Crossing.

The pedestrian crossing in Manor Road Erith, adjacent to Appold Street is typical of many in the London Borough of Bexley; the road markings are almost completely worn away due to a lack of maintenance. I have logged a support ticket with the Bexley Fix My Street website, but I will not be holding my breath for the lines to be repainted any time soon. I have witnessed two recent occasions when drivers seemed to not recognise that there was a pedestrian crossing and nearly hit people crossing the road. Unfortunately this is something that is becoming increasingly common. Local councils across the UK are facing a financial crisis, and one of the areas that is being hit hardest is road maintenance. Councils are having to make difficult decisions about which services to cut, and road repairs are often seen as a non-essential service. One of the main reasons for the financial crisis is that local councils have been subject to severe cuts in funding from central government. In the past decade, councils have seen their budgets slashed by almost 50%, and this has had a major impact on their ability to deliver services. Another factor that is contributing to the problem is the rising cost of road maintenance. The cost of materials and labour has been increasing in recent years, and this is putting a further strain on council budgets. As a result of these factors, local councils are having to make difficult decisions about which roads to repair and which ones to leave in a state of disrepair. This is leading to a growing backlog of road repairs, and this is having a negative impact on motorists and pedestrians alike. A recent survey by the RAC found that the number of potholes on UK roads has increased by 20% in the past year. The survey also found that the average cost of repairing a pothole is now £50. This means that the backlog of road repairs is costing the UK economy millions of pounds each year. The problem of road repairs is not just a financial one. It is also a safety issue. Potholes can cause serious damage to vehicles, and they can also be a hazard for cyclists and pedestrians. The RAC estimates that over 100,000 car accidents each year are caused by potholes. The government has acknowledged the problem of road repairs, and it has pledged to provide additional funding to local councils. However, many experts believe that the government is not doing enough, and that the backlog of road repairs will continue to grow in the coming years. In the meantime, local councils are having to do the best they can with the resources they have. This means that some roads will inevitably be left in a state of disrepair. This is a frustrating situation for motorists and pedestrians alike, but it is one that is unlikely to change anytime soon. In addition to the above, here are some specific examples of how financial cutbacks are impacting road repairs in the UK: In 2022, the Local Government Association (LGA) warned that councils in England were facing a £14 billion backlog of road repairs. A 2023 survey by the RAC found that the average number of potholes reported per mile of road in the UK had increased by 20% in the past year. In 2023, the government announced an additional £500 million in funding for road repairs. However, the LGA said that this was not enough to address the backlog of repairs. The financial cutbacks that are being faced by local councils are having a real impact on the quality of our roads. It is important to raise awareness of this issue and to put pressure on the government to provide more funding for road repairs. What do you think? Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

The government has announced that plans to close railway ticket offices in the South East of England have been cancelled. This comes after a public outcry over the proposals, which were seen as a threat to accessibility and safety. The Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which represents train operators, had proposed closing nearly all of the 974 ticket offices in England. This would have left just 23 offices open in the South East, and none at all in some areas. The government had initially backed the RDG's proposals, but it has now reversed its decision following a consultation with passengers and stakeholders. The consultation found that the vast majority of people were opposed to the closures. I suspect that the government also viewed the proposed closures as a vote loser. The cancellation of the closures is a victory for campaigners who had warned of the negative impact they would have on passengers, particularly the elderly and disabled. Ticket offices provide a vital service for many people, and their closure would have made it more difficult for them to travel by train. The region's train services are essential for businesses and commuters, and the closure of ticket offices would have had a negative impact on the economy. The government's decision to cancel the closures is a positive step, and it is hoped that it will set a precedent for other parts of the country. Ticket offices play an important role in our transport system, and they should be protected. In addition to the above, here are some specific reactions to the cancellation of the closures:- The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) welcomed the decision, saying that it was a "victory for common sense". The Campaign for Better Transport also welcomed the decision, saying that it was a "victory for passengers". The Rail Delivery Group said that it was "disappointed" with the decision, but that it would work with the government to implement its plans. The cancellation of the closures is a positive development for passengers and the local area. 

