£2 billion boost for Thames Gateway
Local MP John Austin has welcomed a Government announcement of major investment in East London, SE London and NW Kent.
He said "This is great news for Greenwich and Bexley. Plans to develop the Thames Gateway have been in the pipeline for years. Now this Government is making it happen, and it follows the recent good news that the Docklands Light Railway will be extended to Woolwich by 2008."
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott announced on 30th July that £330 million will be spent on regeneration and land reclamation, bringing in private investment of £1.7 billion in the first phase of the strategy to provide 120,000 new homes and 180,000 jobs in the area by 2016.
John Austin said "I am very pleased that £10m has been allocated for dualling the Thames Road at Crayford, which is crucial for the retention and growth of employment in Thamesmead and Woolwich.
"In Thamesmead, there is £2.7m for land reclamation at Tripcock Point, enabling 2,000 new homes to be built. And the Government is offering £10m for Bexley Council and Gallions Housing Association to rebuild Tavy Bridge with a mixture of new development, improvements to shops and community facilities and refurbishment of housing.
"A mixed tenure housing scheme for Felixstowe Road in Abbey Wood will provide new homes for key workers.
"East Thamesmead will get a Technology Park with 80 units for production based on the use of information technology.
"There is good news for the western end of Thamesmead and Plumstead, with £5 million for restructuring the West Thamesmead Business Park in conjunction with the White Hart Triangle Development which has already begun.
"I also welcome the commitment to increase investment in education and skills training, and the prospect of £3 million for Erith Town Centre for much-needed environmental improvements, a public transport interchange, improvements for pedestrians and cyclists and crime prevention measures".
Say NO to more incinerators
The Public Inquiry into proposals to build one of the largest municipal waste incinerators in Europe in this area is drawing to a close.
The proposal comes from a private company contracted to dispose of West London's rubbish, but West London boroughs don't want an incinerator in their area, despite sites being available. They want to dump and burn their rubbish on our doorstep.
Speaking at an Inquiry meeting held at Lakeside in Thamesmead, John Austin said: "The west London boroughs have an appalling record on recycling compared with Bexley and Greenwich. They should deal with their own waste. We already burn half of London's sewage at Belvedere; we have a major clinical waste incinerator in Bexley and industrial processes causing emissions into the atmosphere; and we have one of the highest levels of incidence of asthma and child respiratory disease in the south-east. We should not become the dustbin for west London".
The closing date for objections is now past but the Inspector to the Inquiry has said that he will consider letters up to the end of September. The Inquiry, which is open to the public, is being held at the Marriot Hotel, Bexleyheath, and will end on 3 October. Please send any letters to The Programme Officer, Belvedere Public Inquiry, Marriott Hotel, 1 Broadway, Bexleyheath DA6 7JZ with a copy to John Austin MP.
On the buses
Transport for London (TfL) has extended the 380 Lewisham to Woolwich bus route to Broadwaters and West Thamesmead. The new route has been operating since May and the extended route is the same as the 244.
John Austin MP said: "One of the major problems for Abbey Wood and East Thamesmead was the unreliability of the 180 bus service from Lewisham and Greenwich.
"Last year, I brought TfL chief Dave Wetzel to Thamesmead to see for himself the poor services and isolation of the area. He agreed there were problems and reviewed the services, and as a result there has been considerable improvement in performance".
John also got the 180 route extended to serve the Belvedere Industrial Area, which previously had no public transport service at all.
John holds regular discussions with TfL and Greenwich and Bexley Councils regarding public transport issues and would be pleased to hear the views of local residents.
Waterfront transit
John has campaigned for a rapid transit link from Abbey Wood and Thamesmead to the Jubilee Line at North Greenwich, and although disappointed that the proposed Transit will not be a tram, he has welcomed the promise of a guided bus within the next few years. The bus will run on a dedicated track for part of the route and make the London Underground system more easily accessible to people in Thamesmead and Abbey Wood.
Light at the end of the tunnel
In the early 1980s, John Austin started campaigning for a rail tunnel crossing the Thames at Woolwich. One is now definite and a second could be built.
The Docklands Light Railway extension from City Airport to Woolwich Arsenal will be up and running by 2008. John said: "This will bring new jobs and prosperity to the area and it will enable local people to access jobs in Docklands and the City".
And now a second rail tunnel is on the cards with the Government's initial approval for Crossrail. The core route of Crossrail will be Paddington to Liverpool Street, with a possible extension through the Royal Docks to Abbey Wood. Further public consultation is due soon.
John Austin welcomed the decision as "the best news in years for Thamesmead and Abbey Wood". He said:
"Crossrail is essential for the Thames Gateway to achieve its regeneration potential. It will be several years before the link is built, but the announcement of its go-ahead will in itself attract investment and help to expand employment in the area".
The great stink!
Local residents have had their summer ruined by appalling smells from Crossness Sewage works. "It's an intolerable situation" said John Austin "And until now Bexley Council has been powerless as it is very difficult to prosecute sewerage undertakings". But a recent court case has opened up the possibility of prosecuting Thames Water, who operate the facility. If this proves not to be the case, John is alteady in discussions with Ministers about possible legislation to force companies like Thames Water to clean up their act.
Here to help and serve
To provide a better service for his constituents, John Austin MP has opened a constituency office at
301 Plumstead High Street
London SE18 1JX
(tel 020 8311 4444).
The office is normally open three days a week - Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday - from 10.30am to 12.30pm and 2pm to 4pm.
John also sees constituents by appointment at other times, and he holds four advice surgeries a month in Plumstead, Erith and Thamesmead. For an appointment tel 020 8311 4444.
John is always interested to hear constituents' views on local, national or international issues. Write to him at:
John Austin MP
House of Commons
London SW1A 0AA
e-mail austinj@parliament.uk
fax 020 7219 2706.
John's recent news releases and articles are on his website www.epolitix.com/webminster/john-austin.
