogley Road will be closed on the 6th-7th March, so hopefully this means that they're being properly resurfaced?

Then Whateley Road is going to be closed between Lordship and Landcroft from the 5th-23rd of March (Ref 4067/77000421). Not much specific information but, from memory, they were going to implement a raised table junction crossing at the corner of Whateley w/ Lordship (between the Harris school and the shopping parade), and then resurface?

Not much information, but phone number 0207 525 2014 listed, so I'll call during the week if I remember or can someone post if they find out more?

As per the other thread, Calton Avenue is going to be closed for final arm of the DulVil junction works from 26th Feb-1st March.

[James Barber]

Hi theboycj,

I would expect radiator that are not longer than 2m to be collected.

Wooden flooring - If you can bag it up and not overly long.

Hi Mantra,

Some time ago we installed wheelchair roundabout in Dulwich Park. We then had some more accessible play equipment. But I've not kept track of its' current status.

If you email me I'll put you in touch with local park managers and you can ask them directly.

[rch]

Can you confirm what's happening with Whateley Road, James? A raised table would be brilliant, we've been campaigning for this for years, ever since Melbourne/Lordship got its raised table(s).

They are great for pedestrians, but also serve as a traffic calming measure.

I saw some engineers measuring up a few months ago and it sounded like a raised table was being designed, so am assuming this is the purpose of the Traffic Order along that small section?