Widley Road: Street Surgery

Last Saturday, we held one of our regular street surgeries in Southwold and Cleveland Mansions, Widley Road.

We spent a couple of hours knocking on doors and speaking to local residents to make sure that they were happy with the services that Westminster Council is providing for Widley and within Maida Vale.

On the whole, residents are very happy with the Council (although weren't afraid to tell us where we were going wrong - as you should!) We've taken away a few issues, particularly with regards to one unoccupied property, which we will take up with the relevant officers at the Council.

If you have anything which you would like to raise with us, please don't hesitate to get in touch (maidavale@maidavaleconservatives.com). We are here to help!

Alastair

Thames: The slow wave goodbye

When Thames Water returned to Elgin Avenue earlier this Spring, as local Councillors we let out a collective groan at the prospect of further inconvenience to local residents and businesses. We also confess to being a trifle irritated - the information provided to us earlier in the year told us they were going back into Elgin Avenue, but not until a few months after when they eventually turned up. Not good form.

So, we're trying a new strategy with Thames. Instead of trying to understand opaque maps and diagrams that are provided (usually late), we have asked them directly what their plans are for every single road in Maida Vale. And we have good news!

The following roads have been completed - Lanark Road, Grantully Road, Morshead Road, Essendine Road, Widley Road, Wymering Road, Delaware Road, Lauderdale Road, Castellain Road, Shirland Road and Elgin Mews South. And the following roads are "not covered within current ... scope" - Andover Place, Carlton Vale, Kilburn Park Road, Oxford Road, Maple Mews and Elgin Mews North.

Which leaves just a few roads. For Elgin Avenue, all works should be completed by the end of July. For Randolph Avenue, further works should be done by mid-July 2008 (although this might also relate to the Little Venice side of the road). For Biddulph Road and Ashworth Road, the streets are complete but work still needs to be done on the connections to Elgin Avenue.

We have a few points to clarify with Thames but - finally - it looks as though Thames will soon leave our local area. It can't come a day too soon!

Lee

REJOICE

According to the latest works schedule, THAMES WATER HAVE ONLY ONE ROAD LEFT TO INCONVENIENCE IN MAIDA VALE!

Soon we will be free!

Lee

Widley Road: Long Time No See

It's been a long time since we've seen this - Widley Road without any Thames Water detritus. Rejoice!

(Now let's hope they come back and remove the crayoning that they have left all over the road and causeway).

Lee

Thames into Widley and Randolph

The latest roads in Maida Vale to be subjected to the Thames treatment are Randolph Avenue and Widley Road. Thames went into both last week and is due to be in Widley until early July and Randolph until mid July. The Randolph works are likely to have quite an impact, with the road between Sutherland and Elgin becoming one way for the duration.

We'll give Thames some credit for performing adequately in Delaware Road - and we're grateful that they've learnt the lessons of the last few months. Widley and Randolph are the next tests. Otherwise, we're watching.

Lee

Thames Water Apology: Coming to a letterbox near you (Finally)

After a few more prods from us, Thames Water have finally pulled their finger out and begun to distribute an apology for the unacceptable problems they have caused recently.

Here is the text of the letter, 3,500 of which are currently being distributed:

"Dear Customer,

Thames Water would like to thank you for your patience and understanding during our essential works to replace Victorian water mains in Maida Vale. We understand your concerns and would like to apologise for the inevitable inconvenience and disruption this type of works causes.

To address specific concerns raised by residents, we have been consulting Westminster City Council, Transport for London and, more recently, the Maida Vale ward councillors. As a result, Thames Water will continue to support a full time member of staff on Westminster City Council’s parking team, dealing with parking suspensions.

In addition, our future correspondence will include information of concern to residents, such as changes to the working schedule, work interruptions or suspension of parking bays.

If you would like to contact us to discuss any aspects of our VMR programme, please call our project office Customer Service Team on 0845 603 4002 between 8am and 5pm Monday to Friday (or email to twlot6customercare@laingorourke.com).

Your ward councillors have provided their details so that, if you wish, you may contact them. We are in regular contact with them. They are:
Alastair Moss (amoss@westminster.gov.uk), Jan Prendergast (jprendergast@westminster.gov.uk) and Lee Rowley (lrowley@westminster.gov.uk).

