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‘Green’ cars have come to the Bexley Safer Neighbourhood Teams. Bexley Police now have three hybrid cars which use both electric and petrol engines.
The Toyota Prius cars have proved a great success in providing the teams with much needed transport.
They were supplied and funded by the central Safer Neighbourhood Unit, and are supported by National Rental and Toyota.
The SN teams are now able to drive to all parts of their wards, park the vehicle, and then commence foot patrols.
This increases their visibility and accessibility and proved invaluable during the reassurance patrols the teams engaged in during the terrorist incidents in July.
The cars do not have the usual blue light or sirens, but instead carry the SN logo. The teams now have several options when considering how to patrol their ward: cars, pedal cycles, but the preferred option is usually foot patrol.
Chief Inspector Dick Weaver says: “We see the use of cars as an added bonus but not a replacement for visible uniformed officers walking the beat.”
The Mayor of London has named Erith town centre as one of the sites in his ‘100 Public Spaces’ programme.
‘100 Public Spaces’ is a collaboration between the Mayor’s Architecture and Urbanism Unit, Transport for London, the London Development Agency and local Councils. Bexley will be working with these partners, as well as local people, to achieve the programme’s aim of creating exemplary public spaces which establish a lasting legacy for a better quality of life for those who visit, live, work and learn in Erith.
The public spaces identified for improvement in Erith are the Riverside Gardens, part of Erith High Street and Bexley Road. The Riverside Gardens will be enhanced as part of the Erith Western Gateway project, while the roads will be improved in the next year with funding from the ODPM’s Sustainable Communities Fund and Transport for London.
Erith town centre was identified as number 33 in the Mayor’s list of 100 Public Spaces at the launch of a new exhibition this week called ‘Civilizing Spaces: Improving London’s public realm.’
The accolade recognises the importance of Erith town centre to local residents, the borough and as one of the few riverside town centres in the Thames Gateway
Erith Community Safety Action Zone’s Safer Neighbourhoods team will shortly be moving into a property on the Ocean Park estate in West Street. The property has been made available, rent free, by Orbit Housing Association, the costs being shared with Hyde Housing Association. A spokesperson for Orbit Bexley Housing says: “We have listened to our residents and this is another example of how Orbit respond positively to their concerns; it’s partnership in action, putting local peoples’ views first.” The new base will allow the team to be situated at the heart of their ward, and will mean they will be more accessible to residents in Erith, and able to deal with issues in the area more quickly and effectively.
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