GREATER LONDON AUTHORITY London Assembly 25 February 2004 Report No: 4 Subject: Question’s to the Mayor Report of: Director Of Secretariat 146 / 2004 - Step Change provision for Croydon Andrew Pelling Bearing in mind that the London Borough of Croydon has the largest population in London of any local borough and bearing in mind that its population is 52.7% above the average population for a London borough, would you agree that it would be reasonable to provide sufficient resources for Step Change provision of extra police officers in four wards rather than three in Croydon’s special case? 147 / 2004 - All night train services to Sutton on New Year's Eve/Day Andrew Pelling Sutton was the only borough not served by the Underground which did not have an all night train service on New Year’s Eve/Day this year. What could you do to change this next year? 148 / 2004 - A22 Godstone Road traffic warden patrols Andrew Pelling Please state the average number of traffic warden patrol visits to police parking per month since the introduction of the red route on the A22 Godstone Road. 150 / 2004 - Defending the future of district centres Andrew Pelling With large number of post office closures proposed over the coming year, London’s many district centres will face further challenges to their viability. What should the GLA family be doing to defend the future of district centres? What planning and economic development roles are there for the GLA in helping district centres to meet problems of a long-term decline? 151 / 2004 - Reduced bus services on suburban routes Andrew Pelling Is there a saving for London Buses by running reduced services on suburban bus routes during the period between the Christmas and New Year holidays? 152 / 2004 - Bus loading figures in outer London between Christmas and New Year Andrew Pelling What measures do London Buses have of the loadings on buses in outer London in the period between the Christmas and New Year holidays when bus services were often reduced to a Saturday only service? 153 / 2004 - Cycle races in Crystal Palace Park Andrew Pelling There used to be weekly cycle races in Crystal Palace Park in the summer but the circuit has been unusable for the last two summers. There are races across in Hillingdon but that is quite a distance for talented young cyclists to travel in order to train and compete. What prospects do you see for including good facilities for cycle races in any new development plans for Crystal Palace? 1 154 / 2004 - Supply of raw water as substitute for potable water Andrew Pelling What pressure should the GLA bring to bear on Thames Water and other smaller suppliers of water in London to supply raw water, where appropriate, as a substitute for potable water? 155 / 2004 - Use of non-potable water for irrigation and non-drinking Andrew Pelling With the ongoing difficulties we have with the rising water table on the Underground, is there a potential business opportunity for London Underground to supply non-potable water for applications such as irrigation, and sustainable use of such non-potable water for domestic non-drinking water usage? 156 / 2004 - Accidents involving Tramlink from April 2003 to date Andrew Pelling In May 2003, you answered a question I posed about the number of accidents that Tramlink had been involved from February 2002 to March 2003, broken down by type of accident and type of collision defined by body with which collision has taken place. You said that Tramlink vehicles had been involved in 35 RTAs. Could you please supply the same detail of accidents that Tramlink has been involved in since April 2003 to date? 157 / 2004 - Croydon’s inclusion in the Mayor’s 100 Public Spaces Programme Andrew Pelling Why are there no places in the London Borough of Sutton or Croydon that have been included amongst the 14 listed in the second phase of the Mayor’s 100 Public Spaces Programme? What could be done to secure a place in the third phase? Where does the Coulsdon Town Centre Improvement Scheme fit within the 100 Public Spaces Programme? With Croydon being voted the 15th worst place to live in the country, perhaps we are in need of urgent support for inclusion within the Mayor’s 100 Public Spaces Programme. 158 / 2004 - Improvements at West Croydon for gateway to Croydon Andrew Pelling It is sometimes instructive to see yourself as others see you. The Idler has described Croydon as the 15th worst place to live in the country. The description of Croydon is introduced with a very unflattering description of West Croydon Bus Station. When can we expect the environment to be improved at this gateway to Croydon? What type of timetable is there to bring together a shared focus and entrance for the West Croydon tram, train and bus stations? Currently, there is no such joint entrance. 