As I have previously written, the roll out of smart energy meters in the UK has been an embarrassment for both the power companies and the government. Now there has been a further development - a group of MP's are calling for government to put together a timetable for the replacement of millions upon millions of smart meters that will be defunct when 2G and 3G mobile networks are switched off. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) comprised of cross-party MPs penned a report to update the roll out of the smart meters, with multiple deadlines missed along the way of the failing £13.9 billion project. The report echoes an earlier one by the National Audit Office (NAO), which found that as of March 2023, energy companies had rolled out the devices to just 57 percent (roughly 32.4 million out of a potential install base of 57.1 million) homes and businesses. Of these devices, around 9 percent were not functioning properly. The PAC says in its latest report: "A fifth more (an estimated seven million) will lose functionality when the 2G and 3G mobile communications networks are closed if they do not receive costly hardware upgrades (the cost of which will ultimately be borne by the bill payers)." UK communications regulator Ofcom announced last month that UK mobile operators do not intend to provide 2G and 3G mobile networks for many more years, though the precise dates of closure vary between operating companies. The PAC wants to know what the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), as well as energy regulator Ofgem, are doing to plan the smooth running of a replacement scheme. It asks both to set out "what they will do to ensure suppliers assign more importance than at present to replacing those smart meters not functioning properly" and "a timetable for replacing the communication hub element of smart meters that will lose functionality when the 2G and 3G mobile networks are switched off." It is hardly surprising the PAC, which studies public audits such as those written by the NAO, is concerned about deadlines because the smart meter project has missed several deployment deadlines so far. The scheme started in 2012 when government placed the legal burden on energy suppliers to ensure they would complete the smart meter roll out by 2019. The deadline was then pushed back: first to the end of 2020, then to 2024. A consultation was launched in February, under which the intent is to install the devices in 80 percent of homes and 73 percent of small businesses by the end of that 2025, although at the time of writing this target seems rather ambitious. The project was estimated to cost £13.5 billion ($16.4 billion) between 2013 and 2034, based on 2011 prices. The benefits in terms of cost savings to households from knowing the amount of energy they are consuming was pegged at £19.5 billion ($23.6 billion). One observer commented that:- "the service life of these new meters is shorter than the old ones they replace. That's especially so for the gas meters that are now battery powered. So before they've finished rolling out the new meters, they'll already be replacing the older ones - and that's leaving aside the issue of replacing the ones that have stopped working, stopped when changing supplier, etc., etc." Another person commented:- "Customer functionality wasn't really core to the project. The original thinking was that smart meters can report usage data to the half hour and that would allow much better management of the grid. Unfortunately that's a fallacy, as the data can't be processed usefully in time to tell grid operators anything they already know from the system frequency, which is how networks have been managed since forever. Other benefits were the potential for half hourly or dynamic pricing - like you'd want to be connected to a grid system and not know how much you were going to be paying, and the automatic disconnection of supply when a battery fails - because if their meter fails, it's far better you go without heating or hot water for a few days than that (horror of horrors) you get un-billable gas until they fix their stuff". More on this subject next week, with a revelation in respect of some French smart meters, and how this could potentially set a precedent for the UK. 

With today being Guy Fawkes Night - something that until now has been relatively unknown is that Erith is thought by some historians from Bexley Local Studies and Archive Centre to have played a pivotal role in the Gunpowder Plot. In some information they released just in time for Guy Fawkes Night back in 2012, when they indicated that their research showed that in the summer of 1605, Erith Manor House, which was located on what is now Erith High Street, was rented under a pseudonym by Anne Vaux, the daughter of Lord William Vaux, the head of one of the wealthiest and most prominent Catholic families in the country at the time. Anne Vaux was known to arrange for safe houses to be made available for Catholic priests to hide up and hold underground church services – Catholics were widely persecuted in England at the time. Erith Manor House was considered an ideal location for Robert Catesby, Guy Fawkes and the other plotters against the King to hide up, as it had, according to Catesby “a secluded but convenient location” on the banks of the Thames, which had the added benefit of offering an easy escape route by boat, should the situation arise. What the plotters did not realise was that the intelligence service of the time was aware of them – spymaster Sir Anthony Standen, first assistant to Sir Francis Walsingham, who was then head of the English Secret Service, working directly for King James I, had broken up a plot (The Bye Plot – click here for more details) eighteen months before hand, and was now acutely aware that other Catholic activists had designs on the life of the Protestant monarch. Sir Anthony had informants all over the place, and soon became aware of the small group of men who were acting very suspiciously in and around Erith. Several of the plotters had also been seen in a number of taverns in Southwark, and it is possible that they were followed back to Erith, where their safe house was then discovered. When agents subsequently raided the house, the conspirators had already made their escape, and the place was deserted. Some of this is extrapolation from verified facts – it is certain that Anne Vaux did indeed rent Erith Manor House using the cover name Mrs Perkins, though it is not certain the Gunpowder Plotters did use it as their primary base of operations – there may well have been an underground Catholic church in the house, which in itself would have aroused suspicions. Unfortunately there is no opportunity for Erith Manor House to become a tourist attraction, as it was demolished in the 19th century after falling into a state of disrepair. Personally I think the story is somewhat fanciful. A group of wealthy gentlemen taking residence would stand out like a sore thumb in a sleepy fishing village, as Erith was back at that time. Their fine clothes and expensive horses would mark them as outsiders, and this would be certain to at the very least provoke curiosity from local people. I think it far more likely that their base of operations was located in Southwark, which in those days was effectively lawless, as well as being closer to their intended target.

