Firework displays

In the run up to Bonfire Night it is important to consider how to stay safe, whilst having fun. The Safer Bromley Partnership suggests that it is always best to attend an organised firework display.

If this is not possible the London Fire Brigade has some helpful advice for firework and bonfire safety.

Local displays click on the links for more information

• Norman Park - Firework Display and Family Funfair  1 November
• Beckenham Fireworks and Funfair 1 November
• Chislehurst Rotary Fireworks Display 1 November 
• Crystal Palace Park - Fireworks Display and Family Funfair 5 November
• Langley Park Girls School -Fireworks Musical Display 8 November

The minutes of the last meeting of 
THE PLAISTOW & SUNDRIDGE COMMUNITY ADVISORY PANEL, HELD AT BURNT ASH SCHOOL
ON THURSDAY, 23RD OCTOBER 2014 are available on the CAP website at :-

Community Advisory Panel

Bromley Library Home Library Service

Do you know about the Home Library Service? Mr Hartnoll didn't but now he knows there is a free service that can take books to him when he needs it. 'I like to get out but it's good to know it's there if I need it, especially in the cold winter months.'

For more information call 020 3045 4565, email: LibraryCommunityservices@bexley.gov.uk or see:
https://arena.yourlondonlibrary.net/web/bromley/home-library-service

Changes to Last Posting Times for the links Estate

LERA member Michael Dobbs has sent us the following message:-

This morning I posted some letters in the post box in Portland Road. It was only after posting them that I noticed a new collections plate showing revised collection times:

Monday to Friday: 9.00 am

It also states that there is a 4.00 pm or later collection time at the post box in New Street Hill

Saturday: 7.00 am

This is a considerable change to previous collections times - now you must ensure (if not an early riser) that you have items for posting placed in the Portland Road post box the night before. I wonder if this is the first step in eventually closing that post box, just leaving us with the one at the junction of New Street Hill / Oak Tree Gardens.

Regards, Michael

I have checked with Royal Mail and their website states that the changes are an "improvement" as shown below:-

What changes are taking place and why?

We are improving the level of public access to postboxes in areas of under-provision, by adding around 2,000 boxes to the 115,000 we currently have. 45,000 to 50,000 low-use boxes will move to ‘collection on delivery’ with the postman or woman emptying the box on their round, rather than providing a dedicated collection by van. No postboxes will be removed from service as a result of this initiative.

When is all the change happening?

We started making changes in September 2014 (October in Scotland). We fixed a notification label to all boxes that are going to be ‘Collected on Delivery’ at least four weeks before the planned changes. New box plates should start to appear throughout the Autumn as the changes are rolled out. These will show the new collection times and the location of alternative, later-collection boxes.

There is more information at the Royal Mail Website at:- royalmail.com/postboxes-faqs

Carriageway Resurfacing for Leamington Avenue

Members in Leamington Avenue should have received this notice from the contractors, Conway. The letter was sent to me as a Pdf which cannot be loaded on Blogger so I have scanned it instead.

Click on the image to enlarge it

Petition to extend the Bromley North Shuttle

Residents are backing a campaign calling for trains to run from Bromley North station into central London once more. More than 400 people have signed a petition campaigning for the mainline train service to be reinstated so it runs to London Bridge, Charing Cross or Cannon Street.

A shuttle service from Bromley North calling at Sundridge Park currently offers around three trains an hour to and from Grove Park station where commuters must change for connections to London. Bromley North trains called at central London stations until 1990 when services were withdrawn following congestion at London Bridge.

Campaign leader Mario Giannini said the line must be reinstated to accommodate the growing number of professionals moving into the borough. The 46-year-old, of Howard Road, said: "Lots of transport improvements have been made in the surrounding boroughs over the last few years and Bromley feels left out.

"We are not asking for an expensive, brand new rail system. Why can’t we just use the train tacks we have already got?"

Services also run from Bromley North station to central London when engineering works are being carried out at Bromley South. Mr Giannini added: "The shuttle service is now outdated and irrelevant. We must have our direct train service from Bromley North back if we are to compete with the rest of the capital."

He wants the government to put pressure on train providers to reinstate the line. A spokesman for Network Rail and Southeastern said: "We know that people don't want to have to change trains on their journeys and we are always looking to improve services, and take the pressure off Bromley South.

"Bromley North trains would have to run into central London through London Bridge, which is one of the most congested parts of the railway network.

"For instance, 151 trains pass through there between 8am-9am every week day. In addition, direct Bromley North trains would have to cut across the paths of other trains at Grove Park, which is also very busy.

"At this point, we cannot squeeze another train in without negatively impacting on other services."

The spokesman said they would review the situation in 2018 after the Thameslink programme is completed. The £6.5 billion rail project is expected to free up more capacity at London Bridge station.

To sign the petition visit: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/69602

To see the full article published in the Newsshopper click on the following link

newsshopper.co.uk/news

Reminder about Garden Bonfires

At this time of year particularly it is very tempting to have garden bonfires. These may be a nuisance to neighbours and spoil their enjoyment of their gardens. To avoid your neighbours complaining to Environmental Health you should follow the following guidelines. The London Borough of Bromley may take into account, when investigating any complaints concerning bonfires, whether the guidelines and in particular the minimum standards have been followed.

Guidelines

1) Compost as much garden rubbish as possible and burn only when there is no reasonable alternative method of disposal.

2) Avoid lighting fires in unsuitable weather conditions. Smoke hangs in the air on damp, still days and in the evening.

3) Avoid burning at weekends and on Bank Holidays, especially on warm days, when other people wish to enjoy their gardens.

4)  Garden refuse should be dry before burning and care must be taken to add material to the fire in small quantities only. Sudden heaping of large amounts of rubbish on the fire produces large quantities of smoke. The golden rule is to feed the fire little and often.

Minimum standards of care and conduct

1) Site the bonfire as far away from neighbours' premises as possible.

2)  Do not light a fire when weather conditions will cause problems. The fire should be lit only when the wind is light and steady in a direction which would cause the least annoyance - and never when the wind is blowing towards neighbouring houses.

3) Extinguish the fire if it is causing, or is likely to cause, any nuisance to adjacent residents.

4) Never add household rubbish, plastic or rubber materials to the fire, or use sump oil to set it alight.

5) Bonfires should never be left unattended. Do not allow the fire to smoulder; douse it properly with soil or water.

Bakerloo line extension consultation

A public consultation on the proposed extension of the Tube’s Bakerloo line is to be launched this week.

Transport for London has drawn up options for extending the line from Elephant & Castle to Lewisham, with one route serving Old Kent Road and an alternative running via Camberwell and Peckham.

Michèle Dix, TfL’s Managing Director of Planning, has also said the line could be connected with the rail line to Hayes “which would mean existing rail services would no longer operate on this line, but the Bakerloo line would operate instead.”

A further option allows for the line to be extended to Beckenham Junction to connect with the Tramlink or Bromley town centre.

The consultation will run from Tuesday 30th September until 7 December 2014 and will be available available at www.tfl.gov.uk/bakerloo-extension.

LERA members may also want to sign a petition in favour of the extension by following the link below :-

http://bakerlooextension.wordpress.com/petition/