Forum Topic

Monserrat Road partlet

Whatever has happened to the parklet which has disappeared from Montserrat Road ? How much did it cost to install and remove ? Who benefited from the expenditure ? Who was in charge of the fiasco ? What other funds are being wasted ? Will anyone onw up as accountable ? What have our councillors said concerning the matter ?

Clifford Cowell ● 1342d35 Comments

Well, that can't be very good advertising for them.  Do they make any effort to reduce or control it?

Philippa Bond ● 1325d

McDonald's creates enormous waste on PHS

Penelope Becker ● 1326d

Going back to the original post:I got a reply yesterday from WBC see below. I do not mind WBC trying things that may or may not work - it just needs to be transparent and given the same level of news that the original announced got. We should not try and bury failure it is how we learn.https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/news/news-august-2021/new-greenery-in-putney-high-street/Thank you for your enquiry which has been passed onto me.  We tried it for a period of time to make this parklet work in this location but sadly it was becoming a focal point for anti-social behaviour which was becoming increasingly serious and we had multiple reports from the local Police, so we took the difficult decision to remove it. The aim of the parklet is to make Putney more attractive for residents not to have reports of residents feeling unsafe because of events there.  So we are looking for an alternative location hopefully with a local business willing to offer some oversight and where it will not become a focal point for ASB. Regards Nick O’DonnellAssistant Director – Traffic & Engineering

Ed Robinson ● 1326d

Why wouldn't you be looking for a bin. How can you fly tip in a bin with only a small space to put your coffee cup etc.

Barbara Stevens ● 1326d

The problem with bins is that they can attract larger amounts of flytipping.  What happened to taking your own rubbish home - or take-away companies sponsoring bins if you insist on cluttering the street scene with them.  I thought de-cluttering the street scene was the latest philosophy?  Why would you be searching for a street bin?

Philippa Bond ● 1326d

There are two LBW bins at end of Montserrat Road on same side

Penelope Becker ● 1326d

There is one at junction with PHS, where was, or should be other one, outside Tortilla?

Penelope Becker ● 1326d

2 Bins in Monserrat Rd.

Barbara Stevens ● 1326d

Can you be specific on location of missing bins, or where more needed, I will lobby Cllr John Locker we also need public toilets urgently, any ideas?

Penelope Becker ● 1326d

There is a disused parklet on Lacy that could be used for your idea, it's a shame it's covered in leaves and abandoned by Positively Putney

Penelope Becker ● 1328d

And don't forget the number of bins that have vanished from PHS and the LRR recently. Removed for pavement widening and never returned.

Mark Phillips ● 1329d

So how about the suggestion about more seating?

Philippa Bond ● 1333d

I'm fairly in the know when it comes to public survey's RE what the council was asking, but I've never seen this one where a wider pavement was asked for... If I did see it, it was probably spent telling them to reopen Hammersmith or to tear it down and replace it with a modern structure.

Thomas Jones ● 1334d

No, right thread.  There were complaints about it being used as a urinal and about the homeless - although I'm not sure whether this was before or after the parklet was put there.

Philippa Bond ● 1335d

Wrong thread Philippa.

Barbara Stevens ● 1336d

Delivery drivers were finding this a particular problem especially during the worst times of the pandemic.https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/nov/18/couriers-denied-toilet-access-at-uks-biggest-chains-during-lockdown

Philippa Bond ● 1336d

Carol, they had already gone when I came out of Sainsbury's. they might have been sitting a while before I went in.

Barbara Stevens ● 1336d

HalloIt really doesn't matter either from which country or origin these women came.  Basically they are just totally irresponsible and are actually committing a "litter" crime.  Perhaps Barbara you could have asked them to clean up after themselves?

Carole Tanner ● 1337d

Sorry Maxine, didn't understand a word you typed. They may have been Romanian Gypsy. Well they were not English.

Barbara Stevens ● 1337d

Some people litter and people allow their dog to foul the pavement. The point is there is no enforcement and hence these things become voluntary. How many littering or dog fouling fines have been handed out? Hardly any I imagine. Compare that to parking tickets!This has nothing to do with people's origin it is the society that the UK people have chosen. If I went to Singapore or any other country where they enforce laws and littered I would be fined and quite right too!Perhaps the parklet should have been treated like a parking space? No waiting more than 1hr no return in 2hrs :)

Ed Robinson ● 1337d

It does raise and interesting question of how one categorises and identifies a person as "foreign" these days. How were these people identified as "foreign"? Skin colour is no indicator of who is British, nor language if they're Welsh of Gallic speaking ... if they have settled status they might choose to speak their original language but would that categorise anyone as "foreign", and what about those with dual nationality, or who have been naturalised as a UK citizen? 

