Transport for London has bought 21 new vehicle removal trucks and opened nine new car pounds to crack down on illegally-parked vehicles causing congestion and hazards on London’s Red Routes. That’s one truck for every 17 miles of Red Route.
Launching the scheme on 27 February, head of enforcement at TfL Patrick Troy said, “Our new [towaway] vehicles will help keep London’s busiest roads clear and the traffic moving.”
But the story on the ground has been very different. In the two weeks since the London Wide Removals Service started, TfL have tried to remove six vehicles from Stonecot Hill, none of which were obstructing traffic flow or causing a safety hazard. While all were technically breaking the law, they were safely away from the traffic on the main road in marked loading bays.
Now concern is growing over obstructions and hazards caused by TfL’s own removal vehicles.
Continue reading ‘Zero tolerance: TfL declares war on illegal Red Route parking’
Transport for London’s consultation with local residents and businesses about parking on the A24 Red Route has been delayed until after the London mayoral and GLA elections on 1st May. The authority has a policy of not conducting politically-sensitive consultations close to an election so as to not influence or to be seen to be influencing the vote.
Over 2000 residents, traders and visitors to Stonecot Hill signed a petition in August 2007 asking for a review of local parking arrangements which were felt not to reflect the needs of local people.
Conservative candidate Jonathan Pritchard has narrowly retained a Cheam Ward council seat for the Conservatives in yesterday’s by-election. Mr Pritchard polled just 87 votes ahead of Liberal Democrat Wendy Mathys.
The by-election was called following the disqualification of Conservative Eleanor Pinfold for persistent rudeness while carrying out her official duties.
The UK Independence Party beat Labour into fourth place, polling 8% of the vote ahead of Labour’s 3%.
The turnout of 44% was lower than in May 2006’s full council election which saw 51% of voters fulfil their democratic duty.
Cheam Ward has three council seats, all currently occupied by Conservatives. It would take little more than a gentle breeze to unseat them, but famously a week is a long time in politics and the next election (barring any further mishaps) is two years away.
Official results from Sutton Council. I’ve put the full results online here. Please contact me if you’d like a copy of this as an Excel spreadsheet.
Photo: Copyright © Sutton Council.
The police’s Stonecot Safer Neighbourhoods Team will be offering free mobile phone registration at Ridge Road Library on Wednesday 5th March from 2-5pm.
Thousands of mobile phones are lost and stolen each year. By registering your phone you make it easy for the police to immobilise your phone if stolen or return a lost phone to you if found.
Officers will also be giving advice and answering questions on how to prevent crime such as theft from vehicles, graffiti and any other issues of concern to local residents.
View this event on Sutton Active - the borough’s community calendar.
Planning Alerts is a free service that sends you email notices about planning applications near you.
This is easier than hunting through the council’s website as that information is not grouped by locality, so you have to hunt through the entire borough’s applications to find ones near you.
Planning Alerts works for many boroughs, currently including Sutton and Croydon, but not Merton.
If you use an RSS reader, this information is also available as an RSS feed.
Click here to see a map of applications near Stonecot Hill.
Gambling firm Jennings Bet has applied for a licence to open a shop at 19 Stonecot Hill.
The premises was formerly occupied by Ivy Leaf Florists and before that by Maureen’s Florists for many years.
Any representations about this licence application should be made to:
London Borough of Sutton,
BRS Licensing Section,
Civic Offices,
St Nicholas Way
Sutton SM1 1EA
Email: licensing@sutton.gov.uk
Telephone: 020 8770 5533
by 13 December 2007.
Sutton Council’s website has more information on current gambling regulations and this application.
A young girl has been injured while crossing Stonecot Hill with her mother. Police and paramedics attended the scene at around midday today after the girl was hit by a Merton council waste vehicle while using the crossing island just south of Ash Road. An air ambulance also attended the scene.
According to a witnesses, the girl who is said to be around four years old and her mother were in the central island of the crossing when she was struck by the vehicle.
As of 3.30pm, Stonecot Hill remains closed to traffic between the Woodstock and Burleigh Road while police examine the scene and the vehicle involved. Buses are being diverted via Sutton Common Road.
Our thoughts are with the girl and her family. We wish her a full and speedy recovery.
UPDATED 6.00pm: Stonecot Hill has reopened to traffic in both directions.
Police examining the vehicle
Air ambulance
See also: Sutton Guardian, Girl Hit By Lorry in North Cheam
Paul Burstow visited Stonecot Hill on Friday (19 October) to talk with local traders and residents about parking facilities and improving the area.
Sutton and Cheam’s Liberal Democrat MP walked the length of Stonecot Hill’s shopping parade to assess the difficulties caused by current parking regulations and the state of the street scene generally.
Mr Burstow will be writing to Transport for London to clarify the parking consultation process which will start in November, following a petition from 2000 local people. He will also encourage progress on various street maintenance issues.
The police’s Stonecot Safer Neighbourhoods Team has published its latest newsletter, keeping local people up to date with police priorities and activity in the area.
The police’s local priorities for Stonecot ward will be:
- Anti social behaviour at Kimpton Industrial Estate and Stonecot Hill
- Graffiti
- Theft from motor vehicles
There is also news on the new Safer Parks Police, volunteering as a special constable and helping young people in police custody and advice on keeping a watchful eye for terrorism.
Download the newsletter as a PDF file
Paul Burstow MP will be visiting Stonecot Hill at 10am on Friday 19th October 2007 to discuss parking arrangements with local traders and residents.
Mr Burstow will be spending approximately one hour in the area to see for himself how local parking can be improved and how he may be able to help local people’s campaign for a better deal on the Red Route from Transport for London.
If you would like to speak to Mr Burstow on the day, please contact Adrian Short on 020 8286 6696 to be added to the schedule.
In August, local people collected 2004 signatures on a petition to mayor Ken Livingstone and Transport for London asking for a full public consultation on Stonecot Hill’s parking. There has been no official response as yet.
Mr Burstow has been member of parliament for Sutton and Cheam since 1997.
Download the A5 flyer for this event
Photo copyright (c) Paul Burstow.
