lane lover

Nigello Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I disagree, lanelover. Over the past five years at > least there have been more passengers at bus stops > and the buses have been fuller at peak times at > least. I try to get on at Dulwich Library but by > the time you get to two stops after that (Townley > Road) the 176, 40 (185 not so much) are getting > close to full. Does anyone else support this view? I travel at a variety of times - ranging from 5:30am through to 9am in the morning. I dont have any issue getting on a bus on LL. I do notice that most of ED seems to pile on buses for a period of 15 minutes somewhere between 8am and 8:30am however. I cant see how jamming more buses on LL would help ease congestion for a very short time period - it would only clutter the road, making travel even more slow. People need to be a little more organised and avoid the "crazy" peak times if they are having trouble getting on the bus. Also, its annoying to see so many people get on the bus on LL, only to get off at ED station a few stops down. The walk would take 5 minutes, and save alot of space on the bus. Exercise is not a bad thing! And before I get a slagging from all the PC readers on this forum, I am not referring to the diabled, elderly or parents with children.

Nigello Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I really do hope this comes true. The pressure on > local buses here in SE22 is growing. Many a > morning, poor sods have to wait ages, haplessly > looking on at the relatively lucky passengers > ('relatively' because squeezed in like sardines) > on the 176 or the 40. Does anyone know whether the > operators of these routes have put on more buses > at peak times, by the way? I am not sure why they would need to put on more buses. The local population is hardly expanding ...

