Category: News

Sunday Bus Service on 352 and 354 Routes – Sign the Petition

In the 21st century in London there are bus routes that do not operate on Sunday or Public Holidays.

The 352 bus runs from Bell Green Sainsbury’s in Sydenham to Bromley North Station, via Beckenham High Street. It travels between 3 retail destinations through the quieter residential roads of Northern Beckenham, Eden Park and West Wickham that are not served by any other means.  The 354  bus runs from Bromley North, Ravensbourne, Beckenham High Street, Copers Cope, Clock House, Birbeck, Anerley, Penge West through some quiter residential roads.

The contracts for both bus services will be up for renewal in the next 12 months, sign the  following petitions to request TfL provide a modern bus service for Beckenham.

Bakerloo Tube Extension to Beckenham – Public Consultation ends 7 Dec 2014

TfL plan to extend the Bakerloo line to Beckenham and Bromley. It will cost £2-3 billion, work would start in 2023 finishing by 2030 and it will need private funding from developers building residential and commercial developments along the proposed extension. A public consultation is underway and ends on 7 December 2014.  Local people can have their say at:

Bakerloo MapWhat will it mean for us?

This depends on which option TfL implement:
Extend the Bakerloo as far as Lewisham only.
Local residents can change onto the Tube at Lewisham. There will be no change to existing rail services from Beckenham, West Wickham, Bromley and Hayes.
Extend the Bakerloo as far as Hayes and Beckenham Junction
The Tube will run along the Charing Cross to Hayes rail line and the existing overground Southeastern Rail service will be lost. Residents travelling to London Bridge and Cannon Street who previously used South Eastern will need to change from the Bakerloo line to National Rail at Lewisham.  For Beckenham Junction existing National Rail services to Victoria and London Bridge will remain unchanged, the Bakerloo line will be an additional service as it will run along the currently unused track to New Beckenham.   There will be more trains if the Bakerloo line is extended. On the Hayes line there would be 15 Tube trains an hour  compared with 4 at present,  and on the Beckenham Junction line there would be 6 tube trains an hour in addition to the current National Rail trains.
Extend the Bakerloo as far as Bromley
This can only happen if the Bakerloo line is extended along the Hayes National Rail line and will involve a new tunnel being dug. The option to go as far as Bromley is only a possibility at this stage, TfL have no commitments to go this far.

What do local people think?

We are keen for your views, please let us know by emailing bakerloo@coperscope.org.uk

We have been flooded with comments about this proposal from local people. The main points raised are listed below. Please let us know any new points so we can share them.
Advantages:
  • More trains per hour.
  • Increased capacity which will be needed by 2030.
  • Shorter journey times claimed by TfL.
  • More flexibility of being on the Tube network.
  • Will bring commerce and business into the local area.
Concerns:
  • Loss of National Rail services and no direct service to London Bridge and Cannon Street.
  • Replacing National Rail from Hayes will free up platforms at London Bridge, our loss – another area’s gain. Why can’t additional trains be run on the existing National Rail line?
  • If rail line is lost it cannot be considered at part of the CrossRail 3 project from SE London to NW London.
  • Arrival at Charing Cross is less convenient underground than current arrival at street level.
  • Tube journey may take longer, slower trains.
  • Tube trains have 25% less seats per carriage and are only 8 carriages long, commuters will more likely need stand.
  • Its is unlikely TfL will run 15 half empty trains per hour  to Hayes, with many trains will stop short closer to London Beckenham and West Wickham residents will not likley see an increase in train frequency.
  • Service disruption due to TfL strikes and no rail option.
  • Unstaffed stations, current policy is to reduce staffing at Tube stations.
  • Lack of amenity on Tube trains, no toilets, less seating, heat in summer, cannot take cycles on.
  • Overcrowding once past Lewisham.
  • Effort of change to National Rail at Lewisham and likelihood of standing for remaining journey into London.
  • Cost, disruption and timescale of the project
  • Over development which cannot be supported.  The plan is for the Bakerloo line to support local development which means more people, more high density housing, and more pressure on local infrastructure such as schools, GPs etc.
  • Change of character of local area – people choose to live in Bromley as it is relatively low rise with green spaces.
  • Does Beckenham West Wickham and Hayes need a Tube line? Will housing and population grown over the next 15 years warrant the Tube. Should the Tube run to high growth areas like Lewisham and  Bromley Town Centre on independent track and in so doing maintaining the capacity of the National Rail line to Hayes.
  • Are there different, less expensive alternatives to improve transport in the borough?

Let’s make this a balanced debate, all points of view welcome, email bakerloo@coperscope.org.uk

Beckenham in the running for High Street of the Year Award

Beckenham is set to go up against the country’s best in the Great British High Street Awards after it was nominated for the national award by the Beckenham Business Association (BBA).