There have been numerous reports in both the local and national press about a higher than usual number of residential fires over the last few weeks. There have also been a number of violent assaults by youths against others in the form of firework attacks. Both the increase in fires and the attacks can be directly attributed to the misuse of fireworks. I have heard an increasingly large number of people voice the opinion that the law regarding the sale of fireworks to the public really needs to be revisited. Personally I  am of the view that one should need a licence to purchase fireworks, and that these would only be permitted for public displays, outdoor concerts, weddings and suchlike. The problem is that at the moment total idiots have access to fireworks, which are basically low explosives. The number of accidents and injuries that occur every year at this time are mainly down to irresponsible and malicious abuse of fireworks. Banning the general sale of them to individuals would go a long way to mitigate this. What do you think? Would this be an affront to personal liberty? Is it a price too high to pay? Let me know your thoughts.

The photo above shows the original Erith Swimming Baths, which was opened in 1907; the pool was of relatively modest dimensions - it measured 60 x 25 feet, and was heated with waste heat from the adjacent Erith Power Station in Walnut Tree Road. The old baths were closed in 1967, when work on the Erith Riverside Swimming Baths began. That has now in turn been demolished, and the site on the corner of Walnut Tree Road and Erith High Street that is now the location of the Riverside housing development which overlooks the Riverside Gardens, which are to the West of the Erith High Street conservation area, and date back to 1937, when they were created to replace the former Cannon and Gaze flour mill, which was built on the site in 1903. Another firm that was established on the riverfront at Erith was Herbert W. Clarke and Sons, which was set up in 1890. They started out as barge owners and lighter men, but by 1911 they took over Anchor Bay Wharf, which until then had been owned by Eastern and Anderson. As soon as Herbert W. Clarke and Sons took possession of the wharf, they formed a new import and export business, which mainly exported coal to Holland and Belgium.  Nearby was a company called Mayer Newman and Co. who were engaged in the scrap metal business – the scrap yard still exists today. It is now called European Metal Recycling, but is still in the same location in Manor Road. Further East along Manor Road was a truly massive factory and works owned by Turner’s Asbestos Cement Co. Ltd. The site covered a little over forty three acres; by 1912 the company pioneered the development of asbestos roofing material, and also produced a wide range of guttering, piping and fireproof insulation material, as well as a lot of other components for the building industry. We are still living with the legacy of this today; many old buildings need to have specialist demolition contractors to remove Turner’s asbestos building products, as the dust asbestos produces when cut or abraded is severely poisonous. I think if the company was still around today, they would have been sued into bankruptcy – but of course, around a century ago, nobody was any the wiser. Another world renowned company that had a base in Erith were Royal Doulton, who had an extensive factory located just off Church Manorway. They made salt glazed piping and tiling. Royal Doulton also made their fine china in Erith, when experimental designs were produced that depicted local scenes as their decoration.

Electric scooters (E-Scooters) are becoming increasingly popular in the UK, but their legal status is still unclear. While it is legal to own and sell e-scooters in the UK, it is currently illegal to use them on public roads, pavements, or cycle lanes. There are a few exceptions to this rule. First, E-Scooters can be used legally on private land with the permission of the landowner. Second, the government is currently running trials in 31 regions where it is legal to use rental E-Scooters on public roads and in cycle lanes. To use a rental e-scooter in one of these trial areas, you must have a valid driving licence and be over the age of 18. The government is considering legalising the use of privately owned e-scooters on public roads, but no decision has been made yet. If E-Scooters are legalised, it is likely that there will be restrictions on their use, such as a minimum age requirement and a speed limit. There are a number of reasons why the government is considering legalising E-Scooters. First, E-Scooters are seen as a sustainable and environmentally friendly form of transport. Second, E-Scooters could help to reduce congestion on roads and public transport. Third, E-Scooters could provide a convenient and affordable way for people to get around. However, there are also some concerns about the safety of E-Scooters. E-Scooters, depending on their specification can reach speeds of 40 mph, or more with certain models - which could pose a risk to riders and pedestrians. Additionally, there have been reports of e-scooters being involved in accidents. Overall, the legal position of E-Scooters in the UK is still unclear. However, the government is considering legalising the use of privately owned E-Scooters on public roads. If E-Scooters are legalised, it is likely that there will be restrictions on their use. Government data shows that in 2022, there were 1,402 collisions involving E-Scooters in Great Britain and 12 deaths caused as a result. E-Scooter riders bear the brunt of this. Eleven of the 12 people killed were riders, as were 1,106 of the 1,446 people injured. Last June, Linda Davis was killed after a 14-year-old boy collided with her while riding a private E-Scooter on the pavement. She is thought to be the first pedestrian killed in an E-Scooter collision in the UK. The boy later received a 12-month referral order. Heralded by some as the future of transport when first introduced, E-Scooters are now known for cluttering up pavements and for antisocial behaviour. In the UK, sentiment towards them has soured. According to a survey carried out by the National Accident Helpline, 60% of Britons say E-Scooters should be banned from public roads. In September, Paris banned E-Scooters - Brussels is expected to scale back the number available to rent in the city from 20,000 to 8,000 in January. After four years of continuous growth, E-Scooter ridership in Europe fell for the first time this spring, by 10%. Most UK authorities agree that some kind of regulation is needed, and I am aware that the Metropolitan Police expect the private use of E-Scooters to be legalised in some form or another in the future. An article last week in The Guardian quoted Mark Shaffer, founder of the E-Scooter Defence Fund, a group that advocates for people who are prosecuted for using private E-Scooters. He said "The only people left riding private e-scooters at the moment are either petty criminals or kids". Indeed the image of E-Scooters has been largely tarnished by their use by criminals - masked individuals speeding illegally along pavements. I have been told that many drug dealers use E-Scooters when delivering illicit pharmaceuticals to their drug addict customers. E-Scooters have passionate champions and detractors, but among them there is almost uniform agreement that the government needs to legislate and regulate them. There is a campaign called "Just Put a Reg On It" which wants all E-Scooters to be fitted with mandatory registration plates - although personally I can see a major flaw in this - as I wrote last week, the UK has a major problem with both false and stolen vehicle registration plates. I feel that many of the current E-Scooter users who are part of the criminal fraternity would think nothing of putting a false number plate on their vehicle. Conversely, The Department for Transport estimated that E-Scooter trials across the country had led to a total reduction of between 269 and 348 tonnes of CO2 by December 2021 and said they had replaced car journeys 21% of the time. What do you think? Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

I took the photo above - click on it to see a larger view - yesterday morning whilst on a 99 bus. I was sat in my favoured position - the single seat at the front of the bus, adjacent to the driver. When the bus got to the stop by Brook Street in Upper Belvedere, it became apparent that the previous bus had broken down, and was waiting for a mechanic to arrive. This is the third 99 bus that I have personally witnessed having broken down in the last week. As I wrote in my last update, I overheard a conversation between two bus drivers that seemed to indicate that the bus operating company - Arriva - has recently reduced the frequency of mechanical servicing on its buses from once every week to once a month in an effort to reduce operating costs. It would seem that this seems to be a false economy, as the number of bus breakdowns appears to have substantially increased. I would not be surprised if the cost of recovering a broken down bus and subsequently repairing it far exceeds the bill for a weekly mechanical service. Have you witnessed a broken down bus in the local area recently? Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

The end video this week is a short piece showing Arriva buses in Erith Town Centre and using the De Luci Fish Roundabout - the novelty is that none of them breaks down!