News from your three Harrow Road Councillors Ruth Bush, Guthrie McKie and Tim Roca
Dear Resident,
We are living in very difficult times and, along with Karen Buck MP, we are doing all we can to help the local community and individual residents and their families.
Please let us know if we can be of help or assistance on any local issues.
Children and Young People
The difficulties during lockdown for our children and young people have not been made any easier by cuts to youth club and outreach provision, so we have recommended funds from our Ward Budget for several socially distanced activity projects this summer.
Paddington Academy
Massive congratulations to students at Paddington Academy who have received their results in recent days. We have complete admiration for the way students and teachers have handled the challenge of the past 6 months.
Lydford Estate
Residents of the Lydford Estate have raised a number of issues with us, including waste, anti-social behaviour and parking. This has resulted in Veolia and the housing department organising a walkabout with residents to identify problems on the estate and come up with solutions.
Speeding Traffic
Residents of 11 roads have been in touch with us about speeding cars in their streets. We have taken this up with council officers, who have agreed to explore this further with us. We have asked that, at the very least, 20mph signage should be bigger and better positioned so that no driver can claim to be unaware. We very much welcome the introduction of a 20mph across Westminster – something which we campaigned for over many years.
“I live on Goldney Road and I am alarmed at the speed of all modes of traffic from vans to scooters, it often seems to be used as a cut through. With the playground and primary school there is an accident waiting to happen. I would also love to see the hours of resident only parking to be increased.”
“For some time, residents of Hormead Road have been plagued with young men in shiny new cars racing down Hormead Road. It is commonly acknowledged by local residents that drug dealers operate from these flats. Last week I confronted one such driver in a new 5 series BMW and asked him why he felt the need to drive at 50 mph down the street at the risk of killing someone. His response was “because he felt like it.” His behaviour turned threatening and as the result of the emergence of his friend from the flats I left. The police seem to have little interest in intervening. It is only a question of time before someone is hit.”
Chippenham Road
We asked the Highways Team to investigate this issue:
“Had some issues this morning with the lights coming off Chippenham Road on to Harrow Road the lights were frozen red for about 5 minutes until someone got out of the car to trigger the pedestrian crossing on Harrow Road which seemed to jumpstart the sequence.”
Fernhead Road
We have reported the worsening problem of rubbish dumping around trees in the stretch of Fernhead Road, between Shirland Road and Lydford Road. It affects both sides of the road. Bags of rubbish, small household items and other rubbish is left around street lamps and trees. We also reported a dumped Mobike hire-bike on the street near 72 Fernhead Road which has been there for at least 6 weeks.
North Paddington Foodbank
If you can help the foodbank or are in need of emergency support please see the information here: https://www.npfoodbank.org.uk/
Bicycle storage
The Council is currently consulting on proposed bicycle storage installations across Westminster. Observations and comments on the proposals should be emailed to tmo.westminster@wsp.com. The deadline for submitting responses to the consultation is 9 September 2020. You can see the proposed locations here https://www.westminster.gov.uk/secure-cycle-storage
Summer Activities for Young People
The Young Westminster Foundation has organised summer activities for young people within the programme in the following link, which will be updated weekly: http://www.ywfoundation.com/2020/07/20/whats-young-people-westminster-summer/
‘Westminster Extra’
You can now read the ‘Westminster Extra’ online
Bus and Tube fares
We have started a petition to call for the reinstatement of free travel for under 18s https://action.labour.org.uk/page/s/keep-free-travel
Transport for London Travel App
Transport for London has launched a new travel app, TfL Go, to help everyone get around London. The app is now available to download for Apple devices and can help you to plan your journeys and follow the safer travel guidance. An Android version will be released in Autumn 2020 and TfL continue sharing data with other travel apps.
For every station TfL is sharing real-time train times, plus peak travel times for the busiest stations, to help you travel during quieter times. As well as the fastest public transport routes, the app offers alternative routes to give you more travel options and provides walking and cycling routes to consider for all or part of your journey.
TfL Go features the latest service status for all Tube, Tram, London Overground and TfL Rail lines. Real time bus arrivals will also be added later. With step free mode you can customise the map to show step free access to train and platform, and plan journeys accordingly. New information on toilet availability, platform access and lift status will also be added in the coming months.
If you have an Apple device, you can download the app from the Apple App store. If you need larger type, use your phone in landscape mode, or make use of iOS’s VoiceOver capability. You can send your feedback about the app to tflappfeedback@tfl.gov.uk
What is the future for Westminster?
We believe the current economic situation has placed the West End in a very precarious position which, if decisive action is not taken urgently, could threaten its survival as an economic engine for London and the rest of the UK, as well as create serious problems for the local economy.
We have set out a series of Emergency Actions that we believe need to be taken by the City Council in order to attract more families to the West End to replace the missing office workers and overseas tourists. We have also set out a series of Actions for the City Council, the Mayor and Government to take.
Finally, our document also looks at issues which the City Council should consider if office workers, tourists and shoppers do not return to the West End in the numbers necessary to sustain the area’s economy in its current form.
There is a need for wide debate and we plan to organise a ‘virtual conference’ in September to discuss these issues. If you would like to attend please let us know at pdimoldenberg@hotmail.co.uk
You can read our paper here https://www.westminsterlabour.org.uk/westminster-news/2020/08/21/what-is-the-future-for-westminster/
Voting by post
Voting by post is an easy and convenient way of voting. You can use this form to apply to vote
https://www.westminster.gov.uk/sites/default/files/postal-vote-application-form.pdf
You can email your completed form to electoralservices@westminster.gov.uk or post it to Electoral Services, Westminster City Council, 14th Floor City Hall, 64 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QP.
Report It
You can report dumped rubbish, broken street lights, graffiti and more using the Report It service https://www.westminster.gov.uk/report-it
You can register here https://www.fixmystreet.com/alert for alerts of everything reported in your area (just use your post code and it will offer you options).
Refuse collection and Recycling collection times
Recycling bags can be ordered from https://webforms.westminster.gov.uk/order-recycling-bags/
Bags will be delivered within approximately 48 hours of order.
You can check when refuse and recycling is collected from your street here http://transact.westminster.gov.uk/env/streetsearch.aspx
The doorstep recycling service concentrates on the recyclable materials most commonly produced by houses so that these can be easily separated into the different material types. The link below summarises what can be put in recycling bags
https://www.westminster.gov.uk/what-can-i-recycle-home#can-recycle
Lots of other materials can be recycled but not through the doorstep collection service. The A-Z list below gives details of what and where items can be recycled or re-used:
https://www.westminster.gov.uk/a-z-recycling
Also, here are details of 9 companies that reward you for donating unwanted things, from H&M to M&S https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/worklife/g15049323/brands-reward-throwing-things-away/
Coronavirus (Covid-19) UPDATE
Health advice
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-list-of-guidance
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
Westminster Connects COVID-19 phone line– 020 7641 1222
Beware the Coronavirus scammers
https://www.westminsterlabour.org.uk/westminster-news/2020/03/27/beware-the-coronavirus-scammers/
Please let us know if we can be of help or assistance on any local issues.
Please keep well, take care and look after yourself and your neighbours.
Regards
Councillors Ruth Bush, Guthrie McKie and Tim Roca.
Your Harrow Road Labour Councillors