Van fumes at lido are a nuisance
AN ICE cream van has parked itself in the middle of the play area at Ruislip Lido, blowing its harmful exhaust fumes directly over the roundabout where the children are playing.
I have emailed and spoken to the man at Hillingdon Council who is in charge of green spaces.
When speaking to him on the phone, he assured me he was going to deal with the situation, as other parents there were saying the same thing.
The van needs to move off the playground. This is unfair to our children – everyone knows exhaust fumes contain harmful carbon monoxide gasses.
The van is still parked in the middle. I asked him to turn round and point his exhaust into the woods at least.
There is a group on Facebook which is asking the van to move, and it already contains more than 350 people.
Someone has to protect our children. The ice cream van can move 100 yards up, and be off the play area and still be in a prime location.
NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED
n Jean Palmer, the council’s director of planning, environment, education and community services, told the Gazette: “We have requested that the van is replaced with a more suitable means of selling refreshments, such as an ice cream cart with no engine, and selling only soft scoop ice cream.”
Overgrown hedge badly needs a trim
I BRING to your attention the overgrown condition of the pavement on Pield Heath Road, on the right heading towards Cowley, passing the garden centre.
I walk down this road from the hospital to Cowley every day. In previous years, the council has trimmed back the vegetation, but this has not been done for a couple of years now and the hedgerow is growing over the pavement to a significant extent.
In some places, the usable pavement has become so narrow that two pedestrians going in opposite directions cannot pass each other without one person getting into the bushes.
This is a fast and busy road, and the pavement is becoming dangerously narrow. It is particularly difficult in the very wet weather when the low vegetation and overhanging branches are soaking.
This pavement is used a lot by schoolchildren from Bishopshalt School, Brunel University students heading to and from the campus, numbers of pedestrians going to and from the hospital and general road users.
We have contacted the council twice this year in writing, we have phoned them and we have also registered a request on the fixmystreet.com website – but still no action has been taken.
I wonder if you could either print this letter, or pass on this urgent request to the appropriate council department – they may pay more attention to you. They certainly don’t appear to respect their council tax paying electors.
SUSAN POTTS
Lodge Close
Cowley
n Hillingdon Council replies: “The council starts its hedge cutting across the borough in July, after the bird-nesting season. We have had an unusually high amount of rain this year, which has caused hedges to become overgrown more quickly than usual. We have brought in extra resource across the borough and are sending a tractor and hedge cutter to this particular spot today (Friday, August 10).”
Lack of action has ruined golf course
This is a copy of a letter we sent to Jean Palmer, head of planning, environment, education and community services at Hillingdon Council:
“A recent visit to Uxbridge golf course once again demonstrated the deplorable condition which Hillingdon Council have let the attractive course turn into by the failure to take positive and prompt action.
“This is in spite of the fact that, at the time of first taking the holes out of play, the council promised the players that the holes would be reinstated as soon as the pipeline laying was complete.
“The course was one of the best and most attractive golf courses in west London. Now, a major part of it is overgrown and weed infested due to lack of action by the council.
“While understanding the situation that the council found itself in with the actions of Mack Trading, the council is now compounding the problem by not taking any remedial action or preservative action in 2012, even when the weather permits.
“Local golfers, residents and owners of adjoining properties are appalled at this situation, and we implore you to take urgent, immediate and positive action to prevent further deterioration due to weed infestation.
“Ideally, the council should begin some work on reinstatement of the green and fairways to give them time to ‘settle down’ during the winter, to enable play to resume in 2013.
“I have copied this letter to other members and departments of the council which are involved in this situation, with the earnest wish that the council will respond in a diligent and positive manner to resolve this highly unsatisfactory situation.
“The ball is surely in your court – please ensure that you do not miss this further opportunity to remedy matters.”
FRANK AND BARBARA RHODES
Hillman Close
Uxbridge
Surely Gymboree can be fitted in
WITH reference to your article about the taking over of the Gymboree premises for administration purposes in the Chimes (Claims that preschool is giving way to larger store, Gazette August 8), the accommodation was originally designed as a crèche for the Chimes, which was then taken over to provide a safe, physically challenging environment for under-fives to learn how to climb, move, listen, enjoy music and books safely, using their imaginations.
It is a known fact that early physical stimulation enhances development both for children with additional needs as well as others.
With the emphasis on physical development and the need for greater input required in schools, why is the Chimes management going against this by using the purpose built premises for office space, thus depriving many families of an enjoyable part of the week?
The final date for Gymboree is the end of August, and the preschool has been unable to find other suitable premises in Uxbridge.
This is especially hard, as the Chimes suite was designed with the needs of young children in mind.
Surely one of the many empty shops available in the Chimes could be turned into offices for the management and the purpose-built facility for the under fives left alone?
Children of this age are not catered for anywhere else, as the staff are trained to support children’s physical and emotional development, for children to progress from baby to school age in a series of structured programmes.
M SHEPHERD
Via email
n Donna Watson, the Chimes marketing manager, replies: “We would like thank the reader for their letter first and foremost, as we appreciate customer feedback and do what we can to follow it up at all times.
“Gymboree served notice to The Chimes Shopping Centre at the end of July 2012 to vacate in August 2012. This came from Gymboree, as opposed to the other way around.
“It is a shame to lose any retailer, particularly in the current climate. However, we cannot pick and choose when a retailer terminates their lease.
“Gymboree has been an asset to The Centre over recent years in terms of providing families with a safe and comfortable place to take their children. However, they have chosen to move on and we would hope that they will find somewhere in the local area to keep their loyal customers happy.
“The Chimes will continue to look for ways and means to provide parents with a fun, welcoming environment for their children and we thank customers for their feedback on this occasion.”
Airline staff helped thirsty Games athletes
WITH reference to the Olympic Games of 1948, my husband, Ted, worked for British European Airways, in its commercial maintenance unit at India Pavilion, Wembley.
The athletes did their exercises near where the lads worked. It was very hot and no water had been provided. Metal buckets were taken out of stock, washed out and filled with water for the athletes.
Also, cups were provided by the catering section, and the athletes were very grateful.
The lads also got sandwiches etc for the athletes from Smoky Joe’s Café, which I think was a wooden hut.
CONNIE EVANS
Windsor Avenue
Hillingdon
I need information on my stolen motorbike
I AM writing to you because I had a motorcycle stolen in Morse Close, Harefield, on Sunday, August 5 at around 9.30am. It is a blue and white 2006 Suzuki GSXR 750.
Please remind all motorcyclists to secure their motorcycles. If anybody knows any information regarding the theft of my bike, please can they contact the police safer neighbourhoods team.
JAMES BAKER
Morse Close
Harefield
Calling all west London ex-railway apprentices
THIS year marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of the railway Works Training School in Swindon.
That is where all Western Region traction and rolling stock apprentices spent their first year before either going into the works or out to the regional depots.
London Division apprentices went to work at Old Oak Common depot in Acton, Paddington or Southall.
We are planning a big get-together for all ex-apprentices on Saturday, September 22, at the steam museum in Swindon. We have created a Facebook group – 300-plus ex-apprentices as of this week – with collections of photos, year lists etc.
We are now trying to track down as many ex-apprentices from west London as we can.
If you would like to find out more, please email me at swindonapprentice@gmail.com or visit the Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/swindonapprentice.
JOHN BAKER
Via email
