Maintaining Roads, Pavements and Street Lighting
The City Council works hard each year to keep its roads, pavements and street lighting in good order. Immediate repairs are carried out throughout the year when a pavement or road surface becomes dangerous but an important part of our Highways work is a regular maintenance and improvement programme which we are now planning for the 2018/19 financial year.
Local Councillor Tim Mitchell says: "In the current year we have continued to maintain our highways as well as invest in new schemes that enhance roads for the benefit of pedestrians, cyclists and drivers, like the pictured new pedestrian crossway on Victoria Street. We are keen to hear from residents about any carriageway, footway or public lighting in St James’s ward which you feel needs to be included in our regular maintenance and improvement programme."
Please email us with the name of the street, the precise location and your suggestion of the improvement works needed.
Tackling anti-social behaviour
Anti-social behaviour is one of the main issues about which local residents contact their St. James’s Ward Councillors.
Louise, Tim and Cameron are well aware of the negative impact that it can have on the lives of residents and regularly hold problem solving meetings with Westminster officers to try and improve the situation.
Recently, a concentrated joint operation consisting of ‘14 Days of Action’ was coordinated by the Council and the Police to address the increase of anti-social behaviour in Embankment Gardens, Craven Street, The Strand, Adelaide Street and Charing Cross Underpass and Subways.
Your Councillors are pleased to report that the operation was successful and a number of arrests, Community Protection Notices served and intelligence gained on drug dealing and usage, particularly of the pernicious drug ‘Spice’ which unfortunately is still being peddled on our streets. Persistent aggressive beggars were also a target of this operation and many have now been banned from entering Westminster.
Buskers are also a source of nuisance for residents and whilst we cannot ban them, we are pleased to report that the law which states that amplifiers cannot be used after 9pm is now rigorously enforced.
Lobbying against Lambeth Bridge traffic proposals
Many people living near Millbank have expressed their concern to the St James’s ward councillors that Transport for London's proposals to remodel the junction at the northern end of the bridge are wrong.
During spring 2017 Transport for London made changes to improve safety for vulnerable road users at the roundabout. Their further plans include a ban on traffic turning left or right onto Millbank. Local people and councillors are concerned that this proposal will greatly increase rat-running in the area. The Council have made a formal objection to Transport for London, as have the St James’s ward councillors.
Unfortunately, there is a larger traffic problem looming this area as there are plans being considered by Transport for London and others to ban traffic from part of Parliament Square, all of Old Palace Yard, all of Abingdon Street and the section of Millbank up to the Lambeth Bridge roundabout. Your councillors fear that the implications of these closures would be far more detrimental to the area than the proposals for the roundabout.
The formal consultation has now ended on the Lambeth Bridge junction proposals but the St James's ward councillors will continue to argue with Transport for London against their ill thought out proposals.
