From 2006 to 2010, I was a councillor for Lee Green ward in the London Borough of Lewisham. During that time, I blogged regularly and in 2009 I won the Tim Garden Award for the Best Blog by a Liberal Democrat Holding Public Office. My blog posts from my term of office are archived here in case they prove of use to former constituents, or to those who share my annoyance with faulty street furniture
Regular users of Hither Green Station will no doubt have noticed that as well as the ramp we use every day that emerges between platforms 4 & 5, there are also blocked up ramps leading directly to platforms 1, 2/3 and 6. Before Christmas, I was asked why these ramps couldn’t be reopened to allow for easier access to the station for those with pushchairs, bikes, etc.
I asked this question at the transport liasion meeting we had with Southeastern just before Christmas, and was told they’d look into it. Then the same issue came up at the Sustainable Development Select Committee (which I’m vice chair of) – turns out other councillors felt the same. So we referred the issue to Mayor and Cabinet, recommending that they take it up with Southeastern (the thought being that an official approach from the Mayor on behalf of the whole council would have more weight than me asking questions at a liasion meeting!)
I’m really pleased the Mayor’s accepted our recommendation - now we’ve just got to wait to hear what Southeastern think.
The referral’s been picked up over at the (excellent) Hither Green Forum. As I’ve said over there, we’d need to make sure the ramps were safe and properly lit etc, but it’d make access much easier. Even for those on foot, there are times at the evening peak when there’s a real crush to get over from platform 6 to the current exit. Now seems like a good time to take this up – before Oyster Pay as You Go comes to Southeastern (latest date I have is ‘early next year’).
Would be interested to hear others’ views…
