Forum Topic

Wake Up Wandsworth Council? Wake Up EveryBody!

I read the post about XR trying to wake up Wandsworth Council with considerable interest. However, is it not time to wake up ALL the different agencies involved in the maintenance of public spaces in Putney? In spite of a plethora of Positively Putney greenery/parklets/artful posters on redundant shop windows, an eye catching if contrived 'display' by the entrance to the station plus is it now THREE Copenhagen crossings? the latter not in the least friendly for people with mobility problems/visual impairments(a putney resident that I know just managed to stop her child being hit by a car whilst traversing one of them) The usual problems on our streets, particularly the High Street, show little sign of going away. Viz - a complete lack of public lavatories...which on the Putney Wharf Estate is very keenly felt indeed, as people of all genders relieve themselves by day and by night against walls and in the passage way to the Square. Fleur Anderson has spoken about a new public toilet. May we get it  as soon as possible please!Meanwhile, the pollution problem is not lessoning however much the wooden 'green' tower attempts to combat this issue, and the poor use of English on signs placed on the side of said tower make comprehension of it's workings very difficult to fathom. Pavement cleaning is also still, as it has been for so long, inadequate and new paving in Putney is now very dirty in places.Regardless of available funding or the lack thereof what is required is continued and visible liaison between the different agencies to deal with Putney's real issues - Positively Putney, Wandsworth Council and The Putney Society, at least two of which are paid to address public needs. Greenery, artwork and dodgy Copenhagen traffic control will simply not suffice.

Miles Thompson ● 1726d10 Comments

it has been very interesting to read people's opinions about the danger that the Copenhagen crossings in Putney represent and also the continuing issue with efficient street cleaning. I suggest that those with strongly head views on these matters, and I would add the lack of a single public toilet at street level in Putney, should write to Fleur Anderson, copying in Nicola Grant of Positively Putney and Cllr Ravi Govindia at Wandsworth Council.

Miles Thompson ● 1682d

An old lady was crossing PHS today. She obviously could not move very fast and took a long time. Before she was across the lights had changed to amber then green. A courteous and patient white van driver waited until she was safe. The motorbikes went on amber. Although they didn't hit her they whizzed off very fast and very close.The question is do we want to be like Singapore or Thailand when it comes to roads?

Ed Robinson ● 1683d

Penelope, agree.

Barbara Stevens ● 1683d

Copenhagen crossing are extremely dangerous, near misses continually , especially combined with deliveroo bikers parking on them outside the double yellow lines outside Tortilla . I am also concerned about the number of deliveroo motorbikes parking in Token Tard, opposite MacDonalds . They shoot out across the pavement to access PHS without warning ,particularly hazardous area on a Saturday afternoon . there were  also 6 there this morning . The residents of Token Yard need to complain, and make themselves known so we can support them .If we could get a 'task force ' together, we can get some enforcement against e -scooters on the pavement, as they are another serious hazard .You really have to have your wits about you when you go shopping ...its a ridiculous situation widening the pavements, but not cleaning them, and not enforcing the law on e - scooters .

Penelope Becker ● 1683d

An interesting observation Sean; I seem to remember in the '60s that being said by people who would have been of my grandparents' generation 🙂I guess if they're part of the trial then e-scooters are perfectly entitled to use roads and, if that's all the road space allows, cars will sometimes have to travel behind them? 

Michael Ixer ● 1693d

When you say "the world's gone mad" it's usually a sign of age. Things change, not always in ways that you like

Sean Hodges ● 1693d

Also to add to that we have EV scooters going in front of cars and swerving all over the place. The worlds gone mad.

Barbara Stevens ● 1695d

Thank you Miles, some great points here. When I lived in Italy, every shop owner and home owner would wash the pavement in front of their premises every morning. As we're never likely to get that community action in Putney, the Council really do need to water and brush down the pavement at least once a week. It's a minor action that will make the world of difference. . On the Copenhagen crossings, my kids are 'trained' to stop at kerbs, so these kerb-less crossings are a real safety issue. Drivers just whizz in and out of the high street with no road signs that Copenhagen Crossings are essentially pavements where pedestrian have right of way. What accident will have to happen for traffic slowing measures to be instigated? I hate to think.Fleur, I'll be adding my voice to your mail bag. I hope you can sort out the issues Miles raises that will have a big impact with small effort. You may then also win my vote next election!

Elly Price ● 1695d

This is not a matter which concerns the type of paving, although the paving for Putney's Copenhagen crossings is light in colour, but of regular cleaning. Here, as is the case on the High Street cleaning is not always effective or sufficiently frequent.

Miles Thompson ● 1725d

They are also going to start High Street end of Chelverton road, doing the pavements. What I can't understand is why these Copenhagen crossings are so dirty. They seem to attract the dirt. Are the slabs being used different, more porous.

Barbara Stevens ● 1725d