Forum Topics

World car free day 22nd September - get ready!

Love ‘em or hate ‘em XR and Greta Thunberg are at least willing to take action on climate change.  What changes are those of us on this forum willing to make? Thought we could set a Putney Challenge - How long can you go without driving your car? Could you manage a day? Try it out on National Clean Air Day on 20th June and on World car free day on 22nd September. Think you can leave your car behind for a few days? How about trying to be car free during Trump’s visit 3rd-5th June. Longer? See if you can make it through the Wimbledon 2 weeks - or at least as far as the longest surviving British player.  Hate this idea? Suggest another challenge.

Ruth Pates ● 2757d29 Comments ● 2745d

Latest attempt to stop Heathrow expansion fails

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/may/01/high-court-dismisses-attempt-to-block-third-heathrow-runwayCampaigners fighting to stop the expansion of Heathrow have failed in their attempt to block the new runway in the high court.Five judicial reviews were challenging the legality of the government’s decision to allow a third runway at Heathrow airport.One of the legal actions was taken by a coalition of Greenpeace, the mayor of London and local councils – including the prime minister’s local authority, Windsor and Maidenhead – which will be affected by noise and pollution from the increased flights.In another action, Friends of the Earth alleged that the government’s decision to allow the expansion is unlawful because it failed to take account of the need to mitigate climate change under the Paris Agreement.On Wednesday, the high court dismissed all the legal challenges to the plans to expand the airport.

Adrian Pearce ● 2751d6 Comments ● 2746d

Holiday Fun

There was an Old Person of PutneyWhose food was roast spiders and chutney,Which he took with his tea,Within sight of the seaThat romantic Old Person of PutneyEdward Lear- More Nonsense Rhymes

Hugh Thompson ● 2747d4 Comments ● 2747d

XR Meetings With McDonnell & Gove...

...took place today and do not appear to have gone very well. They met with McDonnell first and he apparently agreed to a compromise of zero carbon emissions by 2030, proving it's very easy to promise anything when your Party isn't in power. Gove was not forthcoming with any such promise but said he would meet with them again in a month. The climate change activists, together with a 14 year old boy in tow (presumably to counter-balance the 16 year old Swedish girl), had a bit of a strop and are threatening more protests and further disruption. Well I didn't see that coming ...

Sue Hammond ● 2752d52 Comments ● 2747d

Over-ordered turf

Anybody looking to spruce up their lawn this weekend? I have laid a new lawn today and overestimated the amount of turf required. Would rather somebody else used it rather than taking it to the tip. In Putney all weekend, roughly 15m^2 of turf.

Mark Curtis ● 2748d2 Comments ● 2747d

old buildings

apart from the local churches, does anyone know which buildings/houses are Putney's oldest? thx

Adam Tripp ● 2752d23 Comments ● 2748d

holiday in S W France in exchange for media/IT help.

We are offering a talented IT/Media person a few days stay here at Clos des Saveurs near Bordeaux with great cooking, garden and pool facilities in  exchange for getting us going with our media coverage for our residential cooking holidays. If you wish to chat about this get I touch at johnchinon@hotmail.com

John Hayes ● 2749d0 Comments ● 2749d

Wandsworth takes (a timid) first step on making schools safer and less polluted

The current issue of the Wandsworth Times (free at libraries but not yet viewable online) reports success for a campaign to install a new pedestrian and cycle zone in Welham Road around Furzedown and Graveney schools, active between 8:15 and 4:30, Monday to Friday, to make the area safer, cleaner and healthier for children at those schools.  Excellent idea, though it's been a long time coming. Now let's hope the idea can be expanded to Putney: prime candidates would be Erpingham Road (All Saints'), Felsham Road (St Mary's), Hotham/Charlwood Road (Hotham) and Brandlehhow Road (Brandlehow). Over to the council.

Richard Carter ● 2750d2 Comments ● 2749d

Mini Cabs

Just come back from Sainsbury's, Werter Road, right across the road 4 gold painted cars parked, 2 on double yellow lines. A foreign man handing out leaflets telling people they are like Uber. These cars are the new mini cab for London. I said what part of London are you based, I was told you have to ring up. Then I informed him two of the cars are parked on double yellow lines, to which he laughed and said i'm not from this country I don't know. He said but you can go in London to Shoreditch for £5. I then went and spoke to a Black Cab Driver parked opposite who said this countries a joke no wonder everybody wants OUT.

