former East Dulwich councillor - how can I help?

[Sue]

No problem at all James, and I certainly wasn't criticising - hope it didn't come across like that.

I greatly appreciate all you do for East Dulwich, and I wouldn't normally have chased after such a short time, just that it was time-critical.

Have got your response now, for which thanks.

[Zenoria]

Hello James,

Any news on 1 Zenoria Street? I can't seem to find any planning requests online and no notices have gone up... Are the landlords still pushing for a restaurant?

Thanks!

[James Barber]

Hi Sue,

No problem. It was a useful reminder. I get so many emails that sometimes I read it and don't get a chance to reply if more complicated and they can get lost in the deluge.

Hi Zenoria,

I had an email from the developer last week telling me how misguided my objections would be to a restaurant/bar on your street. They even had the cheek to tell me the ED Warehouse failed rather than the owner made a huge rent hike!

[KalamityKel]

James,

Having received, last night, individual letters from your party regarding the council elections can you tell me why not all those at our house received the same letter?

Some had the Libdem spiel about how bad Labour have done *yawns* whilst another had a letter about postal voting advising to register.

To be clear, to avoid any room for misunderstanding - one letter mentions ONLY the need to sign up to postal vote, the other letter is just the normal rubbish sent from one party bad mouthing another. Both letters had a "application to vote by post" form included. All residents at my address are already registered for postal vote with written confirmation from the electoral services.

Your (Libdem) letter is confusing and a potential to raise worry over the matter of registering for postal vote being done correctly and possible fraud - as has already been discussed on the EDF.

This particular letter doesn't look official especially when issued from a party in the run up to an election!

Surely this is not the responsibilty for running parties but Southwark Council!

[Alishias]

Ditto to every word.

[EDLove]

Hi James

Apologies if this issue has already been raised but I wondered if you would be able to confirm how would we go about getting an additional ticket machine at ED station? There are only two, which may ordinarily be enough, but one of them is regularly out of action. Additionally, the ticket office can't top up an oyster card (which raises the separate query as to whether it is really needed). The frequent result is a long queue for one machine and frustrated commuters missing their trains in the morning.

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

[unlurked]

EDLove Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

Additionally, the ticket

> office can't top up an oyster card (which raises

> the separate query as to whether it is really

> needed).

How absolutely wonderful of you. Lets make more people unemployed.

Why don't you just plan ahead and buy your ticket/top up in advance and then you won't have to suffer such tiresome inconvenience.

[ultraburner]

Surely that's a train company problem, not a James's EDlove?

[worldwiser]

Don't make them unemployed: give them something useful to do. There can't be much satisfaction in doing a job that a machine could do more quickly and efficiently.

[James Barber]

Hi KK,

I've Pm'd for more details.

Hi Worldwiser,

A ticket office should be able to provide much more bespoke service. So keen to keep it open and staff keeping an eye locally on our station.

For run of the mill tickets I would suggest topping up Oyster cards over the internet wherever possible to avoid queues.

But both machines should be reliable. The cover on one looks very Heath Robinson and tacky. Let me ask the train operating company.

[James Barber]

Today I can announce that the secondary school provider we've decide to go with is Haberdashers' Aske's Federation and to model our new East Dulwich secondary school on their Hatcham College (minus the primary school part). Great news for our area.

Sadly The Charter School who we didn't choose to go with have launched what appears a spoiling campaign.

[worldwiser]

Definitely agree there should be staff on the platforms and out and about. But having them behind an old-fashioned ticket office counter is of precious little use to 99.9% of travellers. They should carry a portable machine to deal with ticket/Oyster queries.

[James Barber]

East Dulwich station definitely needs more TLC. It regularly looks a mess.

Have asked Southern about getting both ticket machines working better.

[LouiseC]

Hi James, could you possibly speak to the train company re: Denmark Hill having an extra ticket machine, it's even busier than ED, so having only one really isn't viable. If people could update Oyster cards at the ticket office this would also help, are you aware of any plans for this to happen?

[worldwiser]

Oyster is a system that was designed to eliminate human interaction. I would think on a point of principle they would not take this step. You can top up online and also set an auto top-up at a level of your choosing. Everyone should do this - I haven't had to visit a machine or ticket office in years. Queuing to top up an Oyster would be a woeful misuse of the operative's time.

