The council has recently published a consultation on the future of Happy Valley in Coulsdon. This is one of Croydon’s most beautiful places – it feels like, and is, open countryside. I go running there pretty much every week.
The consultation suggests installing a caravan park, holding concerts and starting to charge for parking. In my view, all this would spoil what should stay as a natural place. The council want to try to make some money from Happy Valley. If they can’t afford to maintain it, then perhaps it would be better if the council transfers responsibility for looking after Happy Valley to a body like the Corporation of London – which does a good job maintaining Farthing Downs and Coulsdon Common next door, funded by its very large endowment.
If you would like to respond to the consultation we have until 10th October and the link is here:
https://getinvolved.croydon.gov.uk/kms/elab.aspx?noip=1&CampaignId=525
Tram Safety Update
The Rail Accident Investigation Board (RAIB) has just published an interim update on its report into the Croydon tram tragedy last year. The tragedy cost seven people their lives and injured 51 others. In its update, the RAIB states that it will make a number of potentially life-saving safety recommendations. You can read their update here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/fatal-tram-accident-in-croydon
One of these recommendations is to implement an active means of detecting when drivers are not paying attention, are distracted or fall asleep using a video camera. Given that last year’s tragedy was likely the result of a driver who had “lost awareness” when speeding around a sharp bend, this measure could go a long way to preventing a similar tragedy from happening again.
The tram operator has already decided to install such a monitoring system on Croydon’s trams. But driver’s union Aslef has decided to strike in opposition to drivers’ cabs being monitored. I totally condemn this strike, which flies in the face of a report from an independent safety body. The union should be putting their passengers’ safety first rather than striking over something that could save lives.
Croydon Council Elections – May 2018
Next May we have council elections. The current Labour-run council has so far failed to deliver Westfield, given planning permissions to concrete over parts of the south of the Borough while failing to develop large parts of Croydon town centre where new buildings should go and it now turns out to have been putting the Borough’s vulnerable children in danger. Political ideology aside, they are just not competent and need to go. If you would like to help us remove them from office by delivering leaflets, knocking on doors or helping the campaign some other way, please reply to this email.
