Southwark Council has commissioned consultancy firm Atkins to examine potential solutions to the lack of high-speed broadband internet service on the Rotherhithe peninsula.
News of Atkins’ involvement comes in a blog post from London Assembly member Val Shawcross which attempts to draw together the various initiatives currently under way.
From the blog of Riverside Lib Dem councillor Anood Al-Samerai:
I also went along to our ward Safer Neighbourhood police meeting to raise serious concern about the area around Bermondsey tube station. It seems to have become a location for street drinking, begging and littering instead of the proud entrance to our area it should be. The police team agreed this as their priority for the next six weeks, our panel chair (another marvellous local resident) is writing to the Borough Commander and I am also raising the matter with the council.
London Assembly member Val Shawcross recently tabled this question to Mayor of London Boris Johnson:
I understand that the C10 has a problem due to traffic in the Rotherhithe area and are working with the operator to resolve it. Can you provide details of what the problem is and what is being done to resolve it?
Boris Johnson replied:
Approximately 6 per cent of trips did not serve the Rotherhithe peninsula in the 12 weeks from 24 May to 15 August 2014 as a result of congestion along Jamaica Road and the Rotherhithe Tunnel area.
To address this, and overall reliability issues, the operator of route C10 (Abellio) and TfL are planning a more robust schedule that is expected to be introduced by the end of the year.
In the meantime, TfL has stressed the importance to the operator of managing the route effectively.
The campaign to honour two of Bermondsey’s leading socialists has received a boost from an unlikely quarter … the Duke of Westminster’s property firm Grosvenor.
Southwark Council says that it is in early discussions with the owners of Surrey Quays Shopping Centre and Harmsworth Quays over plans for a new leisure centre at Canada Water.
In the meantime the council says it will carry out ‘essential repairs and maintenance’ at the existing Seven Islands Leisure Centre.
“I’m delighted that we are in early discussions with British Land about providing a new leisure offer as part of their emerging plans for the area,” said Cllr Barrie Hargrove, cabinet member for public health, parks and leisure.
“It is also fantastic to be able to announce these improvement works for the existing centre. I’m sure it will all be an exciting prospect for residents in the area, especially as we look to introduce free gym and swim access for local people.”
Councillors first publicly mooted the possibility of a new leisure centre linked to the redevelopment of Harmsworth Quays last November.
The Gregorian Arms has won the Pubs & Businesses Award in the Bermondsey in Bloom annual contest.
Certificates were presented by Cllr Eliza Mann during the Bermondsey & Rotherhithe Community Council meeting at Silverlock Community Hall in Warndon Street.
The other winners are:
Balcony & Window Box: Julio Calderon and Veronica Keech.
Community Garden (flowers): Eyot House, Sun Passage.
Community Garden (edible): Tibetan Buddhist Centre.
Estate Garden: Bromleigh Gardens, St Saviours Estate.
Front Garden: Alan Thompson, St James Road.
The 2014 competition was run by the Salmon Youth Centre.
“I think Salmon done a brilliant job for their first time,” said Cllr Mann. “They did it better than I expected so I am more than happy. My colleagues are very happy – all of them are very pleased with the project and the way Salmon presented it (at the meeting).”
The annual Bermondsey in Bloom competition was launched in 2011.
The nationwide Macmillan
fundraising coffee mornings on Friday 26 September include two in SE16.
The Ship York pub, at the junction of Rotherhithe Street and Elgar Street at Downtown, is holding a big coffee morning party from 11am to 1pm.
Tea & cake is £1 and Southwark’s Pearly Queen is attending.
Meanwhile, at the Silverlock TRA Hall in Warndon Street there is Bert’s Coffee Morning, also in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support, from 11am.
The aim is to raise money for people living with cancer. Last year 154,000 people raised a record £20 million.
Sainsbury’s Local in Jamaica Road is employing local people.
The supermarket has announced that out of 29 people working shifts at the shop all but six live within one mile.
This result follows a recruitment day held in conjunction with the Four Square Estate TRA last July.
Representatives of the TRA were present when the supermarket was officially opened on Monday 15 September.
Sainsbury’s claims that it wishes to continue supporting the local Bermondsey community and is working closely with the Salmon Youth Centre.
The new Sainsbury’s Local is next to the launderette at 192-196 Jamaica Road where it replaces Castello pizza restaurant .
A Sainsbury’s Local has opened next the launderette in Jamaica Road.
The supermarket, at 192-196 Jamaica Road, replaces Castello pizza restaurant which closed earlier this year.
The new store, managed by Niomi Brandon, is open daily 7am-11pm.
The shopfront includes an ATM.
Mayor of London Boris Johnson has rejected the suggestion that Bermondsey Station should be in zone 1 as well as zone 2.
London Assembly member Caroline Pidgeon had asked the Mayor to consider, in the light of a re-zoning at Stratford, making Bermondsey Station a zone 1/2 station.
In a written answer, the Mayor said: “While we recognise re-zoning Bermondsey could give a positive boost to the regeneration of the area, it would similarly result in significant costs.” He said that the Stratford change is expected to cost £7m a year in lost revenue.