Barbara Stevens ● 2751d6 Comments ● 2750d

Palmhouse - Recommendation Approve with Conditions

Case officer Brendan Easton  0208 871 8162   Date of Committee 25/04/2019They propose to have 'fun' days and kids activities in the nightclub, Family Sundays..bring your dogs along, open till 11pm..The Noise Assessment concludes that there would not be any adverse impacts on any residential dwellings...Incipio has successfully operated this concept at other locations in London without any impact on any adjoining residential amenities or adversely impacting on the character and appearance of the surrounding area...   oh really?

Graham Earl ● 2772d29 Comments ● 2752d

Extinction relation protests

I know this won’t be popular, but I must say that I enjoyed my walk to work more today thanks to the climate change protesters. I walk fro Waterloo Station to Russell Square, and usually getting from the station and across the bridge is horrible - really noisy, polluted roads. Pavements are crammed, with pedestrians covering at crossings waiting for green light or a chance to dodge through lorries and heavy traffiic.  Today was great for those of us on foot - the bridge was closed to traffic, covered in trees and plants, quiet, and tons of room for pedestrians and cyclists. Know that things can’t stay like this, but was a little glimpse into how much better London could be if higher priority were given to pedestrians and cyclists.

Ruth Pates ● 2765d102 Comments ● 2753d

Drone sighting

Anyone else see a drone over Putney today? I saw it over Chartfield Avenue heading East. Was travelling in a straight line reasonably fast so seemed to have a purpose.

Alan Sherman ● 2754d2 Comments ● 2753d

Sign the Petition to get Hammersmith Bridge repaired ASAP

Here's the link: https://www.greghands.com/campaigns/petition-re-open-hammersmith-bridgeThe incompetence of Hammersmith & Fulham council is astounding. With a higher concentration of residents per sq mile and 50% higher council tax than Wandsworth, where's the money going? Certainly not on the bridge. Oh wait, it's Labour controlled.

Roy Robart ● 2763d46 Comments ● 2754d

More Grayling's failings?

Looks like after giving Eurotunnel a bonus the taxpayers might be paying money to P&O now? How does someone as incompetent as Grayling survive? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48063672

Michael Ixer ● 2756d3 Comments ● 2755d

Palmhouse Planning application going to committee tonight

Room 123 - The Town Hall, Wandsworth High Street, Wandsworth SW18 2PU at 7.30pm.

Jenny Traynor ● 2757d7 Comments ● 2756d

Happy short week

Happy Friday all. The easter bank holiday is always the best one of the year with four lovely days off. Hope you all enjoyed the glorious sunshine. I am knitting my first baby blanket for grandson to be as I couldn't resist the beautiful yarns in John Lewis.Have a lovely weekend.

Maxine Campbell ● 2756d2 Comments ● 2756d

Speaker Bercow

Could somebody help to clear my confusion.  Was the Speaker invited to the Queen's state visit for President Trump as John Bercow or Speaker Bercow? Makes quite a bit of difference actually.

Barbara Shillabeer ● 2756d8 Comments ● 2756d

Strawberries and cream

What idiot has designated strawberries and cream to be JUNK food? High calorific, yes.  That definition does not necessarily depict junk food. Cream is a natural wholefood, a single unaltered ingredient, unlike junk food, being a processed, fried and battered mix Well, I have now joined the junk food eaters!

Barbara Shillabeer ● 2756d0 Comments ● 2756d

Game of Thrones

As I was at a loose end this evening and looking for some light relief from Brexit, I thought I'd try Game of Thrones, never having watched a single minute of the previous 677 series. So I tried the opening episode of series 678, but couldn't even last 30 minutes. It was AWFUL: like watching EastEnders but without the laughs. Terrible acting (people constantly staring meaningfully into the distance: the CGI dragons were more animated than the human characters), worse dialogue (some queen or other: "You might be the most arrogant man I've ever met. [pause] I like that [another pause]. Now I want to be alone." (They obviously filched that line from Kathleen Turner to William Hurt in Body Heat: "You're not very bright, are you? I like that in a man" plus a bit of Greta Garbo).So bad, but nowhere near bad enough to be watchable. How do people manage to sit through this tripe? Can anyone here explain to me what the attraction of it is?

Richard Carter ● 2764d17 Comments ● 2756d

XR Protests Over

Apparently. A 'closing ceremony'🙄 was held at 5pm. Thank goodness London can start to move normally again, and I won't have to hear that bloody annoying girl on every news programme.

Sue Hammond ● 2757d5 Comments ● 2756d