Summer in Putney, car ownership & car clubs, dog issues and more ....

There are few better spots to cool down during this hot weather than the Putney riverside. From Wandsworth Park to Barn Elms there are tree-lined walks and pleasant cafes and bars which draw people from far beyond the immediate area.

And with Putney and Wimbledon Commons on our doorstep it's easy for all of us to escape the city heat.

Although many people, particularly young families and older people, need a car to get there, Richmond Park is another one of the great things about summertime in Putney. So it's no surprise that opposition is growing to the Royal Parks Agency's proposed new parking charges.

Following a meeting with managers from the government agency last week it became clear that no thought had been given to public transport alternatives and no surveys carried out of the effects of overspill parking outside the gates.

The three boroughs around the park – Wandsworth, Richmond and Kingston – are now joining forces to fight the proposals. We will be urging parks minister Barbara Follett to publish the full results of the recent consultation before any decision is made.

Good news for people in Putney and Roehampton who want to cut down on car ownership costs.

The council and its car club contractor Streetcar have just created three new parking bays where club members can pick up a hire car. That's on top of the nine that have already been installed throughout SW15.

The new locations are at Hotham Road – east of the junction with Charlwood Road , Bessborough Road close to the junction with Alton Road and Longwood Drive – just off Roehampton High Street . The great thing about joining a car club is that you can use the vehicle for as short a period as one hour before returning it to its parking place for the next user.

The council has recently finished consulting on new dog control orders that, among other things, would help to deal with the problem of people not cleaning up after their dog. There's few things more annoying than dog mess on the pavement.

These days more and more people are picking up after their dog.  But there is still a minority who do not seem to accept their responsibilities to others.

Once we've finished going through the consultation responses it's likely the measures would come in later this year, making it even clearer that this form of anti social behaviour is simply unacceptable

Edward Lister
elister@wandsworth.gov.uk

July 2, 2009

Edward Lister is the Leader of Wandsworth Council and a member for Putney's Thamesfield ward.