Earlier this year Lambeth Council announced plans to relocate 50 refuse and recycling trucks from a site in Shakespeare Road to an industrial estate in the east of the borough. But following their election in May, Labour asked for this decision to be reviewed and adopted a 'not in my back yard' approach by putting forward several different options. Two of the new options involve siting 17 huge recycling trucks in Norwood's Vale Street depot.
In a report to Lambeth's Cabinet, the trucks are generally described as weighing up to 26 tonnes, and "require a significant amount of space to manoeuvre and park and are not able to negotiate uneven or potholed surfaces".
Buses used to be parked at Vale Street, but this was stopped after a major campaign by residents including Gipsy Hill Conservatives.
"The site was inappropriate then and it remains so now," says Gipsy Hill ward councillor Andrew Gibson. "The proposed move is supposedly "temporary", but this could be for up to two years, and there is no fixed long-term site identified in the report, so it could become permanent."
The Council is also not clear about which part of the depot would be utilised. Lambeth Labour have been slow in delivering a multi-use games area and social housing on the site, but they have been quick to propose siting refuse trucks amongst local homes. It is not clear what will happen to these projects if Labour site the trucks there.
"This move would have a substantial detrimental impact on residential areas in Norwood and because Vale Street is in the extreme southeast of the borough, the council's 'carbon footprint' will be substantially increased," says fellow ward councillor Graham Pycock. "Labour's proposals fail every aspect of the triple bottom line - they should be rejected on social, environmental and economic grounds."
The Cabinet meeting to discuss this is at the Town Hall on Monday 17th July from 7.00pm. It is open to the public. A final decision will be made in September.
We need your help to stop this intrusion, which could affect quality of life in Norwood. CLICK HERE to sign our petition online >>
CLICK HERE to read Cllr John Whelan's weblog entry on this issue >>
This issue in the news
Dustcart depot dump dilemma - South London Press, Friday 14th July 2006 [Web]
Dustcart depot dump dilemma - South London Press, Friday 14th July 2006 [PDF]
Town Hall fleet will be split up - South London Press, Friday 21st July 2006 [Web]
Town Hall fleet will be split up - South London Press, Friday 21st July 2006 [PDF]
Playing kids put in peril - The Post, Thursday 10th August 2006 [PDF]
Rubbish truck depot decision a month away - South London Press, Friday 18th August 2006 [Web]
Rubbish truck depot decision a month away - South London Press, Friday 18th August 2006 [PDF]
Weblinks
Vale Street depot petition
Downloads
'Don't mug our MUGA!' poster [PDF]
'Give us play not trucks' poster [PDF]
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