Yours sincerely,

Paul Hammond"

Please let us know if you are still having problems with Thames. Unexpectedly their works in Delaware Road seem to have passed off without incident - yes, we were surprised too!

Lee

Thames Apology Letter

Thames Water have e-mailed through to say that they will be distributing their apology letter for their recent behaviour this week.

We've spent the last couple of months working with Thames to improve the way they work in Maida Vale, and we are pleased to report that some improvement has been made. One of the things we insisted, however, in our meetings with Thames was that they apologised to residents in roads such as Shirland Road and Wymering for the massive inconvenience and difficulty that they caused.

Lee

Cleaning up

And the white goods award for this week goes to two roads (sadly) -

We have arranged to be cleared a fridge freezer from the junction of Carlton Vale and Randolph Avenue, and a second fridge freezer from the junction of Widley Road and Essendine Road.

Dumping - in all forms - is very anti-social, particularly when Westminster Council will pick up two bulky items for free. Westminster will pursue legal action against offenders.

Lee

PS We've also arranged the removal of a random wooden pallet from Grantully Road and the obligatory shopping trolley which has appeared on Lanark Road.

Meeting Thames Water (part two in a series)

Last Thursday, for the second time, we summoned Thames Water to City Hall for another meeting on the replacement programme which is underway in Maida Vale.

We had a productive meeting and we're glad that there has been some progress by both Thames and Westminster Parking Services towards resolving some of the problems we have highlighted. In particular, Thames have begun to tighten up on their operations and Parking Services have temporarily relaxed their enforcement rules in affected roads (which has been a huge help).

We re-iterated, however, that there were still significant areas where improvement was needed:

• that Thames must not operate in areas where they do not have the correct permission (they're getting better, but still seem to be trying their luck in places)
  that there was too much variation in the quality and effect of the works between roads in Maida Vale (no more Essendine, Wymering or Morshead Roads please)
• that works were still taking too long (and residents were being inconvenienced as a result)

We have asked Thames/Parking Services/Council Officers to take action on a number of other issues:

• that Thames provide a short report of their activities-to-date in every road in Maida Vale where they have operated, with information on the reasons for late starting/delays/late ending etc.
• that a revised schedule of future operations is provided
• that Parking Services provide information on the effects of the changes to the parking enforcement rules
• that a discussion takes place on how suspension signs can be removed quickly once work is finished (we pointed out the obvious answer to this one)
• that more consultation is undertaken before future locations are chosen for the storage containers (such as the large white ones on Wymering and Widley)
• that an explanation is provided for the burst water main on Sunday 8th April on the Elgin Avenue-Randolph Avenue junction

Overall, as Councillors, we believe that Thames are slowly getting better - and they have displayed a commendable willingness to listen in recent weeks. The next test is how they work on new roads like Delaware, Castellain and Lauderdale (and whether they finish speedily in the roads they are already on). As we've already noted, Thames moved into Delaware on Monday and we're watching closely. We'll have no hesitation in hauling them straight back into City Hall if standards do not carry on improving.

Alastair, Jan and Lee

PS Please let us know how you feel the Thames water works are going. We'd be delighted to help in any way we can.

Meeting with Thames Water Chief Executive

Last week, the leader of the Council, Sir Simon Milton, and the Cabinet Member for Street Environment, Alan Bradley, held a meeting with Thames Water's new chief executive, David Owens.

At the request of all three of us, Simon and Alan raised the problems currently being experienced in Maida Vale and highlighted how Thames's working practices needed to be improved. Mr. Owens agreed to take those issues back to Thames and to work towards finding a resolution.

Our next Thames Water meeting is tomorrow (Thursday). Please do let us know if you have any further comments you'd like us to raise.

Alastair, Jan and Lee

Yellow Pavements

One of the associated problems with the Thames Water works is the mess they are making of the pavements. Most pavements on affected roads have been dug up at intervals to allow access to the pipes supplying individual blocks. As a result, numerous roads have taken on a patchwork look, with yellow boards covering open works at regular intervals.

