Tag Archives: Myatt's Fields Park

New move to ensure childrens’ road safety close to a Myatt’s Fields school

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Local children will be protected from speeding vehicles near a local school under plans tabled by Lambeth Council.

The “school street” initiative for Christ Church school is part of a borough wide programme that has been in operation for a number of years. Your local Labour team has been pressing for the inclusion of the school following representations from parents and residents.

Under the scheme, some nearby streets are temporarily closed at times when pupils are arriving or leaving schools — the beginning and the end of the academic day. The details are to be confirmed, but the council has set a likely starting date for Christ Church of May next year, probably briefly shutting Cancell Road between Elliot Road and Eythorne Road.

Myatt’s Fields councillors Paul Gadsby and Annie Gallop said:

“This is a good step by Lambeth Council which we do welcome: residents have been pressing for sometime for the area around Christ Church to be made safer for children during peak times for the school. We would like to thank everyone who has been in touch with us about this issue.”

Councillor Rezina Choudhary, Cabinet Member for a Sustainable Lambeth and Clean Air, commented:

“Cllr Paul Gadsby and Cllr Annie Gallop have made it very clear to the council that more needs to be done to tackle the traffic problems around Christ Church School which have been a cause of real concern for local parents.

“We have listened to their lobbying, and believe a school street will be a significant step towards protecting local children and reducing traffic around the school at peak times. We do realise there is a lot still to be done across Myatt’s Fields, including addressing the congestion issues on Loughborough Road and dangerous driving around Myatt’s Park, the Myatts North and South estates. We’ll continue to work with councillors and residents on all of these challenges, especially as the borough has announced a substantial package of funding for the area.”

Local councillors and MP call for crackdown on anti-social behaviour around Myatt’s Fields Park

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Local Myatt’s Fields councillors and Vauxhall’s MP Flo Eshalomi have called for a crackdown on a recent spate of anti-social behaviour around Myatt’s Fields Park.

Residents have been in contact with their local representatives following disturbances during the summer in which a small group of people harassing passers-by, allegedly causing criminal damage and intimidating residents. Local businesses have also complained that their livelihoods were being put at risk.

Cllr Paul Gadsby, Cllr Annie Gallop and local Vauxhall MP Flo Eshalomi, said in a joint statement:

“The recent reports from the streets around Myatt’s Fields Park are completely unacceptable Everyone has a right to feel safe and secure on our streets.

“In response to these reports, we have:

  • Received a commitment from local police that they will be stepping up patrols and carrying out other activity in the area aimed at protecting the community. The local police team say they have spoken to those involved and are using local CCTV to identify any unacceptable behaviour.
  • Raised our concerns with Lambeth’s top police officer – the Borough Commander – and pressed for this issue to be a priority.
  • Attended meetings with residents and the police to  listen first-hand to the concerns of local people.

“We find it encouraging that this action appears to have resulted in a decline in anti-social behaviour during the latter part of August, but we will continue to press for local residents to be protected from any criminal activity.”

The local representatives urged residents to report any criminal behaviour to the police via 999 or 101: the neighbourhood police team can also be contacted here.

Do you have an idea for a “parklet” in Myatt’s Fields?

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Roaside parking spaces in Myatt’s Fields are set to be handed over to residents to be converted into an outdoor community area.

Local neighbourhoods are being asked for their ideas to make streets greener and cleaner as part of Lambeth council’s new ‘parklet’ programme, supported by the Big Shift development fund.

Parklets are car parking bays that are repurposed to become public spaces that can be enjoyed by everyone. Each Ward in the Borough will get one, including Myatt’s Fields.

Residents can submit their designs for their own local community parklet, which they would help to maintain. They could include creating new social spaces with tables and seating, extra cycle storage or new green space. Residents are also being asked to nominate areas where they would like to see a parklet.

Cllr Rezina Chowdhury, cabinet member for Sustainable Lambeth and Clean Air, said:

“Parklets are a great way to create spaces where people can meet, socialise, and make neighbourhoods more pleasant by increasing greenery.

“Parklets can play a huge role in bringing people together whether it’s to sit down and have a chat or work together to tend new community gardens.

“We want as many local people as possible to tell us why their areas could benefit from new public space.”

