Aircraft noise

I am writing in support of the letter by Carolyn O’Donnell regarding aircraft noise.

We are regularly awoken at around 5 am by the sound of aircraft engines being ‘run-up’ and the subsequent takeoff from the city airport which is then followed by the aircraft over the Bexleyheath area at low altitude.

It is time to put a stop to this unnecessary practice, people wishing to travel at that hour are scarce and any such travel is well catered for at Heathrow or Gatwick.

When the airport was opened it was on the understanding that only quiet turboprop aircraft would be allowed to use it. However it does seem the greed of developers and city fat cats has been allowed to negate the promises made to local residents.

Time top put a stop to this NOW!

Mr M.Barrett,

Bexleyheath

Blitz over Sidcup

Your response to Carolyn O’Donnell’s letter (September), regarding increased air traffic over her garden, was, I think, going too far!

You suggested that readers contact their MP or local Councillor , providing them with the ammunition with which to act. I’m astounded that as a former flyer yourself, you should recommend such drastic and dangerous action and would hope people won’t take you literally, or they may find themselves in trouble with the aviation authorities for unfriendly fire.

John Steward,

Bexleyheath.

Low flying aircraft

Further to the letter in the Chronicle this month about the problem of low flying aircraft. In June I logged about eight large aircraft flying over the Blackfen/Bexley area between the hours of 2-4am (the middle of the night)?

I wrote to Derek Conway and gave him all the details. To be fair he did reply within two days saying that “he would look into the matter...” but I have heard nothing further.

Since then there have been more night flights. I telephoned BAA at Heathrow

and was told that the flights left their departures late and there was nothing they could do about it.

I am now confused as I understood flights were banned between the hours of 11.00p.m and 4.00am! I keep getting fobbed off in my efforts for information. I think Aircraft noise is bad enough during the day without having to be kept awake at night as well. Surely we are all entitled to a good nights sleep.

Paul Duffy-Goodman,

Sidcup

We have also received a numbers of letters regarding helicopters over Bexley. Three asked why these machines were not fitted with exhausts to make them quieter! Ed

Low flying aircraft

I’m writing to complain about the number of low flying aircraft where I live.

Every day from morning to late evening we are subject to this awful noise.

With doors and windows open at this time of the year it is hugely noticeable, and so frequent as to make it necessary to close these and make do with cooling fans.

We find ourselves under the flight path in to City airport something that has developed without discussion with resident groups.

This noise must, in time, devalue our houses. And the volume is increasing. Why is this noise pollution allowed to continue?

Mr S. Spurling,

Blackfen

Are Social Services fair?

Have any readers (or perhaps you know of someone?) who has had a complaint against Social Services, and due to the lack of satisfactory outcome in the preceding stages of pursuing that complaint, has asserted their right to put their case before a Social Services Review Panel?

If so, there are some important questions you should be looking to have answered.

The review panels in Bexley are made up of two members of the council, and an Independent Chair-person. The question is: How do you know the one introduced as the Independent Person actually IS that person? Were you shown any proof of identity? If not, how do you know that you’ve had a properly conducted hearing?

Under the terms of the Local Government Act, each council must have a complaints procedure. However, some leeway is allowed as to what that procedure actually is.

To each complainant, their case IS serious. I find the lack of any necessity to provide unquestionable proof of identity by the ‘Independent’ person completely unacceptable, unreasonable, and outrageous. One is meant to merely accept the purely verbal assurances one is given? Everything is open and above board .. because you’re told it is!

It is largely irrelevant now, but my own dispute began with my taking exception to the length of time it took, to gain access to my adoption/fostering records at my VERY FIRST ‘counselling’ session I had to provide proof of my identity .why the double standards?

I trust that everyone can see that this lack of regulation, is potentially allowing the proverbial ‘Coach & Horses’ to be driven through the most important section of the complaints procedure.

I have asked many officials many questions, but have never received what I consider to be straightforward answers. I shall continue asking!

Stephen Barthorpe

Welling 

High Street Post Office

I wonder if other readers have contacted you about our High Street Post Office? As a user of a mobility scooter I find I am dependent on the "kindness of strangers" to enter the building. There is a heavy door which is not automatic and I am forced to sit outside like a stray puppy until a kind soul comes along and opens and holds the door for me so that I can get in. (Of course, the same thing happens on the way out as well!) I know I am not the only disabled Post Office user, I have seen others there. It must also be almost as awkward for mothers with buggies, for example.

