Chairman's Blog - June 2018
Local Elections
Our Association is strictly non-party political, and we look forward to working with all the new councillors elected for our local wards, which are West Barnes, Cannon Hill, and Raynes Park. When we hold our Open meetings and committee meetings we invite a councillor from each of the wards to help us in our decisions.
At the AGM we paid tribute to the hard work of Mary-Jane Jeanes who was not standing for re-election. We would also like to pay tribute to the dedication of Gilli Lewis-Lavender, a former Mayor, and Brian Lewis-Lavender.
All three former councillors have been assiduous in bringing issues to our notice, in getting council officers to act, and in representing the people they were elected to serve. We wish them well.
Chaos in Grand Drive
Residents will be well aware of the traffic chaos caused by the closure of the bottom part of Grand Drive for four weeks while gas mains were repaired. We were not consulted about these works, and so could not advise the gas network and the highways authorities of the warning notices that were necessary to avoid some of the worse effects of the jams. What was required was notices put in place a long distance away, particularly on the A3, in Tudor Drive and further up Grand Drive, and in Kingston Road so that drivers could find alternative routes earlier. Some warnings were belatedly put up, but not enough. Even with the notices, a steady stream of motorists came past the road closed notice, and then had to do a U-turn, to the anger and irritation of those living there.
Worse to Come?
Two exhibitions are being held about the even worse closures of half of Grand Drive planned to start on 23rd July which will last until December. Grand Drive will be made one way southbound for the duration of the work. A signed diversion is being proposed for northbound traffic. Further information is available here. These closures will be worse, as there will literally be nowhere else that traffic can easily be diverted to. We fear that Cannon Hill Lane and Martin Way will be clogged solid for much of the day.
The gas network company, SGN, state that the old metal gas mains are being replaced with new plastic pipe, with a minimum life of 80 years, to ensure a continued safe and reliable supply into the future. This will cost £973,000.
Motspur Park Post Office
The recently relocated post office counter, currently situated in Ecklee International Grocery, is to close. This leaves residents in Motspur Park with nowhere at hand to collect their pensions or for the other myriad things they need to do. The nearest post offices are either in New Malden High Street or Raynes Park, both of which are difficult to get to without a car, and with heavy parking charges for those who drive. We understand that Sima Brothers newsagents, nextdoor to Ecklee, has applied to take over the agency, but that the PO is being rather slow to process the application.
Open Meeting
We are having an Open Meeting for residents in Blossom House School, Motspur Park, on Wednesday 13th June, starting at 7.30 pm, with some light refreshments afterwards. Do come and discuss this issue, and any others of concern to you. You will be made very welcome.
John Elvidge
