Covent Garden London
The heart of London's West End
Residents & Environment sub-committee report
We have a monthly committee meeting comprising local residents who are interested in the up-keep of standards in both the Westminster and Camden areas of Covent Garden.
We have periodic walkabouts with the appropriate officers from both Westminster and Camden, listing and photographing any defects that we can see or that have been reported to us. They take these back to their departments and place orders for work to be carried out on these defects.
Some of our successes: Russell Street: We have been able to alleviate problems behind numbers 8, 9 and 10 caused by 38 pieces of air conditioning plant - many without planning permission - creating nuisance from vibration and noise to all the local residents.
Westminster City Council have made an excellent job of re-paving Russell Street and we have been able, through co-operation with Mr Akers of the Tree Department, to get four new trees planted on the Opera House side of the road and we are working on an idea of our CGCA chair to place four planters on the opposite side of the road with large shrubs.
Pissoirs: Westminster City Council picked up the idea, suggested by us, to install pissoirs on the streets to try to alleviate (or stop) the use of doorways, etc being used as public lavatories. They initiated this scheme with great alacrity and are installing more of these toilets around the borough. We are trying very hard to get the London Borough of Camden to follow this admirable example.
However, they have turned us down this year, due to budget restrictions and we hope they will follow Westminster's example next year.
Macklin Street: As part of the Boulevard Scheme, the London Borough of Camden have re-paved both sides of the street, greatly improving its general ambience.
Signage has also been altered and better street lighting will follow in due course.
Street cleaning: Westminster has bought two very powerful French street washing and cleaning machines that are able to clean chewing gum off pavements.
Complaint and Defect forms: We now have a system whereby most of the streets in Covent Garden are 6 Covent Garden Community Association Pissoirs in Agar Street - Covent Garden taking a stand against doorway urination regularly monitored so that an eye can be kept of various problems as and when they arise and be reported to the appropriate council. We need more volunteers so that every street is covered. This is not an onerous task and would appeal to anyone living locally who is actively interested in his or her neighbourhood.
If, as a resident or worker in the area you have a specific concern or issue to raise on the following, please do contact us: Roads, Signage, Lighting, Trees, Street cleaning, Refuse collection, Tables and chairs outside cafes, etc, Noise pollution, Drugs and homeless problem.
Michael Wylde, Chair
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