[James Barber]

Hi WW,

We're not all same. Not everyone has internet access. Many journeys that start at East Dulwioch will end somewhere outside the Oyster area.

[Sue]

worldwiser Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>

You can

> top up online and also set an auto top-up at a

> level of your choosing. Everyone should do this -

> I haven't had to visit a machine or ticket office

> in years.

xxxxxxx

Even if someone doesn't have internet access themselves, presumably they could ask someone who does to set the auto top-up for them - or go to an internet cafe or the library, if they know how to use the internet.

I did auto top-up in the days before my freedom pass. It was very easy and meant I never had to worry at all about the Oyster card running out.

But I agree if you are travelling beyond the Oyster zone you do still need to use a ticket office, at least until such time as they change the system - I don't think you can get the add-on ticket at a machine, can you?

[worldwiser]

Well I did suggest the staff should carry a portable machine like they do on national rail. People without access to internet are an infinitesimally small constituency. Those that do have it should not be queuing up for this kind of thing.

[James Barber]

Hi Sue,

not everyone can afford auto top-up. They need to manage their finances much more closely. So yes for many people auto top-up is god send but for others it could cause terrible problems with their finances.

Hi WW,

Yes, you did. And no reason why they couldn't do this. It would seem during quieter times a more sensible use of their time.

[Sue]

James Barber Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hi Sue,

> not everyone can afford auto top-up. They need to

> manage their finances much more closely. So yes

> for many people auto top-up is god send but for

> others it could cause terrible problems with their

> finances.

>

xxxxxx

Yes, that's true, and come to think of it I do know people who top up a tiny bit at a time for exactly that reason, so I take it back.

[unlurked]

James Barber Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hi WW,

> We're not all same. Not everyone has internet

> access.

Please please remember this JB when you do your testing of ED opinion concerning your plans that are already well under way!

[James Barber]

Hi Unlurked,

That;s why I test ideas on this forum, Focus leaflets, SE22 and emails as well as knocking on all East Dulwich doors every year.

[peckhamside]

James, any idea what is happening at Crown House, has the next role been agreed? Just curious as there seems to be a lot of work going on there at the moment.

[EDLove]

unlurked Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> EDLove Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> Additionally, the ticket

> > office can't top up an oyster card (which

> raises

> > the separate query as to whether it is really

> > needed).

>

> How absolutely wonderful of you. Lets make more

> people unemployed.

> Why don't you just plan ahead and buy your

> ticket/top up in advance and then you won't have

> to suffer such tiresome inconvenience.

Haha! You're absolutely right unlurked. It makes complete sense to carry on employing people, even if they have very little to do...

I have nothing against employing people in the ticket-office if they are providing a service that is needed.

The train companies have provided (presumably with the money generated from our steep train fares) machines to enable people to top up their oyster cards. Just because they have also provided an online system - which not everyone can access or wishes to access - does not mean that it is acceptable for one of these machines (which is the preferred option for many) to be out of order on a regular basis.

Even those who can access the online system will, on occasion, not realise how much is left on their oyster or not top up before coming to ED station because, of course, there are two machines (but never a ticket-office employee) there to help with this...

If commuters are precluded from voicing frustration at the fact certain services/machines do not work, then where does it stop? Should others be banned from venting at the fact a train is delayed or a bus route only has one bus per hour? Afterall, there are alternatives to both of these too.

James, thank you for your help here. Much appreciated. :)

[85volga]

James thoughts on the amount of rubbish pilled up from lordship lanes business's on the footpaths in the evenings?

I bring this up as summer is on the way (fingers crossed) a lot of the restaurants and bars on the lane are setting up tables on the street which is great, but with piles of empty food boxes and rubbish it's not so nice and the lane could be a lot better without the refuse.

Do you think it be a good idea if the council provided large bins for the commercial rubbish say around the side streets away from residential houses, or better still organised a rubbish run for the lane between 6pm and 7pm with all other commercial rubbish found a warning issued ?? perhaps a bit draconian thoughts ?

Perhaps yourself and or the Councillors could advise if there is anything afoot to look into this already?