Michael Ixer ● 1337d

you know that "non foreign" people do stuff like to too Barbara?n ;-)

Maxine Campbell ● 1337d

Not anything to do with the parklet, but I could not believe the mess left by two foreign women by the cab rank in Werter Road. They had sat on the floor with all their food as I passed to go to Sainsbury's. When I came out their food was just left on the floor brown bags with rubbish and raw onion one had been eating. The problem with the virus, the parklet was a nice idea, as I would sit now and again for a few minutes if my back hurt. But if you really had all the rough sleepers or people who liked a drink sitting on them in the night, rather worrying what germs you could get from them. I always have a habit of looking at the seat before I sit down and that is anywhere.

Barbara Stevens ● 1337d

It's unfortunate that we often hear more about negative aspects than positive ones.  Parklets were first introduced all across the UK when social distancing was at its highest. Unfortunately too many people now ignore it when the virus is I think just as high now as it was at its worst before.

Philippa Bond ● 1337d

Public safety reasons for the removal of the parklet has an authentic ring to it - the incidence (sad incidence I would add) of rough sleepers and street beggars seems to be on an increase, albeit a slow one, in PHS - certainly when the parklets were first installed reports of foul abuse arose almost immediately.Its a shame that some of the seating had to go though, and especially the benches next the bus stop outside TKMax - I would argue we need more public seating and a greater commitment by our public servants to do something about homelessness instead of spending their time pumping themselves up as someone of importance - they are not - they are our servants and need to properly recognise that fact and act accordingly.

Clifford Cowell ● 1337d

Dear Ed, I suggest you make your own investigations, can't help you on this, you just seem to want to argue about nada!!

Penelope Becker ● 1338d

Penelope, surely the Police can't order its removal?They may have suggested some good reasons for it to be removed, which WBC must have agreed with.Are you saying Police are now responsible for approval of street furniture???

Ed Robinson ● 1339d

Police ordered its removal for a variety of public safety reasons. If you want it at the end of your road, I suggest you contact Positively Putney!

Penelope Becker ● 1339d

I love the widened pavements and nice to see the greenery that has remained. My children think it’s all great too. It’s easier to walk down the high street past bus stops where the pavements have been widened too.

Dipesh Patel ● 1340d

It was a brilliant reply Nick.  What many people don't realise is how so many things now depend on applying for and winning grants. 

Philippa Bond ● 1340d

Thanks very much Mike and Jane.

Nick Gulliford ● 1340d

Yes,  well said, Nick

Jane Carter ● 1342d

Well put, Nick.

Michael Ixer ● 1342d

Workmen by the Spotted Horse, more pavements. What they are doing is really dangerous, if it falls on somebody's head.

Barbara Stevens ● 1342d

This should be called the Putney Moaning Forum, rather than the SW15 Forum.There was a survey done by a number of local residents for the Putney Bid.The main feedback i can remember was following -  1. Wider pavements on High Street. 2. More greenery on the High Street3. Areas for the public to sit closer to High Street.4. Bike racks5. Better road crossings6. Better linkage from High Street to RiverAll of these have been done to a reasonable level aside from Point 6. Subsequently I have seen a large number of comments on this forum complaining about the wide pavements!! DID PEOPLE WANT THEM GOLD PLATED AS WELL AS WIDENED?Complaints about the greenery and plant holders. What did people want instead? Also if they look like they need water, bring some water yourself. I weed my neighbours front drive. It's called self help.The parklets were added - People moaned about the wrong kind of members of public sitting at them or leaving rubbish on them. Pick it up yourself. It's probably been removed because some nutter said they saw someone enjoying a can of beer at one!The bike racks that everyone wanted hardly get used.If you don't like seeing people or traffic or shops then you can always live in country side in middle of nowhere. You might then realise how much you miss your community, neighbours to talk to, shops to walk to and chat with shopkeeper, pubs to walk to, restaurants, hearing people enjoying themselves in the garden etc etc

Nick Gulliford ● 1342d