Local councillors Paul Gadsby and Annie Gallop said:

“Myatt’s Fields has a rich history of the community driving forward gardening, bio-diversity projects and green space improvements. Across our neighbourhood we have many parks, allotments, planters and gardens that are there because local people care and invest in them – with Myatt’s Fields Park being a particularly shining example.

“With residents’ support we have helped to secure funding and support for a number of projects, including for a rewilding project on the Knatchbull Road roundabout, a new sustainable drainage scheme on Myatt’s Fields South and a tree planting programme that is particularly focused on our estates.

“We encourage residents to come forward with ideas and suggestions for the parklet project: in 2021 we successfully lobbied the Council to refurbish the Cowley Road and Vassall Road junction with new cycle paths, green planters and level accessways. This is the kind of seemingly small scale transformation that can make a real difference to the local area. So, please get your ideas in to the Council!”

Find out more about the Community Parklet Scheme and submit your designs before the deadline on May 28.

Myatt’s Fields communities to benefit from Lambeth’s tree-planting promise

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Local estates in Myatt’s Fields will be among the first to benefit from Lambeth’s promise to plant thousands of trees across the Borough

Lambeth Labour have committed to plant more than 5,000 trees to enhance our communities and help address the climate emergency.

The ward’s Labour councillors have welcomed the initiative and pledged to lobby for more planting in the area.

New trees will appear on the Cowley estate, at locations including near Lauderdale and Garlinge Houses. Other sites include:

  • Myatt’s Fields South estate
  • Vassall Road
  • Penford Road
  • Templar Street
  • Tindall Street
  • Halsmere Road

Two new trees will also be planted in Myatt’s Fields Park.

Local Councillors Paul Gadsby and Annie Gallop said:

“We are delighted that twenty one new trees will be planted in Myatt’s Fields: new landscaping and green planting really helps enhance our local community, and, of course, plays its part in addressing the climate change emergency.”

“We are particularly pleased these tree planting plans come hot on the heels of other positive environmental announcements, including the Bees Road plan for the Knatchbull roundabout and the sustainable drainage scheme for Myatt’s South estate.”

“We will keep lobbying for further tree planting across our area in the years to come.”

Councillors Paul Gadsby and Annie Gallop

Myatt’s Fields Park features in a proposed crackdown on irresponsible dog owners in Lambeth

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New measures to counter complaints about dog behaviour across Lambeth are being tabled by the borough council.

The council claims that increased pet ownership due to the pandemic has brought with it a jump in the number of reports of anti-social incidents across the area. A range of responses is being proposed, among them imposing “leads-only” policies in some public spaces, including the seating area outside the Little Cat Cafe in the park.

The cafe already asks customers to keep their dogs on leads but, if Lambeth’s proposals are enforced, owners who fail to obey new borough-wide rules may be issued with a £100 fixed-penalty notice. The regulations would also cover other areas of the park including the football pitch, the picnic area, the quiet garden and tennis courts.

On the Cowley estate dogs would be formally excluded from play areas outside Durlock, Hamway, Seasalter and Knowlton houses, as well as other playgrounds elsewhere in the Ward.

Lambeth wants to hear the public’s views before pressing ahead and has launched a consultation, which closes on March 26th.

Also included in a wide range of proposals are measures to curb dog fouling and limit the number of animals controlled by commercial dog handlers.

In a report to councillors, officers noted incidents including an attack on a child in Brockwell Park, several dog-on-dog attacks elsewhere and animals left to roam freely.

Cllr Rezina Chowdhury, Lambeth’s Cabinet Member for Sustainable Lambeth and Clean Air claimed that the proposals amounted to a “fair and reasonable” response given the increase in incidents.

Myatt’s Fields Labour councillors Paul Gadsby and Annie Gallop said:

“Most dog owners in the Ward act responsibly and it is important to encourage a pet friendly borough. We are keen to see what residents think of these proposals, especially those related to Myatt’s Fields.”

Penguin Michael Joseph wants to collect your memories of Myatt’s Fields Park

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Myatt’s Fields’ Park has set up a new initiative with Penguin Michael Joseph to collect memories and reflections from local residents about the Park.

