Editor: Steve Bax | Email: [email protected] | Web: http://www.moleseyconservatives.com | Twitter: @MoleseySteve MEET YOUR MP Dominic Raab, MP for Esher & Walton will be in Molesey on Thursday April 19, 7.30pm at The Molesey News Vine Hall in Vine Road, to give an update on his Westminster activities and take questions on local or national issues. We Voice of the Molesey Conservative Residents March 2012 hope you to see you then! At Esher the MRA gives the impres- sion of having no purpose other than to ‘A manifesto for Molesey’ be there, and no policies except to say “we’re local”. I think Molesey deserves Hello and welcome to this special pre- On the seminal issue of the Jolly Boatman better and all I will be asking for on May election edition of The Molesey News. development, I am on the side of residents 3 is a chance to show you that I can make This time I am speaking to you, not as in seeking to mitigate the ill effects of this a better job of fighting your corner. the Editor, but with my other hat on as scheme and would like to see the Boatman Since last year’s campaign I have been the Molesey Conservative Residents’ part of the site purchased and landscaped. working hard to be worthy of your vote. I candidate for the Molesey East Ward. With the average age of councillors now at have got stuck into issues from planning To have been selected for a second year 59, I may be something of a novelty at 38. and conservation, to potholes and park- is a real honour and I am raring to go! But I think Esher Civic Centre could use ing, and I created The Molesey News to But I want to start by asking the most some dynamic younger councillors, and our keep you informed every step of the way. important person, you the voter, for your politics here in Molesey need a shake up! It has been a while since Molesey views. Please take a moment to visit my My opponents the Molesey Residents had a Conservative councillor. I intend website at www.moleseyconservatives. Association holds all nine of our borough to be a strong voice for us within the com to view my plans, and feel free to council seats and both at county. That is a majority group to ensure we get the best email or Tweet me. I promise to reply to lot of political power in the hands of one outcomes. But I am a Molesey person every correspondence. group, perhaps too much for the good of first and foremost and my allegiance I have put together a positive manifesto our local democracy. will always be to you ahead of any other for Molesey with pledges on free parking They could be achieving so much but considerations. for our town centre, action to tackle com- even their own newsletter has barely Please get in touch with your questions muter cars in our residential streets, and a mention of them or any significant or if you would like to help with the cam- support for our library and open spaces. achievements. Why the silence? paign. Thank you for reading. No garden for Boatman site? Commuter parking chaos! THE developer which owns the derelict ‘Jolly Boatman’ Misery for East Molesey residents as station users dodge car park charges site opposite Hampton Court, AILWAY commuters has yet to take up the Palace’s are saving hundreds offer to landscape the area. of pounds at Molesey’s Gladedale, which plans R expense by parking outside to build a hotel on the land residents’ homes instead of the sometime before next year, was station car park. given a chance to have the site Scores of cars are regularly be- turned into a garden so that it ing abandoned in Wolsey Road, could look its best during this Palace Road and other streets close summer’s Olympics - when to Hampton Court Station, from three cycle races will pass by. before 8am until around 7.30pm. But The Molesey News This is causing householders con- understands the developer siderable difficulty getting out of is considering other options, their driveways and stops council including to invite global TV vehicles from cleaning the gutters. crews to position themselves at Dangerous the Boatman. A concerned resident of Wolsey Conservative candidate Steve Road, told The Molesey News: “It Bax is to write to Gladedale to is also impossible to see past these urge it to take up the Palace’s badly parked cars and therefore offer before it’s too late. very dangerous when we pull out He said: “This developer from our driveways. If you cannot stands to make a lot of money drive out at an angle you ground when it eventually builds its parts of your car on the steep hotel, homes and retail com- camber.” plex around the station. She added: “Commuters fill part “The least Gladedale can do of our road between 1 Wolsey Road in the circumstances is to allow and 48 Wolsey Road before 7.30am this site to be beautified in the every morning Monday to Friday. short term, to give something They return at about 7.30 in the back to the people of Molesey.” evenings. This is half the road taken Steve will pledge himself at up by people who do not contribute the election to work with the to our village.” developer and local residents, including the Hampton Court Season ticket Rescue Campaign, to mitigate It is not hard to see why railway Council to restrict parking in Wol- g Crossing the line: Badly parked vehicles block driveways (above) the effects of the scheme on users prefer to park for free in sey and Palace roads for an hour in Wolsey Road, while Hampton Court Station car park is half full. Molesey. He will support any Molesey’s residential streets. The and a half on weekday mornings. cost of an annual season ticket for Molesey Residents Association “I think residents were on the credible proposal to buy the This would have allowed anyone councillors, who wanted to keep the right lines with their proposals, land, so that it can become a the station car park is £680, in ad- wishing to visit the shops to come dition to £1,640 for a standard class status quo. and I will be making it a campaign permanent garden and compli- and go during the day. The small Ultimately the idea failed to get pledge at the upcoming election to ment Hampton Court Palace. yearly season ticket to travel from number of householders without Hampton Court Station into Central off the ground because the SCC support and assist them in getting He is also concerned about driveways ended up proposing a 3pm to 4pm this long standing problem re- what will happen when the 240 London. could have And travelling “Apart from causing a restriction which would have pe- solved.” space station car park is built been issued nalised parents collecting children With building due to take place on on as part of Gladedale and from Esher Sta- with a parking tion costs £200 daily inconvenience it from St Lawrence School at the land around Hampton Court Station Network Rail’s hotel, homes also impacts on people’s permit under Church Road end, and residents before June next year, the spaces at and retail scheme. more, at £1,852, the proposals. providing added couldn’t support it. the car park could be unavailable Steve said: “I fear even more enjoyment of their homes The idea was Steve Bax of the Molesey Con- and this will inevitably push com- commuter cars will flood incentive for supported by commuters who and streets” servative Residents, said: “East muter cars on to Molesey streets, Molesey. We must protect the Conserva- Molesey has been bedevilled by making the situation worse if it is our residential streets from might otherwise tives at a Local use Esher to make the trip to Cen- this problem for years. Apart from not urgently addressed. this onslaught. Network Rail Committee meeting in 2010 (a causing a daily inconvenience it What do you think? Email Steve must provide parking and not tral London. decision making body made up In 2009 some 150 households also impacts on people’s enjoy- at [email protected] or expect our residential streets to of county and Elmbridge borough ment of their homes and streets. It go to www.moleseyconservatives. accommodate its customers.” and Molesey businesses signed a councillors) but opposed by the petition calling on Surrey County becomes a quality of life issue. com to post your views. ‘Take action now to save our heritage’ COMMUNITY MOLESEY'S antique 20th the London Borough of Ealing from Mr Young is quoting £950 per post NEWS Century streetlights are due to three years ago. On that occasion to upgrade them, which is substan- THE Friends of Molesey be ripped up and junked - unless residents were successful in having tially cheaper than the £3,000 to Library hope to tax your little urgent action is taken. their heritage posts integrated with £4,000 which Surrey County Coun- grey cells with a quiz night at Many of our town's distinctive modern technology, with the help cil claimed would be required to Molesey Boat Club. posts have been lost already, and of the Cast Iron Company (CIC) of transport each column to the North This will be the group’s first replaced with modern designs by Guildford.