HOW TO GET THE BEST OF THE CAPITAL -? WITHOUT THE URBAN HASSLE BALHAM, London SW12 97 Once the punchline to a Peter Sellers joke, Balham is now desired, rather than ridiculed. Estate agents have dubbed it "the new Clapham", but in fact its main drag is positively civilised compared to raucous Clapham High Street. It offers chains and charity shops for the budget-conscious, as well as Waitrose, the independent Trinity Cafe and Deli, and a growing collection of boutiques. There's a French bistro, Gazette, and the hip Balham Bowls Club makes a stylish change from your average pub. A farmers' market is staged every Saturday. Tooting Bec Common, to the east, has woods, tennis courts and a lido. Over to the west is verdant Wandsworth Common, focal point for London's original "nappy valley", which has expanded to include Balham, giving property prices an upward shove. Transport is another plus: Balham is on the Northern line, and its rail station offers speedy access to Victoria, as well as Gatwick and Brighton via Clapham Junction. Popular state primaries include Henry Cavendish and Ravenstone, but there are few state secondaries, apart from Chestnut Grove Academy, rated outstanding by Ofsted. Five-bedroom Victorian terraces near Wandsworth Common fetch between ?850,000 and ?1.3m. The Hyde Farm estate, east of Balham station, is a sea of tidy red-brick terraces. Two-bedroom flats typically cost ?400,000, houses ?750,000. What the locals say We're on the up: the shops used to sell things you needed, now they're full of things you want. Why we love it It's well connected, every corner is near a common ? and it's not Clapham. CHISWICK, London W4 98 Chiswick, in west London, is a family oasis par excellence, with a busy high street ? dominated by mums and prams ? a villagey feel, plenty of green patches (including Chiswick House and Gardens, and Duke's Meadows) and an elegant riverside walk. Good state primary schools, upmarket eateries and an impressive mix of architecture heighten the appeal. Chiswick is served by four Tube and two rail stations; the M4 offers fast access to Heathrow and the West Country. The dream location is Bedford Park, a conservation area that was London's first garden suburb. Its streets are lined with trees and Arts and Craftsy houses; sizes and styles vary, from terraces (?600,000-?800,000) to large family homes (?2m-?4m). Your money will go further in the roads north of Chiswick Park Tube station, which border less salubrious Acton. What the locals say The wider streets south of the High Road offer better parking for my 4x4. Why we love it You always bump into somebody you know on the high street ? if you're lucky, it'll be Colin Firth. DULWICH, London SE22 99 Dulwich is a leafy, genteel haven amid the mean streets of south London. Indeed, Dulwich Village is almost too quaint for the Big Smoke ? it has old-fashioned timber street signs, a tollgate and a 72-acre park, all managed to perfection by the Dulwich Estate. The park is the stuff of Middle England fantasies, with a boating lake, a bowling green, tennis courts and a cricket pitch; the Dulwich Picture Gallery and its elegant cafe increase the sense of refinement. The high street has an Italian deli, but Lordship Lane is the real shopping hub, with a fishmonger (Moxon's), a butcher (William Rose), a greengrocer (Franklin's Farm Shop) and an artisanal bakery (Luca's), as well as a Sainsbury's and a library. There's no Tube, but there are trains to Victoria and London Bridge. And the schools make up for it: in addition to venerable private institutions such as Dulwich College and James Allen's Girls' School, there are good state primaries (Hamlet, Dulwich Infant, Goodrich, Heber) and secondaries (Charter, Harris Academies). Three-bedroom period homes start at about ?750,000; a large semi backing onto the park might go for ?2.5m. For the best value, look in East Dulwich, where a typical four-bedroom house costs ?630,000. What the locals say Our white picket fence needs a coat of paint, but we're waiting for permission from the Dulwich Estate. Why we love it It's the closest thing to country life in south London. Where are your wellies? MUSWELL HILL, London N10 100 Hampstead and Highgate may be the fantasy north London destinations, but Muswell Hill is the practical reality for middle-class families, thanks to its excellent state schools and (relatively) affordable homes. There's ample housing stock ? from large red-brick Victorian terraces to 1920s semis and detached homes ? and lots of greenery, from Fortis Green and Highgate to Queens Woods and Alexandra Park. The bustling Broadway has smart chains (M&S, Waitrose), good independents (Toff's fishmonger, W Martyn's tea and coffee shop) and an art deco Odeon cinema; nearby, you'll find a butcher and a bookshop. If you can hack it, the Brent Cross shopping centre is nearby. There isn't a Tube station, but the 10-minute bus ride to Highgate is worth putting up with to avoid paying ruinous school fees. The state primaries ? Tetherdown, Coldfall and Rhodes Avenue ? are big draws, and the area has two "outstanding" secondaries, Fortismere and Alexandra Park. The most sought-after area is near Fortis Green, where four-bedroom Edwardian terraces change hands for ?1.3m. Five-bedroom semis and detached homes in the Ringwood Estate sell for ?1.5m-?3m. You get more for your money north of Alexandra Park and near Coldfall Wood; you can also buy 1960s ex-local-authority properties for ?375,000-?500,000. What the locals say If we extend our house by 10 feet, will that get us into the catchment area for Fortismere? Why we love it Remember when you didn't have to take out a loan to educate your children ? and they could walk to a good local school? RICHMOND, London TW10 101 This southwest London suburb has it all: the architecture (most of the town is a conservation area), the natural beauty (the 2,500-acre Richmond Park, the Thames), the schools (good state and private; 85% of its state pupils are in schools ranked good or outstanding by Ofsted). There's a village atmosphere, particularly around Richmond Green, with its quaint, narrow streets and characterful shops; Richmond Hill has a butcher, a baker, a grocer, a wine shop and a deli. For such a countrified place, the transport connections are excellent: it has the Tube and it's only 20 minutes to Waterloo. The bad news? It's expensive. Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian detached homes in Richmond Hill start at ?3.5m. Cross the bridge to East Twickenham, still within walking distance of the town, and four-bed terraces go for less than ?1m. What the locals say Follow a famous face such as Jerry Hall or Keira Knightley, and watch the expressions of people coming the other way. Why we love it With the park and the river, it's like living in a landscape painting ? accompanied by plane noise. LONDON ? London's GDP is significantly larger than that of several European countries, including Belgium, Sweden and Switzerland ? The average price of a home in the capital is set to top ?500,000 by the end of the decade ? More than 300 languages are spoken in London, from Arabic to Urdu There's a village atmosphere, with narrow streets and characterful shops, including a butcher, a baker, a grocer, a wine shop and a deli RICHMOND, TW10

KidKruger Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > If it's summer why not have a picnic event in one > of the parks ? My thoughts exactly!

I agree - its a total clusterf-k. Once the new entrance is complete, I imagine the bottlenecks will improve. I also hope they open up the main ticket hall - the two doors (one at each end) are just too small). I just hope its sooner rather than later!