The length of time that it is taking for Thames to complete works is meaning that these covers - temporary at best - are beginning to move and some are a potential hazard. We've reported this to the Council and have forced several of the boards to be removed and the holes to be filled on Morshead Road. We'll continue to press Thames to tidy up quicker on the roads that they are working on.

Please do let us know if you see any yellow boards which need attention.

Jan

The Thames Problem: New Meeting Date

We've set up another meeting with Thames Water, Laing O'Rourke and Westminster Parking Services on Thursday 12 April to again discuss the replacement programme in Maida Vale.

We have seen three real results to date from our meeting. Two of these have been from Westminster Parking Services. In the last month or so there have been warm words from Thames, but not enough action. There remains major issues on most roads which they have worked on and, as a result, we still consider their approach unacceptable and unsustainable. We'll be telling them just that.

Please do get in touch if you have any comments you'd like us to consider and pass on. Please also do get in touch if we can assist if you have been inconvenienced or received a parking ticket you feel is unfair.

Alastair, Jan and Lee

The Thames Problem: Result #3

On Monday, at the request of all three of us, Westminster Council's Parking Board met to discuss the current parking issues in Maida Vale.

We're very grateful to the Cabinet Member for Parking for recognising that the current enforcement situation is not sustainable and needs changing. Following our lobbying, he has agreed to change two key elements of Westminster's parking policy, on a temporary basis, whilst the Thames works are underway.

From now on, unless there are compelling reasons/the suspension sign specifically says so, suspension signs will only be enforced during controlled hours. Combined with Westminster Parking's commitment to altering its suspension signs to clarify whether weekends are included or excluded, we hope this will help local residents to park more easily. Additionally, Parking Services will now only move vehicles in suspended bays if there is a direct request by Thames or its contractors.

We feel that these changes - which will be reviewed next month - are a start to reducing the problem in Maida Vale. However, no changes are perfect and we know that some residents may still have issues with parking going forward. As a result, we still think it very wise to exercise caution when parking and, if possible (much easier said that done, of course), avoid suspended areas when parking. And we would, of course, be delighted to hear from any resident given a parking ticket which they feel is unfair.

Alastair, Jan and Lee

The Thames Problem: Result #2

Several weeks ago we summoned Thames Water, Laing O'Rourke and Westminster Parking Services to a meeting in City Hall to discuss the unacceptable situation in Maida Vale. We were (and still are) deeply concerned that Thames are inconveniencing residents unnecessarily.

One of the most important things we wanted from the meeting was to get people talking. As a result, following two immediate follow-up meetings, Thames and Parking Services have now confirmed that they will be holding fortnightly meetings to review issues in Maida Vale.

Lee

Full Council Meeting

Last night was another meeting of the full Westminster Council.

During question time, Alastair pressed the Cabinet Member for Street Environment once again on the Thames Water problems in Maida Vale. Cllr Bradley highlighted how had discussed the matter a number of times with Thames management in recent weeks and would continue to do so (including during his upcoming meeting with the new Chief Executive of Thames Water).

Later in the evening, I made a speech on how we intend to re-examine Westminster's recycling strategy in the coming months. I asked all Councillors to get in touch with any residents who would like to get involved and to let us know. Please do get in touch if you have any comments on our current recycling policies (lee@maidavaleconservatives.com) - we want to throw this wide open, so that when we do put the strategy together it draws upon as many ideas as possible.

Lee

The Thames problem: Result #1

Several weeks ago we summoned Thames Water, Laing O'Rourke and Westminster Parking Services to a meeting at City Hall to discuss the unacceptable state of the the pipe improvement works currently underway in Maida Vale (see here for earlier stories). The results of that meeting are now starting to come through.

One of the most irritating aspects of parking suspensions is the lack of clarity regarding when residents can and cannot park, particularly at the weekends. As a result, all parking suspension notices printed since the beginning of this month should now clearly indicate whether or not they relate to weekends.

As importantly - although don't hold us to this - any suspension which is in force at the weekend should mean that work actually does take place. We have worked closely with Thames in recent weeks to ensure they are only taking parking spaces offline when absolutely necessary and we have received assurances that they will only request 24-hour 7-day suspensions when they do intend to work. Please let us know if Thames aren't holding to their side of the agreement on this.

It's not enough, but it is a start. Let's hope there is more good news to come.

Lee