tomchance

camberlou Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > As a cyclist, I find the one way system > frustrating, as it makes for a long way round, as > mentioned by Jimmy above. Also, not being able to > get from the north end of Bellenden without > looping round, adds a unneccesary amount of time > to my journey. The council could simply make all the streets two-way for cyclists but not for cars, as is already the case with part of Highshore Road. The bollard at the top of the narrow part of Bellenden Road would already help with this. The council's proposals are actually to improve access for cars as well. It's crazy, and if you agree you should submit a response objecting but noting the parts you like. Councillors and officers will often just look at the topline figure of objectors/supporters rather than reading all the caveats. I was stung by this responding to another daft scheme on Peckham Rye. Scroll to the bottom of this: http://tom.acrewoods.net/2012/04/04/southwarks-cycling-revolution/

I have submitted an objection to this proposal. I think it will do very little to reduce road danger, it only has one useful suggestion to help cyclists (the bollard closing off a section of Bellenden Road to motorists), and the benefits to pedestrians will be modest. The expense and work make most parts of the scheme yet another wasteful and disruptive project. It would be much better if the council could be bold enough to review the whole area in light of their own policies in order to *reduce* access for motorists to encourage more walking and cycling, calm all the streets to reduce speeds and rat running, make the shopping part of Bellenden Road somewhere genuinely pleasant to walk about, and so on. Instead we have another proposal that fiddles about at great expense while still trying to improve access for everyone. You can't please everyone, you have to decide what the streets are for! Is Bellenden a residential area where people wander to the cafe, cycle to do some shopping and occasionally drive when necessary, or not? Incidentally, I know that Southwark Cyclists and Southwark Living Streets submitted a response fully supporting the proposals. I was canvassed for my views as a member of the Southwark Cyclists e-group and, along with one other member, made a number of points against the proposals but these weren't reflected in the SC response.

fazer71 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Possibly the least Green MP I've ever come across. She's not an MP, she's a London Assembly member. > Having seen her make NOT Green planning decisions > whilst on the Southwark Planning committee which = > twice the Co2 impact for another generation or > two. Which would those be? Oh, and she is running, her web site is here: http://www.jennyforlondon.org

Best veg - Rye Lane markets are great for cheap stuff, a lot of the seasonal stuff comes in from farms around London's fringe; Peckham Farmers' Market every Sunday morning outside Peckham Library; Pretty Traditional on North Cross Road if your purse/wallet is feeling a bit heavy! Other really nice food: bread, pies etc. from Blackbird Bakery (Grove Lane), wine from Green & blues, meat/fish from the North Cross Road market every Saturday. Hidden treasures for a Sunday stroll - the wildlife garden on Marsden Road; the lovely Choumert Square; Nunhead Cemetery and Dulwich/Sydenham Woods.

trizza Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The position with deliveries on Rye Lane seems > ridiculous. Not sure what the parking > restrictions are, but the fact that delivery > lorries are allowed to basically block the road > seems crazy. Why not make it a red route with > deliveries only to be made during certain times? I've raised this a couple of times at the Community Council Traffic & Transport sub group (it's as fun as it sounds!) At the moment there are meant to be alternating parking times on the east and west sides, but as with most things on Rye Lane it's not very well enforced. The council every now and again go for a big push on enforcing parking, or waste, or food regulations, etc. but don't have the resources to keep it up. Personally I agree - only deliveries at certain times would help, as would taking cars away.

I'll register my nod against another chain supermarket, whether upmarket or not.

What katie and karter say, go to some real local bike shops and get some advice, try some bikes out, etc. Don't go asking a bunch of bike nerds on the web :) My only advice on top of that would be to stay above ?250 to get something of a reasonable quality, get two decent gold rated locks, always lock it up properly and get some insurance! I'd also recommend BC Bikes (lovely lot), Brixton Cycles (workers' co-op!) and Re-cycling.

Personally I much prefer carrying one out wrapped in paper with no bag, it makes life much easier when you reach the bench :)-D Can't Mac and others who fulminate about their right to plastic bags just go to another shop?

Aren't you thinking of 43 The Gardens, which is Dominic Court?

Aren't you thinking of 43 The Gardens, which is Dominic Court?

According to the council's web site that doesn't exist, which is a pretty sure sign it's a mispelling. Can't think of anything close to it around here.

Here's another take on a DIY snow/ice fit-out for your bike: http://www.dutchbikeco.com/_blog/Dutch_Bike_Co_Weblog/post/Seattle_Snowpocalypse/ Only works if you have disc brakes, mind.

Mick Mac Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Its not therefore correct to say someone should > pay more tax, if they are acting within the law. > > If you do make that argument, then you are being > subjective. No, it means I've another objective yardstick, as it were, besides the two you are using - the tax code and law as they currently stand and the logic of capital.

Mick, I think it's fair to say that (for example) should pay tax in Ireland instead of legally dodging it.

Not to mention that the income and wealth of people like Philip Green is hardly a sacrosanct inevitability, a fair reward for their work. The market is a pretty arbitrary way of deciding how to reward people. Tax is one way that we can redistribute income and wealth to share the good stuff around a bit more fairly. I've just had my rent jacked up by 6% again, despite having my salary frozen. The tax that Green et al dodge could easily pay for a national home building programme that would solve a lot of the affordability problems we all face. I've no sympathy with rich and/or wealthy individuals or companies who pay less tax than they should - whether legally or otherwise - when we face so many problems in this country.