Since the last newsletter, works have begun in sections of Lower Ham Road and surrounding areas. Bad weather conditions have caused some delays but we should soon have a consistent series of sleeping policemen along the entire length of Lower Ham Road. Special traffic calming measures are due to be installed in the vicinity of Albany Sailing Centre and Leander Scouts. A raised platform has already been built outside the children’s playground in Canbury Gardens. Speed cushions will be introduced midway along Woodside, Chestnut and Eastbury Roads, and the Richmond Road junction with Eastbury Road will get a long-awaited entry treatment. Once all this is completed, the area including Lower Kings Road will be designated a 20 mph zone. Thanks to all of you who put forward comments and those involved in the working party on traffic management.

Over the Christmas period both the tennis and the old bowling pavilions were heavily vandalised. This prompted the council, at the January meeting of the Kingston Town neighbourhood committee, to resolve to spend £2000 on more lighting and sensors around the pavilions and the children’s playground. A floodlight will be installed on the boundary of Canbury Gardens, next to and facing the playground, and a new lamp column will be installed on the parks side of the pavilins. The Lighting Department have given an assurance that any light pollution will be kept to a minimum for adjoining residents.

There is also a proposal to install a CCTV camera in the centre of the public tennis courts to cover the playground, pavilions and also the bandstand, with two further cameras to follow. The aim is to deter vandalism and also the dealing and taking of drugs in the Gardens, which is on the increase. CARA has expressed the view that the privacy of local residents must be safeguarded and asked for public consultation on the siting of the cameras and lights, and on the type of lighting. Some work should begin in March, as the public tennis courts are due to be resurfaced and the opportunity will be taken then to lay the necessary cables.

It is inevitable that all the construction work currently going on and the associated heavy vehicles mean a certain amount of mess, but residents were dismayed at just how muddy Skerne Road became and at the particularly offensive graffitti on the hoardings. We’re pleased to see that this has now been cleaned up, and the site manager of Balfour Beatty, Adrian Rogers, has agreed to ensure that this is continued. He has said he would welcome any comments or suggestions and can be contacted on 07949 658089.

Additionally, the lights are currently working all along Skerne Road (at time of writing, at least!) and road markings have been added at the junction of Skerne Road and the east-west link road, to alert traffic to the junction. Thanks to all residents who contacted the site with their comments.

At our AGM we were pleased to extend the CARA ‘patch’ to include Canbury Place, at the request of the residents there – as you border Canbury Gardens we share a common interest. However, we have had very few actual membership subscriptions – so this is a gentle reminder that it’s not too late! This of course also applies to anyone else who just hasn’t got round to joining or renewing membership. As everyone in the CARA area gets the newsletter, opportunity to air views and lobby for action and invitations to meetings whether members or not, benefits are admittedly not very tangible. You do however get the right to vote at the AGM and the satisfaction of showing your support for CARA work and keeping the newsletter going. So please do consider filling in the form below – and thankyou to those who have already done so.

A long awaited dream becomes reality in March when Kingston Theatre puts on its first productions. The theatre isn’t yet fitted out, so you’ll need rugs and cushions but it’s a marvelous opportunity to be there at the start and show your support. The productions are Don Juan in Kingston (a community play), Henry V and A Woman Killed with Kindness.

To: Huw Rees Membership Secretary CARA, 12 Woodside Road

I enclose my membership subscription of £5 per household to CARA for 2002-2003

I do/do not require a receipt.

Name:

Signed and dated:

Address, phone and email: