Stephen Hammond MP

Tonight attended a meeting along with other Cllrs and activists with

Stephen Hammond MP he give a nice presention

we will hear a lot more about Stephen in the Years to come.

SSAFA

Today I had the privilege of being asked to attend a presentation meeting held at Manor Park Hall

The first speaker was Mark Ormeron Author of the book "Man Down" who give a very graphic picture of the events leading up to his loss his limbs in Afghanistan and what happened directly after, he went on to talk about how he challenged himself to do more to recover and how he sometimes stopped and cursed himself for not archiving his goals, I urge you all to buy and read this book of one of the finest young men I have ever encountered .

He went on to say that promises made that they would continue to get the same treatment when they left the forces was not met, and he felt angry about that, but knowing this young brave man he will not let it rest there.

That was followed by Lt Col Nigel Cooke, RA , who give an account about how the Royal Artillery

sets about helping ex and serving Personnel,

Then followed the presentation to members of SSAFA for long service, this was made by

Maj General RIchard Peck, all really well deserved.

Other speakers followed and I felt really proud to have witnessed such caring people who live in not only Kingston but surrounding areas, even more so because they had chosen St James Ward to hold this event, but I'm sure that I speak for all the residents when I offer a big thank you for all that SSAFA do.

Boris and Tony Working for Kingston

Beating the Recession

• Kingston High Street has received a £636,000 economic boost as part of the Mayor’s £50m Outer London Fund to support the capital’s high streets helping Business to beat the Down turn and correct the last labour Government massive folly.
• WE CUT RED TAPE to HELP SMALL BUSINESS
• WE HOLD RATES . NO INCREASE FOR THREE YEARS
• The Lib Dems have no chance in the Mayor of London elections so the choice is Labour or Conservative, Red Ken Or Boris Spend Spend Spend under Labour or a steady hand on the helm with Boris.

Boris and Tony Working for Kingston

Driving down Crime

Tony, and Boris working to make Kingston Safer

• 36 more police officers and 57 more Specials Constables and introduced single patrolling leading to 2,416 more patrols annually
• 16% fall in crime, including a 16.5% fall in robberies and an 17.9% fall in youth crime
• 15% fall in bus-related crime with 100% fewer incidences of robberies on London’s red buses and 3% fall in attacks on commuters in the borough

Getting the numbers right

Supporter Briefing: Liam burns Ken

Today Ken Livingstone’s attack dog Liam Byrne, whose record as Chief Secretary to the Treasury shows that he's not very good with numbers, launched an attack on Boris Johnson's record as Mayor that has blown up in his face.

Mr Byrne attacked Boris over his commitment to the job using the number of meetings he has held as Mayor as the measure.

However, he failed to do his sums properly.

What the official records show is that as Mayor, Boris Johnson has held more than twice as many meetings per month as his predecessor.

If meetings matter so much, then Boris Johnson is twice the Mayor Ken Livingstone was.

On top of more meetings, Boris has visited more boroughs, more often, in just three and a half years as Mayor than Ken Livingstone did in his entire eight year term.

If Mr Byrne wants to talk numbers how about these?

• Boris Johnson has cut crime by 9%
• He has frozen his share of council tax while Ken Livingstone increased his by 153%
• And there will be, at the end of Boris's first term, over 1,000 more police on the beat than he inherited from Ken Livingstone

These are the numbers that matter to Londoners.

Road works

WORKS IN PROGRESS (24-10-11)

KINGSTON

1. EDEN STREET/UNION STREET: Traffic between the junction with Ashdown Road and the United Reformed Church will be one way (Westbound) to enable Southern Gas Networks to replace their mains. Works due to start on 10/10/11 until 10/11/2011.

1. RICHMOND ROAD: Council contractors undertaking carriageway patching at various locations using traffic signals boards between 21-10-11 and 26-10-11. Off-peak works only.

NEW MALDEN

1. KINGSTON ROAD: Thames Water will be burying a temporary sewer to enable them to by-pass the damaged sewer between Montem Road and Penrith Road and repair it. Two-way traffic lights until the 15-11-11.

1. COOMBE LANE WEST: at junction with Gold Club Drive, Coombe Hill Road and Traps Lane. Traps Lane is closed at the junction and traffic is controlled by four way lights during the repairs to leaking gas pipes undertaken by Southern Gas Networks. Estimated end date is 28-10-11.

1. SOUTH LANE: from the junction with Kingston-by-pass (A3) to the junction with Malden Road. Closure of the Kingston-by-pass (A3) exit to South Lane. Diversion via A3 and Malden Road. Improvement to pedestrian subway and other pedestrian facilities and to the cycle lane. The pedestrian subway is closed for the duration of the school holidays ONLY. Signed pedestrian diversion.

Mayor helps London keep moving

Mayor tightens grip on disruptive roadworks in London

21 SEPTEMBER 2011

New pledge clearly outlines the standards that Londoners should expect from roadworks sites
New online reporting tool allows Londoners to help spot, report and prevent unruly roadworks
CCTV operators and traffic community police will use reports to take immediate action
Boroughs urged to introduce similar innovative measures and work with TfL to help reduce disruptive and unnecessary works in London
Comes after Mayor secures UK’s first roadworks permit scheme for the capital

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, today announced a new onslaught on disruptive roadworks on London's streets.

Announcing the measures at Transport for London's (TfL's) traffic nerve centre, the Mayor said that is was time for Londoners to "name and shame" those who blight London with disruptive or neglected roadworks, causing hours of unnecessary frustration to journeys every day. He is urging Londoners to now use a new reporting system launched today to tell TfL when roadworks are not up to scratch so they can take action with the relevant organisations and get things moving again.

The Mayor and TfL are clearly outlining to Londoners what standards they should expect to see from roadworks sites and are calling on borough highway authorities to do the same and hold those who dig up roads on their streets fully to account.

These initiatives are part of the Mayor’s longer-term strategy for improving the management of roadworks to free up London from unnecessary snarl ups. The Mayor has been working with the Government to put in place laws by next year that allow TfL to properly charge for working on their roads, incentivising companies to work more efficiently and at less disruptive times. If approved, TfL hopes to introduce this from Spring 2012.

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, said: "Roadworks are a massive headache for Londoners, also levying a heavy toll on our economy. I have already taken action to introduce the UK's first permit scheme which will impose fines on those companies digging up the road that fall short of the high standards this city deserves.

"But like any great battle you have to plan for the next big push. We are now putting in place better ways to empower Londoners to name and shame those who blight our city with disruptive or badly managed roadworks. These reports will followed-up with swift action by the relevant authority to help unclog roads suffering from unnecessary delays."

The new roadworks pledge:

All roadworks should:

Be tidy and safe with a clutter-free site so it is safe for pedestrians, cyclists and other road users.
Always explain what's happening through detailed, clear and consistent signage.
Always have activity on site or, if not, explain why (for example if concrete is drying).
Take up as little road / pavement space as possible with a compact working area and eliminating the unnecessary use of cones, safety barriers and storage of materials.
Help keep London moving by working outside peak hours, re-opening the road to traffic at peak times and, where this is not possible, working 24/7 or extended hours to complete works as quickly as possible. Diversion routes should be clearly signed.

To help Londoners report disruptive or badly managed roadworks that don't meet this criteria, the Mayor and TfL have updated and improved the 'Reportit' system on the TfL website, to allow people to identify and report issues quicker. By visitingwww.tfl.gov.uk/roadworks, or by tweeting @report_it with the hashtag #roadworks, complaints can be sent directly to the highway authority responsible, ensuring that direct and swift action can be taken.

TfL is also reducing the roadworks 'cap' - the maximum number of roadworks it allows on its roads at any one time - by a further ten per cent. The cap, which applies to all works on the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN), was first introduced by TfL last year and reduced the maximum number of roadworks allowed to take place at any one time on its roads by 20 per cent. TfL will also continue to review the cap, with a view to making further reductions in the future.

Through the London Permit Scheme and the Mayor's Code of Conduct for Roadworks, TfL has helped to reduce the amount of disruption on London's roads caused by road works. TfL recorded a 32 per cent reduction in the level of serious and severe disruption due to roadworks occurring on the Transport for London network across London in 2010/11 compared to 2009/10, and has managed to save more than 1,300 days of disruption by better coordination of roadworks on the capital's busiest roads. So far this financial year, TfL has refused more than 7,000 permits, helping to ensure works are carried on the TLRN at times where they will cause minimal disruption.

Deputy Mayor for Transport, Isabel Dedring, is holding weekly meetings with top TfL experts to scrutinise this and other data about problem roadworks and to identify ways to mitigate their effects. This includes unannounced site visits and contacting top council and utility company bosses to ensure that all possible measures to lessen disruption are being taken.

A huge range of activity is now underway to tackle the problem. Metropolitan Police Service Traffic-trained Police Community Support Officers are now patrolling the TLRN, clamping down on disruptive roadworks. Using hand-held devices they report directly to TfL, who can take immediate action. CCTV will also be used to monitor activity and spot bad practice.

