James Barber

Hi Robbie1, Outside the Coop is a Puffin crossing. Road traffice people install them in preference to Peilcan crossings because they're slightly quicker for cars (have a sensor to cancel any request if system belives pedestrians has moved on/vanished) but not very clear for pedestrians - you have to have head down staring for a green light not looking around and up for green light. Terrible ergonomics Absolutely no evidence Puffins are safer than Pelican's but officialdom keep quoting studies that are inconslusive at best. The ideal would be a cross between a Pelican and Puffin. A number of Puffin installations across Southwark in last two years breach the installaiton guidelines and best practice. Eitherway I hope the person knocked over is ok and makes a swift recovery from any injuries.

This was a ?4.5M programme initially planned to improve Independant Local Retail Envirnonments over three years by former East dulwich councillor Richard Thomas when he was the executive councillor in charge of regeneration. Sadly its taken more years than originally planned for East Dulwich changes to take place. And that's with a tremendous amount of nagging of council officials by me.

Hi the-e-dealer, But the buses are nearly brand new so no chance of being replaced so soon. Blimey you do want ot be profligate with tax payers hard earny cash.

I've contacted the head of waste collection and they'll try and track down the culprit. Not easy but fingers crossed.

176 gets my votes and as they go all the way to Tottenham Court Road suspect Boris would be delighted. I'll ask GLA Assembly Member Carolne Pidgeon who knows our area exceptionally well how they'll be allocated.

Hi Chick, I have four calls to return and will do at the weekend - out tonight and worknig late tomorrow.

Hi citizenED, Sadly no word yet but clearly something should be done with the land. Whether it be used to extend Bessemer School grounds closing the road or sold for housing or used for new council housing (now that govt policy makes this possible).

Looking at Southwark Councils mapping pages - filtered to show Southwark traffic flow survey - http://maps.southwark.gov.uk/connect/index.jsp?tooltip=yes no traffic counts have been undertaken. Such traffic counts would show vehicle numbers, speeds, average speed, mean speed and 85th percentile speeds. In East Dulwich ward we've always ensured we've had that data before pushing for speed calming. These roads are in Peckham Rye ward.

I received the attached proposed changes to Spurling Road. My response was and I was having a bad day! "This is such a dismal shame. Officers delivered a cycle contraflow there only 3 years ago. So I'm deeply saddened to see that either the money then was wasted by officers or would be now. Which is it and why? If you're making the area more permeable for cyclists - which I'm keen on - then can you please add a cycle contraflow to Crawthew Grove between Lordship Lane and Spurling Road? Ideally the current island is fit for purpose. That the money saved by not rearranging kerb stones could be spent adding Crawthew Grove. " What do people living there think?

Earlier this summer we went on a walk around Box Hill. Playtrail really popular - leaflet attached. Would others see value in such a trail at Sydenham woods?

Edited to add: Vision House planning application 12-AP-2841. Proposals for 4 x 4 bedroom houses in this kind of backlands area behind 182 Landells Road. Cllr Jonathan Mitchell and I have asked for this applicaiton to be decided by a planning committee if officers were minded to grant permission. The Planning Committee chair person Cllr Nick Dolezal has helpfully agreed to our call-in. Cycle Survey Count. 26/9 -> 13/10 some bicycle survey work is beng undertaken with CCTV cameras placed across osuthwark. Locally we'll see them on Lordship Lane between Friern Road and Barry Road and on the eastern Peckham Rye arm half way along the common frontage. Christmas Event 1/12 Southwark Council will be funding an event around North Cross Road market to herald the start of the Christmas season. Hopefully the local traders association will be fully involved - SSBA. Cycle lockers Agreement for more at Halliwell Court - chuffed to get this to happen.

Hi Lordship, Looking at the last three years of crash data for this locaiton (www.crashmap.co.uk) 2009,2010 & 2011 shows 2 slight injuries over 2 crashes along the Lordship Lane around junctions with Friern and Upland Roads. We have a number of other locations in East Dulwich which have more crashes and with more severity. I personally think we should be deploying average speed cameras arond Southwark. Siemens is happy to provide them and fund requiring 3 speed awareness courses funded by speedsters per week. But it's complicated by the west side being in Village ward whose councillors have previously shown reluctance about controlling speedsters - hence the shared part of Melbourne Grove being one of the very few East Dulwich roads not 20mph.

