Save Putney High Street

Putney High Street

In Autumn 2005 Stuart launched Labour's Save Putney High Street campaign: a common-sense plan to restore some pride to our greasy, grimy, grubby town centre.

As Labour leader on the Council, Stuart worked with the Putney Society who also campaigned on the issue; hundreds backed our action plan.

But two years on, Putney councillors - all of whom are Conservatives - still deny that there is even a problem: they think the vacant shops, the scruffiness of the environment, the congestion, pollution, fly-posting, clutter and chaotic shopping conditions are the way our High Street should be.

And Putney's Tory MP has been silent on the subject: siding with her Conservative council friends instead of speaking up for the Putney residents she promised to champion. In contrast, Stuart has a record of leadership on this issue.

Stuart says: Not only do Putney shoppers deserve a far better High Street but our town centre is the Putney most visitors get to see. I want a High Street we can take pride in - don't you?

Greasy pavementsStuart's Save Putney High Street survey

1. How clean or dirty do you find Putney High Street to be usually?

Very greasy and dirty
Somewhat greasy and dirty
Passably clean
Very clean
Don't know

 

cracked pavements2. Do you support Labour's plan to repave the entire High Street with York paving, just like Wandsworth High Street has been?

Yes No Don't know

 

3. The Council rejected the opportunity to introduce pavement washing-machines to our town centres in 2006. Stuart supports introducing street washing because sweeping alone just isn't enough to remove the grease and grime that today's 24-hour economy creates. Do you agree with Stuart that Putney High Street's pavements needregular washing as well as sweeping?

Yes No Don't know

 

Closed public toilets4.There always seem to be bags of rubbish on the pavements at all hours of the day, not least because residents living above the shops have no outdoor storage area for their refuse. Stuart argues that there need to be more regular collections of rubbish bags along the High Street. Are you happy with the regularity of rubbish collection in the High Street?

Yes No Don't know

 

pavement clutter5. There's less space for pedestrians because of all the clutter the Council has allowed on the pavements: needless signposts when signs could go on lamp-posts, bollards, the car-park sign outside McDonalds, the grotty pedestrian barriers which bikes get locked up against - reducing pavement space even further, phone boxes, traffic light control boxes and much more besides.

Councils like Hammersmith & Fulham and Kensington & Chelsea are either clearing away this sort of clutter entirely or locating it much more carefully to give pedestrians more space and to improve the appearance of the street scene. Stuart would like to do the same in Putney. Do you agree with his plan?

Yes No Don't know

 

Eye-sore buildings6. Fly-posting on lamp-posts, railings and derelict shops really brings down the quality of the street-scene. The Council could coat all the tactile surfaces (lamp-posts, traffic lights and the like) with a special anti-fly-posting coating. It could also get the utilities to do the same with their control boxes. Is this a good idea?

Yes No Don't know

 

7. Other borough town centres like Clapham Junction and Tooting have in the past benefited from patrollers who cut street crime by up to a third deter littering and help the public with queries. Introducing patrollers to Putney High Street would add about £5 to Council Tax - but would have a major impact on the area of highest crime in the constituency. Would you support the introduction of patrollers?

Yes No Don't know

 

flyposting8. We think the run-down Putney Station needs drastically improving. The ticket machines should be inside, making space for pedestrians on this busy stretch, and the news and confectionary kiosk would be better facing out for everyone to use. The station also needs a lift for the elderly and disabled. Do you support Stuart's plan to push South West Trains, the station owners, to improve Putney Station?

Yes No Don't know

 

9. The High Street's traffic is one of its biggest blights, but it's a very difficult problem to fix. Stuart would like to set up a public Inquiry so that everyone with ideas - however radical - about improving the High Street can have their say and we as a community can have a big discussion about this problem. Do you support holding a public inquiry?

Yes No Don't know

 

bike clutter10. Have the traffic lights at the junction of Chelverton Road that were introduced to improve traffic flow by allowing buses to turn into the garage quicker, cut congestion or worsened it?

Cut congestion
Worsened congestion
No difference
Don't know

empty shop11. In the long term, one of the ways of reducing traffic in Putney would be to relocate the bus garage from Chelverton Road to a slightly further out, but less congested area. As well as cutting congestion, this idea would also release a major site for new shops, affordable homes, parking and local amenities. Do you think it would be worthwhile opening discussions with Transport for London about this?

Yes No Don't know

 

12. We think that setting standards for shop-fronts, and having a communal visual identity running along the High Street will improve the quality of the area, enhance the shopping experience and help attract traders to Putney. Do you support our shop front improvement scheme, which will provide grants to shop owners who work with us to improve the appearance of the High Street?

Yes No Don't know

 

13. Do you agree with us that the overall quality, diversity and attractiveness of shops in the High Street has declined over recent years?

Yes No Don't know

 

14. Part of the reason for this blandness is that Council town centre planning policies have encouraged the wrong type of establishments into the High Street: arcades and 'dime stores', and allowed too many of the same types of shop, like coffee bars, to dominate the area driving smaller retailers out. Do you support Stuart's suggested review of the Council's town centre planning policies?

Yes No Don't know

 

15. The handful of market stalls up by St Mary's Church and in Felsham Road are very popular, and suggest that there's a market for a market in Putney. Would you like the Council to find space to expand and encourage a larger market, like we used to have in Putney (on part of the site that is now The Exchange)?

Yes No Don't know

 

16. Do you want to add any further comments or ideas about improving Putney High Street?  If so, please use this space:

17. Who do you intend voting for at the forthcoming general election?

Labour Conservative Liberal Democrat
Green Other I don't intend to vote

 

18. Who did you vote for at the last General Election in 2005?

Labour Conservative Liberal Democrat
Green Other I didn't vote

 

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