ALWAYS AVAILABLE - AUGUST 2017 NOT JUST AT ELECTION TIMES email: [email protected] The Voice of the Community www.ucra.co.uk UPMINSTER & CRANHAM RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION • What arrangements for compensation will Think Local, Shop Local! be extended to our local businesses, particularly those on the A127, and Residents will have seen the turnover of shops in Upminster and residents who will have to endure a further Cranham, particularly our independent stores, and have 15 months of pollution, delay and expressed concern over the long-term future of our High Street inconvenience? and Shopping Parades. Businesses already face tough challenges with rents, rates, out-of-town and on-line competition, but most • This junction is a vital route through our of all they need custom. If each of the 18+ population in borough, carrying considerable amounts of Upminster and Cranham (20,600) spent just £5 per week in our traffic. The ongoing delays has created rat- local independent shops, that would generate some £5.4m for runs in nearby residential roads creating our local economy each year. Also, our independent shops are significant inconvenience, pollution and more likely to source supplies and services locally, such as increased traffic flow for residents to accountancy, fresh produce, building maintenance, etc, contend with. What measures will be put in therefore keeping the local pound circulating in the local economy. Strong local place to mitigate against this economies thrive on supporting independent shops with a local pound (or a fiver in inconvenience until the Spring of 2019? this case!). The Upminster Conservation Partnership, formerly The Central We shall update you with the response. Upminster Regeneration Group (CURE), supported by Cllr Linda Hawthorn, has been in place for many years to promote and sustain local shops and outlets. So, the Your Upminster & Cranham Councillors message is not to stop using the big chains such as Costa Coffee, Waitrose or Tesco Express, who provide choice and valuable local employment, but just to spare a fiver a week to support our local independent shops and help sustain the variety and Here to Help Your diversity of our High Street and Shopping Parades. Cllr CLARENCE BARRETT Organisation? With your generous support, we are pleased to be able to help numerous local organisations Celebrating Linda's 28th and voluntary groups this year with some To celebrate Councillor Linda Hawthorn's 28th year on the Council, The financial support. We are still very keen to Association donated £500 to Linda's choice of charity which is the PDSA. continue this practice and would be pleased to Pictured right are Linda with Derry, an Irish Red Setter belonging to hear from any community group, organisation Councillor Clarence Barrett. or individual whose work in the community could be enhanced through some additional Ardleigh Green Bridge Delay funding. At our AGM next year, we will be It is of the utmost concern that Transport for London (TfL) have advised dedicating the meeting to the many volunteers that the scheme to replace the Bridge at Ardleigh Green Road will not now and organisations who do such great work in be completed by at least the Spring of 2019 rather than the long-advertised the community of Upminster and Cranham. date of December 2017 – some fifteen months late! We have written to the Mayor of London to Should you wish to enquire about a funding express our deep sense of unhappiness and to seek specific explanations, which include the application, please contact any of your following points: • The explanation given that the delay is largely due to ‘complex demolition work that took councillors. longer than expected’ is completely inadequate and we ask for a much fuller explanation. Cllr CLARENCE BARRETT • The cost of the project was quoted as £32m, given the considerable delay what will be the eventual estimated cost of the project and how will this be funded? Cranham and Upminster Edition Check the highway code for all starting in Abigail’s Column the other rules. You can get into July through Greenfingers trouble with the police for to next year; On your bike breaking the highway code. Gardening Club There has no end date To those insistent on riding has been given. We are a small friendly group who been a lot irresponsibly please stop putting They meet in the Cranham Community of talk yourself and others at risk. Centre in Marlborough Gardens about currently on the 1st Monday of the month – cyclists in plan to work if this happens to be a Bank the local Upminster 8am-6pm Holiday then we meet on the area on Monday to following Monday instead (no social Depot Upgrade Friday. Their meeting in January and August). media section 61 agreement with the Our meetings begin at 7.30pm and recently