To take part, residents can until 24 November drop letters into the Little Cat Cafe in the park or send them too: jademacestudent@gmail.com

More information below:

New funding for sustainable travel in Myatt’s Fields

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Myatt’s Fields is to get a share of a multi-million pound investment by Lambeth Borough Council aimed at boosting sustainable travel across our communities.

Called ‘The Big Shift’, it follows a campaign by councillors Annie Gallop and Paul Gadsby calling for action to address serious traffic-related issues, including rat-running and heavy congestion. The councillors welcomed the move and thanked the authority for taking notice of the many residents who supported their campaign.

Launching the new funding programme, Lambeth Council said:

“The climate crisis and the rising cost of living pose very real threats to the livelihoods of people who live and work in Lambeth today. If we are to meet those challenges head on and create a more equal borough for all of us, we all need to make changes in our lives – including in how we travel around Lambeth. That’s why we have launched The Big Shift – a £17.7 million investment which brings life to Lambeth Labour’s ambitious plan to cut air pollution, reduce road danger, support access and mobility, and help people choose public transport, walking, cycling, and scooting more often.

“Over the coming months we will announce new school streets, more protected cycle lanes, a huge increase in bike storage for residents, more electric vehicle charging points, community grants for local greening projects, investment into micromobility hubs, parklets and new walking routes, and seven new Low Traffic Neighbourhood schemes. We are also supporting local businesses to make the transition to making deliveries by e-cargo bike, in partnership with Peddle My Wheels.”

Myatt’s Fields is one of the target areas that will receive part of the investment: this followed a campaign by Cllrs Paul Gadsby and Annie Gallop which highlighted a variety of traffic problems in the community, including congestion on Loughborough Road, speeding around Myatt’s Fields Park and rat running along Patmos and Akerman Roads. Recently, councillors handed in a survey of more than 200 residents about these issues and organised a walkabout in the area for Cllr Rezina Chowdhury, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Lambeth and Clean Air, to see first-hand some of the worst hotspots and meet local residents.  Lambeth Council’s research has identified parts of our ward as suffering from the worst traffic related problems in Lambeth. 

Cllr Paul Gadsby and Cllr Annie Gallop said:

“It is really positive news to see that Lambeth has acknowledged the problems on our local roads: we are particularly grateful to Cllr Chowdhury for listening to residents who contributed to our recent surveys and for visiting Myatt’s Fields to meet residents who have to live with dangerous driving or heavy congestion on a daily basis.

“Lambeth Council has given us a pledge to work with local residents to find how best to use the new funding, with discussions beginning in the next financial year.”

More information about the “Big Shift” can be found here.

Lambeth urged to act on traffic problems following two residents’ surveys in Myatt’s Fields

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Local Labour councillors are demanding new action on traffic in Myatt’s Fields, based on evidence gathered in two snapshot surveys.

The surveys – organised by Cllrs Paul Gadsby and Cllr Annie Gallop – revealed strong support for action to deal with speeding vehicles and dangerous driving around Myatt’s Fields Park and Akerman Road. The results of the petitions, based on two questionnaires, were handed into Lambeth council by Cllr Gadsby on behalf of the Labour team.  Lambeth Council are now formally required to respond to the surveys.

The councillors said:

“Thank you to all residents who took the time to fill in the surveys. They clearly demonstrate real concerns about speeding vehicles and dangerous driving in these closely connected neighbourhoods.

“As councillors, we have also received similar speeding concerns on Patmos Road which connects into Akerman Road, and a local Residents Association on Loughborough Road has been highlighting for many years problems with congestion there.

“ We are asking Lambeth Council to take a look at all these issues together and put in place a comprehensive plan that makes local roads safer.“

The headlines from the surveys, which were prompted by local concerns, are:

83 responses were received to the Myatt’s Fields Park survey, with 160 residents saying there was a problem with speeding cars in the area. In this survey, the top asks from residents were:

128 – Better enforcement of the 20mph speed limit

113 – Introduction of speed bumps

82 – Better facilities for cyclists

32 – Improvement/resurfacing of local roads

55 responses were received for a survey about speeding on Akerman Road, with 52 respondents stating there was a problem with speeding on the road.

A variety of suggestions were made about how to tackle the problem, including better enforcement of the 20mph speed limit, including the introduction of speed cameras, and  speed humps being put into the area.

Cllr Paul Gadsby at July’s Lambeth Council meeting