In addition TfL has established a new standard in roadworks signage - giving Londoners clearer information about the roadworks affecting them, including what works are taking place and when activity should be taking place on site. This signage will be rolled out to all major TfL works by the end of the year and will be calling upon all highway authorities and utility companies to bring their signage up to this standard.

Since the Mayor was elected in May 2008, a number of measures and initiatives have been delivered across London to help tackle the problem in London, including:

The London Roadworks Permitting Scheme: In addition to TfL itself, 25 boroughs are now signed up to the Permit scheme, with a further two introducing the scheme in November 2011. This has led to an increase of 147 per cent in the number of recorded days of disruption saved through joint working and collaboration from 726 in 2009 to 1793 in 2010.
19 London boroughs, TfL and six major utility companies are now also signed up to the Mayor's voluntary Code of Conduct for Roadworks, which looks to promote good practice and encourage more coordinated working between utilities and highway authorities. In June 2010, the National Joint Utilities Group adopted the Mayor's Code of Conduct as a template for a national Code, which is evidence of London's leadership in this area. TfL is currently reviewing the existing Code of Conduct and will be discussing with all signatories to identify possible amendments which will improve and enhance roadworks across the capital.
TfL and the DfT's consultation on a targeted and avoidable 'Lane Rental' scheme are currently underway. This will enable TfL to charge companies according to the time they take up road space for works. The charges would apply to key areas of the major road network and would incentivise companies to work more efficiently and at less disruptive times.
In addition, road users can check out what roadworks may affect their journey by visiting the TfL website, where there are a number of travel tools giving live information on disruption across the capital.
Leon Daniels, Managing Director of Surface Transport at TfL, said "TfL stands shoulder to shoulder with the Mayor in working to reduce the amount of roadworks on London's busiest roads and the disruption they cause. The permit scheme has been a very effective tool in getting both utilities and our own works promoters to reduce roadwork numbers and increase the level of joint working between different companies on work sites across London.

"Despite the progress made, more needs to be done. That is why TfL and the Mayor continue to press the remaining six boroughs who have not applied to implement a permit scheme for roadworks on their road network to do so as quickly as possible, but also for all London boroughs to introduce a roadworks cap, helping to encourage better coordination and shared works on all roads across the capital."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

TfL and all of its internal contractors have agreed to the Mayor's new roadworks pledge. This will cover all TfL works on the TLRN as well as any works TfL carry out on borough roads, including, for example, works by Serco as part of Phase Two of Barclays Cycle Hire, and Serco, Siemens and PEEK when maintaining traffic signals across London.
The Mayor of London and TfL are committed to reducing congestion in London. Roadworks account for a third of the capital's most serious and severe traffic delay and can cost the economy almost £1 billion a year. Therefore it is essential that adequate and innovative steps are taken to help reduce the levels of congestion.
TfL has full operational responsibility for the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN) - the capital's 'Red Routes', which makes up around 5 per cent (580km) of London's total road length but carries over 30 per cent of London's traffic and accounts for up to 40 per cent of the total economic value of traffic movement across the city.
London has around 20 per cent of the UK's traffic congestion, which analysis by TfL shows can cost the UK economy at least £2bn a year. Three quarters of this congestion is on either the TLRN or the Borough Principal Road Network (BPRN). No less than 15 per cent of the UK's traffic congestion is therefore concentrated on less than 0.5 per cent of the country's 400,000km of roads.
Following the success of the London Permit Scheme, a further two London boroughs have now agreed to sign up to introduce a permitting scheme , bringing the total up to 27, which, together with TfL's network, would cover around 80 per cent of all roads in the capital.
TfL continues to discuss introducing a permitting scheme with the remaining six London boroughs, with a look to have all of the capital's roads signed up as soon as possible.

Fly tipping

Once more we are being plagued by the Fly Tippers, Albert George and Queens Road have all been used for this, Blakes Lane and other areas also have been left with rubbish thrown away by idiots who think they are being clever.the low lives who do this one day will be cought and will find that not only will they get a substantial fine, but also the cost to the council in removing it.

Plus they will be banned from driving for using a car or van whilst committing a crime.

Poppy day

Once more it's time to remember those who made the supreme sacrifice, please give as much as you can afford to help those who enabled us all to live in a free and democratic sociaty.

Poppy day starts on the 24 th Oct and runs throught the year.

There will be a Service on Fri 11 11 at the New Malden high street and also at 9.45 on Sunday 13th November