159 / 2004 - Additional capacity for the 407 bus route Andrew Pelling Full loadings on the 407 bus route, the key bus connection between Croydon and Sutton, mean that there can be very long waits for passengers. As you know, I do not drive, and it is disappointing when work for my constituents is delayed by long waits for a 407 bus that is not full. It is more than disappointing for senior citizens having to wait for a bus that they can board such long delays in winter weather can be threatening to their health. When can we expect additional capacity on the 407 bus route? 2 160 / 2004 - Direct bus link between Cheam and Croydon Andrew Pelling Residents in Cheam find it especially inconvenient to have to change buses in Sutton when wishing to travel to Croydon. Other than the infrequent 726 bus, there is no operating continuous bus link. What prospects are there for changing this arrangement? 161 / 2004 - Reconnecting bus shelter with bus stop outside Fairfield Halls, Croydon Andrew Pelling Are there now no prospects for reconnecting the bus shelter with the moved bus stop outside Fairfield Halls? This may seem a small point but it is becoming a local symbol of the inability of public sector bodies being unable to achieve something together for the overall public good. It is also uncomfortable for passengers who are exposed to the elements and who have to look longingly at the shelter at the old bus stop/now bus stand marooned down the road. 162 / 2004 - Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Andrew Pelling Crystal Palace National Sports Centre currently houses the only Olympic sized swimming pool and the only available diving facilities in London. It is also one of only a handful in southern England to offer these facilities, yet there is a possibility that the current swimming pool will be closed as soon as the end of next month and redeveloped into a 25m pool. No mention has been made as to the future of the diving pool. Sport England view this reduction in facilities as being of minimal impact because of the number of ‘elite’ swimmers using the facility, but fail to include such individuals as the eight Commonwealth swimmers from the Beckenham Swimming Club as elite. What could you do to ensure that the 50m pool and the diving facilities used by British competitors are retained for all users, both elite and non-elite, to continue to enjoy, especially as they are so vital that competitors travel from as far away as Rochester and Portsmouth to use them? 163 / 2004 - Gritting of footpaths Andrew Pelling During the recent snowy weather, many of London’s streets were not gritted, causing a severe hazard to pedestrians. Are you able to advise me how many and what percentage of footpaths under TfL’s responsibility were gritted? 164 / 2004 - Cost of Consultants Eric Ollerenshaw When will you answer my question on the cost of consultants to the GLA since 2000? 165 / 2004 - Expenses Eric Ollerenshaw Could you please list all the expenses incurred by: A) Bob Kiley B) Jay Walder C) Tim O' Toole since their appointments? If you will not, could you please explain why not? 166 / 2004 - Crossrail Eric Ollerenshaw Since 2000 how much has been spent by Crossrail on consultants? 167 / 2004 - 73 Bus route Eric Ollerenshaw Why are you introducing bendy buses on the 73 bus route? 3 168 / 2004 - 73 Bus Route Eric Ollerenshaw Will the 73 bus still go down Stoke Newington Church Street? 169 / 2004 - Oystercards for Tramlink Andrew Pelling When will Oyster cards become operational on Croydon Tramlink? 170 / 2004 - Step Change Query Andrew Pelling Where officers are provided for Step Change in wards that are co-terminous but are across borough boundaries, what action will be taken to ensure that the benefits of co-ordinated working between these two neighbouring teams will be introduced? 171 / 2004 - BIDs regulations Andrew Pelling What input should the GLA family make into the consultation on BIDs regulations? 172 / 2004 - Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Andrew Pelling Sport England is proposing to spend £1.5m on refurbishing the running track at Crystal Palace in advance of the Athletics Grand Prix event in July. As the existing track is still in good condition and the IAAF has no set standard regarding track specifications, is it wise for money that could be diverted to better use in saving the National Sports Centre, to be spent in this way? This is especially concerning given the important role that Crystal Palace would otherwise play in allowing athletes to prepare for the upcoming Olympics and would mean that other on-site facilities such as the indoor track or the weights room would also go unused whilst competitors train elsewhere, possibly never to return if they feel that Crystal Palace cannot be relied upon to provide the facilities they need.