I did attempt to contact the Post Office about this but only received this reply:

"Dear Mrs Ford

Thank you for your email. In order to resolve your complaint, I have forwarded your e-mail to the relevant department who will contact you directly once their enquiries are complete.

Regards

Kimberley Cleland

Customer Service Advisor"

I must emphasise that the staff at the Post Office are always helpful and caring and always try to ameliorate a bad situation.

Gail Ford

Selborne Road, Sidcup

Kept in the dark!

Can the Chronicle help? I’m a disabled lady who goes to the Queen Elizabeth Foundation Centre in Dartford. We have been told our Centre is closing down next year, only nobody seems to know if this is true or not. We have been out in all weather to get people to sign our petition to keep our Centre open.

If it is to close where will we go?

Mrs Liza Taylor,

Swanley

Len Colegate

My friend Len would have been 80 in November has died. When I saw him in Quen Mary’s with a drip, on oxygen, barely able to move, so different from when I first met him. His hands were freezing. I held them in mine to warm them. He was dehydrated. It took me an hour to get him to sip a small glass and a half of water. He has lost a lot of weight, too weak to speak much. I took some fresh chicken soup but he could barely take it. The nurses said they only gave one pillow per patient, so I propped him up with his dressing gown behind the one pillow deemed sufficient.

A few years ago he was a fine figure, energetic and always busy in his allotment or in his garden where he made good use of the greenhouse. He was my Morning Glory man for the wonderful blue ones, and other colours, he grew and gave away generously. 

Rita Grootendorst

Sidcup

Politically correct

With regards to the letter by John Steward (September issue) concerning the Black Police Association.,whose comments I heartily agree with but does he know that there is also a Black only housing association and black only newspaper “Echoes”.

I wonder what the political correct and black pressure groups would say if there were white only organisations? It seems like there is one law for black groups and another for white. Also nowadays there seems to be blatant preference given to ethnic minority members of our society over the indigenous population particularly with government employees ie. police,and firemen etc. The same applies with some councils giving preference to minority youngsters for apprenticeship places to the detriment of others.

P. Murray, 

Sidcup

New route map for cyclists

As a non-cyclist I am appalled when I look at the recommended cycle routes around Sidcup. Diverting cyclists off main roads is all very well. However I sincerely question the recommended routes. Take, for example the recommended route between Sidcup Station, Sidcup High Street and beyond. Coming from the Station this diverts cyclists into a very tricky junction round Hatherley Crescent into Hatherley Road. Hatherley Road has parking on BOTH sides of the roads and part of it is a bus route. It then diverts into Granville Road. Again, parking on both sides and a bus route. Then into Hadlow Road - parking both sides and a bus route. Sidcup High Street is officially a no parking area but this route then goes through the worst and narrowest part of the high street and then into Church Road. Words almost fail me! Narrow windy Church Road is so dangerous just for pedestrians on the pavements. If cyclists use the Station Road - Sidcup High Street route they can be seen. There is no official parking on either side of this route and you do not have to cycle an extra distance to accomplish the same journey.

I then look at the recommended safe cycling route between Church Avenue, Sidcupand Maidstone Road, Footscray. For a start a cyclist has to cross over Sidcup Hill into Rectory Lane. This is really nasty. Rectory Lane is narrow, very winding and has no pavements for the major part of its route. It then emerges into Footscray High Street, again an ancient narrow road with buses, a even trickier narrow bridge and into Maidstone Road. A cyclist has to travel a far greater distance than using Sidcup Hill.

I could go on. However I am not a cyclist. Perhaps cyclists dolike these very risky and long routed recommendations.

Jean Gee (Mrs)

24 Elm Road,

Sidcup, DA14 6AD

Public subsidy for private house sales!

I believe Orbit Bexley Housing Association, has received a public subsidy grant from the Housing Corporation of £680,000 to assist in a build of 32 affordable homes for ‘Key Workers’ in Erith. 