From the number of topics on this issue over recent months, I am guessing the dog p00 epidemic has finally reached epic proportions! Time to get the real culprits to sort this out!

"I'd expect burglaries to be up in January, because burglars will be trawling for new and expensive items bought for Christmas" Agree, they will be up on December, but best to compare like for like - compare with Jan-11 for instance. Within the 1-mile radius of my house Jan-13 burglaries were 75 v 45 in Jan-12 and 61 in Jan-11. Dec-12 was a similar jump: 66 in 2012 v 42 in 2011 v 46 in 2010. Clearly a recent jump in burglary - and expect the rise to be down to one gang. Hopefully they are caught soon!

*Bob* Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Time to move perhaps, Foxy? > > There must be some corner of the world that could > afford you just the tiniest bit of pleasure - > before you slide miserably into the grave? My thoughts exactly. He hasnt been in the most chirpy mood of late.

The main issue with NZ are the locals. From experience, the West Island is far better in terms of job and lifestyle - and the people far more accommodating.

Do you think by reading a whinge on the forum, they will pick up poo? Once a lazy dog owner, always a lazy dog owner ...

Like the turds on the street, these threads are hard to miss. I am still not sure what the purpose of moaning about poo on the forum is. It wont move the poo. Contact the councillors directly (details regularly posted on the forum), or speak to the owners at the time (where possible).

Excellent ... yet another pointless dog poo thread.

I have had these letters for the past two years, so its nothing new. If you look at recent stats in ED, we were doing OK for burglary in 2012 (i.e. down on 2011 in most months) until December - where there was a noticable spike. Our neighbours got robbed late last year, however they had limited front door locks and access was made easy through the letterbox. The key is to take as many precautions as possible (alarms, locks, lights etc), and a dog sign cant hurt either. I am disappointed to hear resources have been moved just because Southwark as a borough has improved in terms of crime. James, can you have a word to Boris? He is more than welcome to come and meet the locals, now that he knows where East Dulwich is: http://www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk/Enthusiasm-delayed-late-arrival-Boris-Johnson/story-13952894-detail/story.html#axzz2KxDgtmnk

I prefer M&S to conversations about dog poo or bottles of wee ... :-)

Sue Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > MissB6 Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > I'm also sorry some of our forum friends are so > insensitive/protective. > > xxxxxxx > > If you're referring to my post - I said I was > sorry about the burglary. > > However, please have a thought for anxious and > vulnerable people in our community who see posts > stating things like "i am not sure how safe is to > live in the area anymore" and "BUT JUST THINK.. IF > THAT HAPPENED TO ME HERE WHY NOT HAPPEN TO YOU OR > NEXT DOOR !" and become even more anxious and > afraid. > > Do you think that's helpful? > > There are ways of saying that you've been burgled > without putting the fear of God into everybody :) > > By all means warn others to be careful, but making > sure your home is secure is surely a bit of a > no-brainer, whether there have been burglaries in > your area or not? > > And if it is secure and they still get in - well, > what more could you have done? No point whipping > everybody up into a frenzy of fear. The chances of > it happening to you are actually quite small, > though it doesn't feel like that when it happens > (and yes I have been burgled myself - in a quiet > country area when I was by myself in the house and > asleep in bed. It can happen anywhere). > > ETA: And the figures given in the Independent > article are not for the number of burglaries in > the area. If you want to look at the comparative > risk of being burgled you should compare police > statistics. > > This is what the article says: > > MoneySupermarket.com analysed 3.49 million > applications for home insurance quotes made > between December 2011 and the end of November > 2012. > > They looked at the number of users who said they > had made a claim for burglary at their current > address in the past two years. > > The number of claims made per 1,000 enquiries was > then calculated, to allow areas to be compared. I agree. Its fine to come on here and report crime, but be constructive and provide specific information that would help others apply preventative measures in the future. We live in a large capital city, and you will find the crime rate in ED is comparable across the Capital. I think its pointless to express statements that "sensationalise" the situation. Its an unfortunate incident, but it doesnt mean ED is unsafe vis a vis the rest of London. Also, can you take off caps-lock. It comes across as aggressive / shouting.

