6 October (Part 2) - Sidcup. Will it ever recover?
I could have sworn that I heard Mrs. Richardson, Deputy Director of Strategic
Planning and Regeneration, say at
the last significant council meeting (22nd
July) that Sidcup High Street would be back to normal before the end of
September but I saw little sign of it when I
took a look just over two weeks
ago. The opportunity arose to go back there today and it was hard to see any further
progress. So that’s another target date missed and this time the fingers
cannot be pointed at the poor weather and rain which were blamed previously,
September was apparently the driest on record.
Mrs. Richardson answers a question from Sidcup councillor Rob Leitch at the last Scrutiny Committee meeting…
The main feature of Sidcup High Street today was traffic congestion in every direction. It’s been much the same since last January and it’s surprising that more people don’t try to avoid it.
The Hadlow and Hatherley Road junctions are said to have been designed as
town squares and at least one event has already been held there. That being the
case I would have expected the public seating to consist of more than one bench,
but it is a unique one. (Photos 10-12.) Not only is it an unforgiving water accumulating solid
chunk of granite, it also has a back rest which doesn’t line up with the bottom
rest. Clever stuff! Maybe it will win another award for town planning.
All the above photos taken around 13:30 today.