we have horticultural speakers, and mostly Update council allows for 24 hour working; however, the application plant swaps etc. Our next meeting in a negative way. There have Tfl London Underground have for 24hr working is only in place as is on 4th September and we would been a few inconsiderate cyclists advised us that they have installed a contingency to any delayed be delighted to see you. For more and young people that seem and commissioned a new Sand information please phone Sheila intent on causing problems, works. In the event of any planned Silo which will store sand used to on 01708 228752. riding all over the roads, riding 24hr working, they will notify keep the rails clear during autumn out in front of cars and people residents in advance; outlining the and winter periods in the Front type of thing. location and duration of the Lane train depot. The silo is Greedy Not all young people are bad activities taking place. Any noise capable of storing at least 3 cyclists but everyone (including from the works will be controlled adults) should be aware that there months of sand which reduces the Landlords by ‘Best Practicable Means’ in are certain legal regulations amount of sand deliveries to the Uppercut has been a successful accordance with the Control of involved with cycling: depot. They have also modified multi award winning hair group Pollution Act 1974. • Should wear a helmet which the train cleaning shed to having been established for over If you have any queries you can conforms to current regulations accommodate the new trains, 40 years. Unfortunately, their • Obey road marking and signals contact London Underground Corbets Tey Road salon in equipping the new building to the • Keep off pavements Community Relations: Upminster will soon become south-east corner of the depot • Have lighting if out at night • Phone: 0343 222 1234 (24 hours) another empty shop when their with a new training room, new • Have 2 hands on the bars • Online: tfl.gov.uk/contact lease runs out in September. boilers/pumps, electrical and except when indicating a turn • Write: Tfl Customer Services, Owner Trevor Vale told the mechanical equipment for • Not carry passengers 4th Floor, 14 Pier Walk, London, Bulletin “We have fought • Not cycle if taking drugs or maintain the trains. tirelessly in trying to negotiate a SE10 0ES drinking alcohol They have further works planned Cllr GILLIAN FORD continued on page 3 Tel: 01708 229857 Mobile: 07415 096551 / 07860 801377 2 Front Lane Car Upminster Park Building Company The long-standing challenge of turning right out of Front Lane Expands Car Park has been improved as a Gidley Building Contractors of result of the Community Payback Upminster has expanded. Team who spent two days cutting According to Director Richard back the foliage, ivy and Gidley, the opportunity to merge overgrowth from the boundary litter pick around the shopping with the already well-established new lease at a realistic rent, but fence which was restricting the area. This was followed a week Bathroom Boutique Ltd, Benfleet our Landlords have increased our view of traffic coming down the later by the 1st Cranham Girls was “too good to miss”. Along rent to such a high level that it is Brigade joining me to plant out with the current Bathroom just not achievable, and we have hill towards Cranham Village. Many thanks to the team for this the bollard planters in Avon Road. Boutique owner Edward Wheeler, no option than to leave when our also of Upminster, they have welcome piece of work. None of the helpers went away lease ends. It’s a shame as empty handed, as they each created Boutique Design & Build, Upminster used to attract some Cllr CLARENCE BARRETT Incorporating Kitchens, big names, but unrealistic rents received information about bees and the local area. Thank you to Bathrooms and Building. Their are moving businesses out of the comprehensive range of services area. Having another empty shop Cranham Is all, who have helped to make the include, Extensions, Loft in Upminster does nothing for the area colourful. Conversions, Space Creating and once busy High Street. Blooming Again! Cllr GILLIAN FORD refurbishments. The building Fortunately, we have other salons services are backed up by a nearby, and all our team will Isn’t it amazing how quickly the pristine bathroom showroom in continue to have jobs with us. summer planting season comes Family Fun Day Benfleet and Kitchen showroom in Mia the Manageress of the salon around? June saw a lot of activity Harlow both offering full design, along with senior Stylists from some of the boroughs young Havering Council has organised a supply and installation service Charlotte and Karen will be people, helping to make Cranham "Family Fun Day "on Wednesday from top manufacturers complete moving to our Hornchurch salon.