The Government-backed competition to find and celebrate the nation’s best high streets is run by the Future High Street Forum and the Association of Town and City Management. Jackie Groundsell, Chair of the Beckenham Business Association said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be in the running for the Great British High Street of the Year Awards. Our application focuses on how we’ve been collaborating with other local groups to improve life and business in Beckenham through better community cohesion.”

The news was welcomed by local businesses, residents and other town centres on Twitter this week, including Chislehurst, who wished Beckenham well.

The winners of the awards, who will be announced in the autumn, will receive a share of £50,000 of prize money and dedicated support and mentoring from industry experts.

People can show their support for Beckenham online by tweeting their photos and endorsements to @TheGBHighSt, using the hashtag #gbhighst.

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2 weeks to go until Market On The Green – 20 Sep 2014, Beckenham Green

For our last Market On The Green in 2014 we have a great line up of free live entertainment from 11am to 3.30pm: Kids dancing with Brilliant Birthdays, Bright Sparks local Beckenham Dance School, Finnish songstress Kerttu, a cappella quartet The Popsicals and local lad Dan Hyde singing an eclectic mix acoustic style.

40 market stalls selling local produce and craft including: handmade sauces, hand painted cards, handmade children’s and adult jewellery, speciality pies, sausage rolls, Scotch eggs, cakes, cupcakes, artisan breads, locally produced fruit vodka, plants and seeds, rare breed lamb & pork, beef, free range poultry, homemade burgers and sausages, children’s toys, hand knitted children’s clothing, fruit liqueurs, organic fruit and veg, Kent berries, Kent Cobnuts, handmade fudge and handmade cushions.

There will be face painting by Tiger Dragon Butterfly, sand art and a children’s fun fair.

Wood fired pizza, hog roast, venison burgers, sweet & savoury galettes, jerk chicken and gourmet coffee available for lunch.

Check out the Market Page for up to date information. The above information correct at time of writing but may be subject to change.

History of the oldest Residents’ Association in Beckenham

  • Ralph Cropper was Chair of the Copers Cope Area Residents’ Association for 28 years until 1992. We are looking for a photo of him for our project, can you help?

Local historian and author Pat Manning is currently researching the history of our Association right back to its origins as the Copers Cope Ratepayers’ Association established in 1935 to stop factory encroachment at the Worsley Bridge end of Copers Cope Road.  We will keep updating this page with requests for information from Pat.

If you have any memories, stories, documents or photos about the Association or its activities we would love to hear from you, please email chairman@coperscope.org.uk

Southend Road Bridge receives a ‘community facelift’

A fewwall months ago Network Rail undertook some repair to the brickwork on the bridge. However they left it unpainted and unsightly. Copers Coper Area Residents’ Association (CCARA) wrote to Network Rail to enquire when they would be repainting the bridge and were surprised when Network Rail said they had no intention of doing so, it was to be left like this…

Not happy with this outcome CCARA offered to buy the paint and paint it ourselves. After much to-ing and fro-ing Network Rail finally gave permission. Risk Assessments done and paint purchased we needed some volunteers. As luck would have it Citygate Church had a team of community volunteers coming to Beckenham and they offered to paint the bridge.   CCARA would like to thank Citygate Church and Beckenham’s Town Centre Manager for helping us with this project. The bridge now looks clean and fresh.

 

 

 

Save Beckenham’s 107 year old golf course – meeting tomorrow 22 July 2014

Lewisham Council are proposing that the 107 year old public 18 hole golf course at Beckenham Place Park be closed as part of a programme of park improvements, following a lottery award of £4.9 million.

The Friends of Beckenham Place Park are holding a meeting at the Foxgrove Club on Tuesday 22nd July at 8pm to plan and co-ordinate a robust a campaign to save the golf course.

All local people are invited. Please let others know who might be interested in participating in this campaign.

How would you spend £2.4mn to improve Crystal Palace Park. Consultation session Saturday 21st June

pengeandcatorcouncillors's avatarPenge and Cator Councillors

Latest from the Crystal Palace Park Community Stakeholder Group.

The GLA have made £2 million pounds available for regeneration projects in the park. After a number of months work, the CSG along with other stakeholders, have helped to identify an ‘Interim projects list’ of capital projects, to be funded by the GLA money. The projects are drawn from the widely consulted 2007 Masterplan, the Heritage Lottery Fund application and community feedback.

The list covers a wide range of projects, including restoration of the park’s heritage assets (such as the dinosaurs and sphinxes), bringing the concert bowl back into use, landscaping and a skateboard park.

Before a final selection is made the CSG is conducting a consultation with park users to gain your views on the list and to provide feedback. CSG members will be outside the Information Centre in the park (Penge entrance) at 11am – 4pm, Saturday 21st June

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