7 August - Bexley Council reaps the harvest it sowed
Another
fortnight, another report on how Lesnes Abbey’s £4·2 million has improved the place - or possibly not.
There is now less fencing around the sad looking Visitor Centre but it remains inaccessible and it remains an unsightly mess.
The Monk’s Garden is in pretty good shape but the weeds in its flower beds
are being allowed to grow although they have a way to go before they rival those
under the ancient Mulberry Tree.
While taking pictures of the Abbey Wood station construction yesterday one of
the station staff suggested I take a closer look at the state of the grass in any
Bexley park. He said that because it is now cut when it is far too long the
mower has been ripping the grass out by the roots and leaves it there. I forget his exact
words on the state of Bexley but it was something along the lines of the whole borough is
suffering from disgraceful neglect. I took up his suggestion in the nearest park.
The man is right, its not hard to find bare patches and what might have been
green is strewn with a brown compost. Maybe Bexley should switch to using a
combine harvester if they are going to let the grass grow to 18 inches before hacking it down.
However only 50 or so feet away the grass is looking good. The answer is
simple. On one side of Abbey Road a neglectful Bexley Council owns the land but
to the north it belongs to Peabody Housing Association and they send in the mower weekly.
Two week’s worth of Crossrail pictures
are in the usual place. Progress on the new platform is largely unseen, electrics for the lighting, public address
system, departure boards and train despatch system. The platform’s top surface is still far
from complete and when it comes into use in two weeks time one lift
will be lost which can only lead to more delays for those who need them. On the
plus side there may be somewhere to sit while waiting for a train.
As of this morning the podium on which the station will be built appears to be
complete and the piled foundation for the Crossrail track which terminates at
Abbey Wood is also close to being finished.
The first of the Crossrail trains was given its first pubic outing this week.
Some words and pictures
may be seen here.