The prices of these homes is astronomical and well beyond the purse of a ‘Key Worker’, apparantly they have only sold 4 homes in the guise of’ Key Worker’ homes . The remaining homes are now being sold on the open market at full market value and our landlord has been given permission to do so by the Housing Corporation; and to keep the public subsidy grant. I believe that since putting the homes for general sale they have sold more than another 10 homes.

Concerned Resident

Thamesmead

• Helen Muir, Head of Home Ownership for Orbit First Step (part of the Orbit Group) says: ‘Orbit Bexley Housing Association does not own the properties in question; they were developed by, and are owned by, Orbit Housing Group Ltd.

Orbit First Step (OFS) is currently marketing the 32 New Build HomeBuy (shared ownership)apartments at Wharf House, Erith for sale, with 11 properties already being sold subject to contract.

The properties were marketed specifically for key workers for three months; subsequently the Housing Corporation agreed to lift the key worker restriction and OFS is now marketing the properties for saleon a New Build HomeBuy (shared ownership) basis to applicants who fall into one of the Housing Corporation’s Priority Groups as defined in the Corporation’s Capital Funding Guide.

The Priority Groups include: tenants of a Registered Social Landlord (RSL) or Local Authority, people on housing waiting lists, first time buyers with a maximum income of £60K, and key workers.

The apartments are not being sold on the ‘open market’ - they are being sold on a shared ownership basis and are being marketed by OFS. The apartments will not be sold to investors for ‘buy to let’ as the terms of the New Build HomeBuy lease agreement do not allow a purchaser to sub let the property.

The report the OBHA Independent Leaseholder Group has supplied includes calculations suggesting that the apartments are not affordable to key workers. However, we have carried out an affordability calculation based on Housing Corporation guidelines for a policeman paying a mortgage interest rate of 7% (rates of 8 and 9% illustrated are high).While we do not include ‘monthly rates’ in our affordability calculations (we assume they are referring to council tax), based on our calculation the policeman would be spending 37% of his net income on his shared ownership rent, service charge, and mortgage repayments which falls within the Housing Corporation’s guideline of 45%.

With regards to flooding, the properties would be covered under Orbit’s block buildings insurance policy as they will have been sold on a shared ownership basis.’

• Many new housing schemes are being processed in Bexley which include a high percentage for so-called ‘Key Workers’ yet it is said there are not enough of these people available to live in them whether for sale, rented or earn enough to afford shared ownership. Ed

Gateway Bridge

Well here we go again. ‘Not in my back yard’.  If the people against the bridge were to pay every time they crossed the Thames - would they like that. Remember Dartford has three crossings - two under and one over, and now the rail tunnel further down river. A new bridge up river will stop the fumes of the stop/start traffic queuing for the free Woolwich ferry.

The people against the bridge should try to accept that in the end this will be built and at a far greater cost than originally estimated due to all the unnecessary enquiries as to whether or not to continue with the project.

Let’s face it, practically everyone wants to own and drive a car these days. Perhaps the answer is to cut down on the ribbons of roads and traffic fumes would be cut down to on the population and only have two children per family and not accept so many immigrants.

GK Bell,

Dartford

Gateway Bridge (2)

Of course Greenwich Council want the bridge. After the bridge leaves the flyover at Thamesmead and travels up Knee Hill (newly constructed motorway through the ancient woodland) Ecological disaster. 

No more inconvenience for Greenwich residents.

Unfortunately now the road enters the residential area of Bexley and there is no way the increased volume of traffic can be absorbed in to the narrow residential roads that surround the top of Knee Hill without ruining the environment and property values over a considerable area.

It is obvious the heavy traffic will want to get to the A2 as quickly possible Brampton Road and Danson Road and beyond will become a nightmare. Greenwich Council do not realise the problems (or more likely couldn’t care a less).

Just another example of this governments ridiculous planning and total lack of foresight. Act first and leave some other unfortunate to pick up the pieces.

Also the idea of increased tolls to reduce the the traffic! What’s the point of the bridge?

Mr L.J.Smith,

Bexleyheath

Planning Matters

Should our planners give permission to build blocks of flats when they know there are problems of those flat owners being able to access a suitable water supply?  Somewhere for their sewage to go? And effective drainage?

The answer is apparently not. They say “.... however these are matters for other authorities to address rather than as part of this planning application.”

Jean Gee,

Sidcup