‘Significant alterations’ to SE16 bus services in the pipeline

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Each meeting of Bermondsey & Rotherhithe Community Council chooses a formal question to ask of the leader of Southwark Council or one of the cabinet members.

This was the question agreed at the recent transport-themed meeting:

Can the cabinet member for regeneration, planning and transport set out what steps the council is taking to improve traffic flow at the Rotherhithe tunnel on Lower Road and to ensure the C10 and 381 bus routes better serve the Rotherhithe peninsula? Can he also explain what steps he is taking to lobby Transport for London (TfL) on these issues?

Last week the reply from Cllr Mark Williams was published:

Officers are working with TfL to develop plans for Lower Road in order to deliver the measures identified in the Area Action Plan as well as the proposed Cycle Superhighway (CS4).

Proposals to remove the Lower Road gyratory will be brought to public consultation later this year. TfL are also due to re-start design work on CS4 in the autumn and this will include proposals to address congestion at the tunnel roundabout.

The council also expects TfL to conduct a comprehensive review of the local bus network as a result of proposed development at Canada Water, which together with the removal of the gyratory will result in significant alterations to bus routing through the area. As part of this work we are calling on TfL to increase the number of bus services in the area.

Finally, the council has requested that TfL develop mitigating measures in response to the proposed tolling of the Blackwall Tunnel and the proposed Silvertown Tunnel. We are concerned that TfL’s proposals at Blackwall and Silvertown will worsen traffic levels and air pollution in Rotherhithe, and we will continue to press TfL on this issue.

Look out for a separate news item about the council’s concerns about TfL’s plans at Blackwall and Silvertown.

Ed Miliband visits Rotherhithe

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Labour leader Ed Miliband visited the Silverlock Hall in Rotherhithe on Thursday for a Q&A session introduced by local prospective parliamentary candidate Neil Coyle.

The invited audience included a mix of party members, supporters, community activists and first time voters.

Miliband spent nearly an hour fielding questions on a wide range of topics including housing, support for carers, policing in Rotherhithe, the Aylesbury Estate redevelopment and the prospect of a Labour-Lib Dem coalition.

After the main Q&A we had the opportunity to interview the Labour leader – look out for articles over on the SE1 website very soon covering Miliband’s response to questions about overseas investors buying property in Southwark, the Bakerloo line extension, disruption at London Bridge Station and how he feels about the prospect of Neil Coyle unseating Simon Hughes.

Cycle hire: Southwark ‘not very well covered’ admits Boris’s bike boss

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There was a tantalising hint about the prospect of an extension of the London cycle hire scheme to Bermondsey and Rotherhithe at Wednesday’s meeting of the London Assembly transport committee.

Listen to what Andrew Gilligan, the mayor’s cycling commissioner, had to say:

listen to ‘Andrew Gilligan on extending cycle hire scheme in Southwark’ on audioBoom

Murals planned for John Bull Arch

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One of the successful bids in the latest round of Southwark’s High Street Challenge came from Blue Bermondsey Business Improvement District which will receive £22,695 to create new murals in the John Bull Arch.

They will also host workshops and events related to the murals to encourage people to spend more time in the area.

Cllr Ian Wingfield, cabinet member for communities, employment and business, said: “The high street is at the heart of our thriving communities right across Southwark, and the Council is backing local businesses to grow, expand and achieve more.

“We are pleased to have received so many applications which confirms what we already know; that businesses care about the towns they live, work and socialise in. As a council, we are committed to supporting businesses with innovative ideas and backing groups running locally-led initiatives for the good of the high street.

“We’re looking forward to receiving more inspiring ideas and applications when the next round of funding opens later this month.”

Snails seized in SE16

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The monthly bulletin from Southwark’s trading standards department often contains weird and wonderful updates. This is from the latest edition:

A detention notice was served in respect of some 20 kg of frozen fish and snails found at a premises in Rotherhithe SE16.  Following satisfactory enquiries the frozen fish was released for sale but the snails were seized under TARP (The Trade in Animal and Restricted Products Regulations 2011).

Prime minister confirms plan for ‘free school’ in Galleywall Road

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Plans to open a new primary school in the former Galleywall School building in South Bermondsey have been confirmed by the prime minister.

From the official Government announcement:

The City of London Corporation will open a primary school for 420 children in South Bermondsey in 2016. Overseen by Mickey Kelly, the inspirational headteacher of Redriff Primary Academy, the free school will target ‘the poverty of aspiration’ that holds back many local children from achieving their potential. This is 1 of 2 new primary schools being opened by the corporation in 2016, adding to the corporation’s reputation for providing high quality education both in the city and the surrounding areas.

City law firm chooses Bede House as its charity for the year

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Law firm Browne Jacobson’s London office has nominated SE16-based Bede House as its chosen charity for 2015.

Bede House helps more than 2,000 people every year. It provides services under four key areas: Learning Disabilities, Youth work, Starfish Domestic Violence & Hate Crime and Community Engagement and is heavily reliant on contributions from individuals and corporate grants.

Browne Jacobson will work closely with Bede House on various fundraising initiatives throughout the year. They will take an active role in the charity’s projects such as supporting the development of local plays, attending charitable functions and providing sponsorship funding. The firm have organised a staff quiz at the end of March with all proceeds going to the charity and they will also be supporting Bede House with interview role plays in May.

Prior to working with Bede House the law firm raised over £5,000 for Hackney based charity St Joseph’s Hospice. Over the course of two years they worked with them on a range of fundraisers which included jeans days and cake bake offs.

“We are delighted to have been chosen as Browne Jacobson’s charity of the year,” said Bede House’s Nick Dunne.

“As a small, local charity this kind of support is vital to us and we look forward to us working together in the next 12 months”.

David Maggs, partner at Browne Jacobson, added: “We are delighted to be supporting a charity that provides such a crucial service to the local community. The Bede House staff and volunteers provide an invaluable service and support network to the Southwark neighbourhood.

“Both myself and my colleagues are looking forward to working with the team over the coming year, hoping to draw attention to the fantastic work they already do, as well as continue to raise funds for the charity and its community.”

Every year each of Browne Jacobson’s offices nominates a local charity to support in their area.  Last year the firm managed to raise over £28,000 for good causes across its five office network, this included the firm’s trainee lawyers joining up from all offices to complete a cycle challenge, raising money for a cancer charity.