Two petitions handed to Sadiq Khan raise issues with transport and policing
A Conservative Assembly member and councillors handed two petitions to the London Mayor this week raising issues over local transport and policing.
Thomas Turrell AM was joined by Greenwich Conservative councillors Matt Harley and Roger Tester to present the petitions at City Hall on behalf of Bexley and Bromley residents yesterday morning.
Mr Turrell AM said: “Policing and transport are very important topics and its time that the Mayor sat up and listened to what people want for their local communities, and provide the support they’re asking for.”
The first petition called on Mr Khan to provide a Superloop bus stop in Bexley Village for the SL3 Express bus service, which passes through the village but does not stop there.
Petitioners claim that the stop would help alleviate congestion on Penhill Road and avoid delays to the service.
But, a spokeswoman from Transport for London (TfL) said that introducing a bus stop at Bexley Village War Memorial would add up to four minutes of journey time for passengers.
She said: “We have carefully considered potential changes to the SL3, yet the number of passengers it would delay would significantly outweigh those who would use it to and from Bexley Village.
“While it has not been possible to include a stop in Bexley on the Superloop network so far, we will continue to monitor and review all Superloop routes to get a full understanding of how customers are using the network, working with Bexley council, to improve the bus network across the capital.”
The second petition called on the Mayor and the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) to reverse plans to close the Coldharbour Police Base in William Barefoot Drive, Eltham.
Opponents to the closure claim that moving the police base to Kidbrooke Village would leave residents in Mottingham, ColdHarbour and New Eltham less safe.
But, a spokesman for the Mayor said, the base in Eltham is not a police station and is only used by officers for changeover shift purposes.
A decision was made to close the site in June 2023 due to a “cost-effective” alternative being found in Kidbrooke Village.
Teams currently based at William Barefoot Drive, Warspite Road and Marlowe House are proposed to relocate to the new site in due course.
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “The Met Police is continuing to review the status of its buildings as part of its Estates Strategy and the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) is supporting with this vital work to ensure the best possible service for Londoners across the capital.”
Pictured top: Thomas Turrell AM was joined by Greenwich Conservative councillors Matt Harley and Roger Tester to present the petitions (Picture: Thomas Turrell)