Council officials have told me that they met with the developers, raised a numbers of serious issues (which I believe were identified by residents and ward cllrs) and are awaiting the developer to resubmit their plans taking into account these issues. On this basis it probably wont go to committee until Nov/Dec at the earliest.

and I've specifically asked council officials when it will be and am awaiting a respones.

Hi littlep, The main reticence about roof terraces is about over looking other peoples properties. Southwark compared to many other boroughs has higher density. So your builder is probably correct compared to less dense areas of London. I've seen a number of applications that have included flat roof space where conditions have been added blocking this after a number of neighbouring residents expressed fear about a roof terrace being created. so would you overlook any neighbouring properties or gardens. IF you would then you need to work out whether they'd mind or not. If they would then you'll understandably have a fight on your hands with other people wanting to preserve the privacy and use of their property/land. Hope this helped and I hope it all works out for you and your neighbours.

Hi Millymoll, The totalled GCSE results are all provisional and finally confirmed after any remarking in January. This year the results have casued such consternation that much more remarking is taking place so schools are reticent to post results that they expect/hope will change. BUT Southwark secondary level results are doing really well.

Hi Saffron, I sympathise with your view the Police should try and avoid young children seeing disturbing images - but the logical extension is they should ensure newspapers, magazines, etc shouldnt be openly displayed as they sometimes having shocking images. As a parent in such circumstances I would ensure my kids were looking the other way OR explain my understanding of the context. Much better than accepting an occurence of pseudo Police stateism. Going to the orignal post - it does sound over zealous policing. Hi Hugenuot, Tom has talked about environment and health concerns when promoting meat free days to me. He's never mentioned animal welfare.

Hi the-e-dealer, I really dont think the no.37 bus route will support a pribate enterprise funding a new tram route along it. I suspect you realise that when you propose it. Not sure why you'd suggest a spoiling alternative? Regards james.

Hi the-e-dealer, The fire according to the insurance investigation owas arson on the test prototype tram. East-west routes across Southwark. Hmmm. Brois has made it clear he will not finance new trams - or tube routes. The East-west routes are Boris controlled roads. So if a tram is proposed along such routes - and they have just as many bus and train routes as the route proposed south-north it would stand much less chance of gaining TfL support. Also the heart of Southwakr regeneration is the Elephant & Castle which the proposers route goes via. but if you know another private enterprise willing to build such a route as you appear to be proposing please do encourage them.

The proposers have obtained the main planning permissions they need for their Preston Scheme. Why is this important. Many argue against a tram in Southwark as they've yet to build a tram. So in my mind Southwakr is more likely ot happen once they've started digging up roads in Preston. The proposers are also walking/surveying the route in detail starting Sunday 23rd.

Hi crackingup, I'm sorry to hear your South Camberwell ward councillor Cllr Peter John hasnt replied. Please email me on [email protected] explaining what happened, giving your address and contact details where your case has reached etc and I will do my best to help.

Hi bsand, I'll happilly print "East Dulwich Says NO to night flights" if someone designs it.

Hi Bessie1974, What a great idea. Perhaps Goose Green would also be another great location. The best way ot make this happen is to use the Cleaner, Greener, Safer funding stream. The next round of funding cover FY13/14 will be released later this month - this Friday from memory. As soon as it is I'll post the links and explanations here. Hi Fazer71, When the council sells properties the receipts go into the capital program. Much of the capital program topped up by central government are being used to improve remianing council properties. The council has announced it will build 1,000 new council properties but I've been told it will sell more than that number through the right to buy. As for the economics of 31 Shawbury Court. The council has a large number of what are called acquired street properties like tihs one. The council isnt very good at managing such standalone properties for tenants and is really bad for leaseholders. So selling such properties and concentrating on estates makes sense to the housing department.

BBC news website states vacant Denmark Hill estate community building.

Is this 31 Shawbury Road? Clearly any empty council property needs to be protected but equally the best way of protecting it is with tenants. Please confirm the address and I'll chase to see when it will be rented out.