Two-way traffic in Lower Road: consultation ‘later this year’

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This question and answer from last week’s Southwark council assembly may be of interest.

Cllr David Hubber (Lib Dem Surrey Docks ward councillor) In view of the fact that a reversion to two-way working in Lower Road, Rotherhithe, appears still to be a long way off, will the cabinet member consider removing the restriction on vehicles emerging from Plough Way and crossing Lower Road to enter the gyratory system?

Cllr Mark Williams (Labour cabinet member for transport) Feasibility work for the reintroduction of two-way working in the Surrey Quays area is well advanced and I expect proposals to be brought to public consultation later this year. Traffic analysis shows that removing much of the one-way system is possible and this will open up more direct routes to the peninsula as well as creating opportunities to improve the local environment. Removing the current restrictions on traffic exiting Plough Way will be part of these proposals. Analysis shows, however, that this can only work when introduced in conjunction with the wider traffic scheme.

26-storey Maydew House could sprout six more floors

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Maydew House
Maydew House

Up to six more floors could be added to Maydew House on the Abbeyfield Estate under plans published this week by Southwark Council.

The Labour council’s cabinet is expected to rubber-stamp proposals for a £24.2 million refurbishment and extension of the 1960s tower block which sits alongside Southwark Park.

The scheme will be partly financed by selling homes for sale in the tower, along with new homes on the site of the Bede Centre which will be provided with new premises inside the revamped tower block.

Work could start early next year on the scheme which will see the tower stripped back to its concrete frame and a new “state of the art cladding design” created for the building in what is described as  “an ‘eye-catching’ visual landmark project”.

The future of Maydew House was the subject of a big campaign back in 2010 when the council – faced with a big bill for asbestos removal – considered selling the whole building for private development

The council began the process of relocating residents from Maydew House in 2015 and the building is expected to be empty by January.

Euro ATMs at Bermondsey and Canada Water tube stations

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Cash machines which dispense euros as well as pounds have been installed at Bermondsey and Canada Water Undergound stations.

The two SE16 tube stations are among 70 across the capital where new Raphaels Bank dual-currency ATMs have been installed.

Euro withdrawals are commission free, with rates intended to be more favourable than the largest currency exchange providers.

“As part of our ongoing plans to improve the services on offer for our customers, we have worked with Raphaels Bank to install these cash points at stations across our network,” said Graeme Craig, director of commercial development at Transport for London.

“Millions of people use our network each year, including going to or from an airport, Eurostar and coach stations, and these machines have been installed to make it easier for people to access the currency they need.”

Transport for London commissioner Sir Peter Hendy recently revealed that since the first euro ATMs were installed at tube stations in November, €2.5 million has been dispensed across the network.

Telford Homes buys Rotherhithe New Road site for £19 million

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A controversial high-rise development on Rotherhithe New Road including a new home for Southwark Free School and a sixth form centre for the City of London Academy could be completed in 2018.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson overruled Southwark Council to approve the 19-storey scheme just before Christmas.

“In the last few weeks we have exchanged contracts for the purchase of a development site on Rotherhithe New Road, Southwark, SE16 for £19 million,” said Jon Di-Stefano, chief executive of Telford Homes.

“The site has planning consent for 148 open market homes and 10 affordable homes in a building ranging from six to 19 storeys alongside the construction of a new primary school and sixth form academy within the lower levels.

“The development is expected to be completed in 2018 and has a gross development value of circa £75 million.”

Police investigate burglary at FA Albin funeral directors

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Police are investigating a burglary at FA Albin & Sons funeral directors in Culling Road.

It is believed that the burglary took place overnight between Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 July.

Officers from Southwark CID are investigating and no arrests have yet been made.

 

Anyone with information should call police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

IT firm’s £5,000 boost to Salter statues appeal thanks to local lad Michael Tobin

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From the website of the Salter Statues Campaign to restore the Alfred Salter statue on the Thames Path and add a representation of Ada Salter to the scene:

In June we were thrilled to receive a cheque for £5,000 from TelecityGroup, the leading telecommunications company. The donation was prompted by their Chief Executive Officer, Michael Tobin OBE, one of Britain’s top entrepreneurs.

Michael has 25 years experience in technology and telecommunications and was awarded an OBE in the 2014 New Year Honours list for his services to the Digital Economy. What connects such a high-flying businessman to the Salters? Michael wrote to us explaining:

“There are a number of reasons why this is important both to me personally and to TelecityGroup. Firstly Telecity is committed to supporting the welfare and education of children around the world. Ada and Alfred Salter were the epitome of this cause, working with extremely under-privileged children in some of London’s poorest areas. Secondly, TelecityGroup is one of the world’s largest data centre companies and its headquarters in the east of London makes it ideally suited to contribute to the upbringing and welfare of that part of the city. Personally I was born in Bermondsey growing up in a challenging environment between Long Lane and Rotherhithe, so the area is of particular interest to me.”

Michael Tobin recently moved to Rotherhithe and last year joined Theo Paphitis and Simon Hughes MP for the launch of a local Liberal Democrat campaign to improve Southwark’s high streets.

Bermondsey businesses back BID at the Blue

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BrfQXPDCUAAG5uP.jpg-largeThe area around the Blue is to become a business improvement district (BID)  after local firms voted in favour of the proposal in an official ballot.

Nearly nine out of 10 firms backed the proposal which was spearheaded by Russell Dryden, the fishmonger in the Blue market.

BIDs are funded by a levy on business rates and provide a way for local traders to work together to promote their locality as a place to do business and to make environmental improvements to their area.

Find out more about the project on the Blue Bermondsey Business Association website.

Southwark could team up with Square Mile to bring fast broadband to Rotherhithe

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Southwark Council is in talks with the City of London Corporation over plans to bring high-speed broadband to Rotherhithe.

News of the discussions was revealed by the council’s chief executive Eleanor Kelly at a meeting of the borough’s cabinet on Wednesday.

The City of London Corporation – the local government body for the Square Mile financial district – has been looking at ways of providing high-speed internet connections for its businesses and residents.

“At present, no operator has plans to provide a high speed, affordable broadband network across the Square Mile,” the corporation posted on Facebook in May this year.

Southwark Council hopes that by teaming up with the City, it could put a deal in place with a commercial partner more quickly and provide a more attractive proposition for prospective partners than the Square Mile could on its own.

Meanwhile the Rotherhithe Broadband Group continues to promote its social enterprise proposal for solving the SE16 broadband problem.

Bermondsey in Bloom competition returns for 2014

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Some of the entries in the 2013 competition displayed at a community council meeting.

The Salmon Youth Centre and Cllr Eliza Mann have teamed up to organise another Bermondsey in Bloom competition.

Over the next few months, young people from Salmon Youth Centre will take to the streets of Bermondsey with a camera and a sharp eye for good looking gardens.

There will be prizes and certificates for the top three entrants (chosen by independent judges) in each of the following categories:

  • Balconies and window boxes
  • Pubs and businesses
  • School gardens
  • Community gardens
  • Edible gardens and allotments
  • Estates gardens
  • Front gardens
  • Wildlife gardens

The competition is open to all residents and organisations in Grange ward, Riverside ward and South Bermondsey ward.

The entry form is available on the Salmon website – or you can drop in to the youth centre in Old Jamaica Road and pick up a paper copy from reception.

The closing date is Friday 22 August

Winners will be announced at the September meeting of Bermondsey & Rotherhithe Community Council.