Category: Local News

Wandsworth prisoners need your help

These are unusual times so we are using this medium as a one off to to make a plea for a very local cause. A team of friends of the prison are creating activity packs for the prisoners (who are all on 23-hour lockdown); so far 800 have been assembled. These consist of jigsaws, board games (e.g. dominoes, chess, ludo), coloured pencils and paper and appropriate magazines including motoring magazines, History Today and colour supplements. They are also looking for books including airport style novels and foreign language books and dictionaries.

If you are out exercising, items can be left in two plastic crates outside the door to the Visitor Centre in Heathfield Road although the centre is not manned at weekends so best to leave items on weekdays.  Or, if there is a substantial collection, please email [email protected] and your email will be forwarded to arrange collection at a specified time from your front garden.

Coronavirus hits Wandsworth’s parks

Firstly, after thousands flocked to our parks over the Mother’s Day weekend, the takeaway refreshment services in the park cafes closed on Monday 23rd March. And then came the PM on the same evening, perhaps influenced the pictures of crowds on the commons and parks of South West London, restricting walking in groups and outdoor meetings. The latest position in Wandsworth is that although parks are still open playgrounds, outdoor gyms, toilets and other facilities are shut.

Although a day later there are lots of genuine exercisers including walkers, runners, cyclists, roller skaters, family ball game players and tai chi practitioners others read the single daily outing for “exercise” to mean sitting on a park bench enjoying the sunshine. But there is also some very foolish behaviour on display, like pairs of joggers coming from behind and squeezing between two walkers who have left a gap 3 metres apart and vigorous football played by a group of lads who are unlikely to all come from the same household.

It will be interesting to see whether we are to be asked to increase our vigilance over the coming weeks.

Third Heathrow runway thrown in to doubt

Following the case brought by environmental groups, councils (including Wandsworth) and the GLA, the court of appeal has ruled that the government’s decision to allow the expansion of Heathrow was unlawful because it did not take climate commitments into account. The judges said that in future, a third runway could go ahead, as long as it fits with the UK’s climate policy.

The airport owners have said that they will appeal against the decision.

Garratt Lane Environmental Improvements

Councillors have given their backing to a proposal reduce vehicle speeds, encourage cycling and improve conditions for pedestrians in Earlsfield.

The proposals, which will now be the subject of further detailed investigation, could lead to an investment of up to £5m in local transport infrastructure.

As well as new cycle lanes, more trees and the introduction of ‘parklets’ and other small green parcels at various locations, the blueprint calls for a 20mph zone along the whole length of Garratt Lane, plus the creation of four Low Traffic Neighbourhoods.