I cant think of too many countries where UK passports need visas over NZ passports. Same goes for Australian passports (except maybe Brazil?).

Huguenot Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hmm, I don't think the observation was about > whether or not Kiwis are annoying lane lover, but > about Visa requirements. My point exactly. Whether "nobody seems to have anything against them" is irrelevant to the ease of getting a passport. Its usually due to reciprocal rights. And before people get upset and go off on the whole "racist" angle ... Im a Kiwi: was trying to be humourous somewhat.

Penguin68 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > There are values, even for EU citizens, in having > dual nationality with the UK (although the 'best' > nationality to have is apparently New Zealand - > nobody seems to have anything against them and > they get in anywhere easily). > Really? This is a sweeping overgeneralisation. I find most Kiwis to be very obnoxious and always have a chip on their shoulder about something (small country syndrome).

gang activity

Admin is clearly a fan of dog poo!

LondonMix Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Some might argue the lack of good transport is > what has allowed LL to thrive. Its harder for us > locals to nip into the centre concentrating demand > for locally supplied goods and services. Once the > area has enough shops it then can start pulling > people in from outside the local area as LL does > now. Not sure if LL could have started its > initial phase of regeneration if people had lots > of easily accessible alternatives. Now that its > consolidated, better transport links might further > enhance it as it will allow for even more > footfall. I tend to agree with this point. I rarely see the need to leave ED on weekends, which is fine with me! I also compare ED with Brixton and Clapham. I actually like the relative peace in ED - everytime I go to Brixton or Clapham its manic! I love visiting Brixton, but couldnt live there. If Peckham / Camberwell continue to become better connected, we also benefit - but also remain that one step removed. Which is nice, as it keeps ED "off the map".

I love fishing ... always get a bite. I think the poo thread definitely ranks up there with M&S/Waitrose ... I also like the "I saw police on Lordship Lane ... does anyone know whats going on?". And the almost weekly "where to eat in ED" thread. I figure this has been done about 100 times already. To be fair, the forum does give me an amusing release when I need a break in the day.

eastdulwichhenry Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > A couple of days ago I noticed that the back > window of the car belonging to the Domino's pizza > guys, which they use to deliver their cheesy > sustenance to the masses, had its back window > smashed while parked in St. Francis Road round the > corner from the store. > > Two guys from the store were discussing the matter > whilst trying to decide what to do with the two > pizzas they had intended to deliver. > > I guess we need to be careful about leaving > valuables in view within cars in the area. "I guess we need to be careful about leaving valuables in view within cars in the area" Yep: the first thing taught in "Living in London 101".

Some of the posts actually make me laugh at times - in a sad sort of way. I just dont see the point of aimlessly ranting about it, because it wont move the poo. As for having poo on your shoes or your pram, I usually go around the poo and not plough straight through it. It has worked for me so far anyway ...

Mick Mac Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > lane lover Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > If dog poo is your biggest worry, then you are > a > > very lucky person. > > > > The forum is to help people with advice, ideas > etc > > about the area. > > > > Since when did you decide what the forum is for? > > > > Venting your speen on the forum > > about someones dog doing a poo is not helping > > anyone. Either say something to the person at > the > > time or pick it up yourself. > > We have local councillors who read this forum and > can see from the threads the great annoyance its > causes local people, especially those with > children, as children dont necessarily take the > care to look, so parents have to watch the step of > a number of people. > > It should have an increased profile, made a clear > condition of owning a dog, higher penalties for > those who don't bother, as it seems there are many > who just flaunt it. On Friern Road it is clear the > dog owner does not even stop for the dog to do his > thing, the poo becomes a broken trail of > lumps....disgusting and infuriating. The councillors contact details are easily available on the forum. Maybe it would be a better idea to complain to them direct rather than whingeing to the world. I just find it tiring to continue seeing posts saying "to the person that" ... Do you think this will move the poo? Likelihood is that even if the responsible person read this, they are unlikely to care given they let their dog poo everywhere. The options are as follows: 1. Bring it up with the person at the time. 2. Contact the council. If enough complaints are heard, then action may be taken. 3. Pick up the poo yourself. 4. Start a "poo police". All I am saying is that people shouldnt come on here cluttering the forum with random and pointless poo rants, as its a complete waste of time.