As usual when I attend the Clapham Junction Town Centre Partnership (business associations) meeting, I give a quick feedback on some specific points that were discussed.
The meeting took place in Debenhams (instead of the usual Battersea Art Centre), with an exceptional attendance of more than 20 people!
Exemplar Scheme – St John’s Road
The first thing that was discussed was the Exemplar scheme phase for St John’s Road. The exemplar scheme is the major work on roads and pavements that started 3 years ago and included the revamp of the crossing at the Junction.
The full work is meant to start at the end of April, for 30-34 weeks (~28 weeks for the footpath and ~6 weeks for the carriage works). The first phase will be in front of Debenhams and TK-Maxx for 3-4 weeks. Buses will be diverted (last year diversion used Elspeth Road and Lavender Hill).
The road treatment will be similar to the junction between Eccles, Lavender Sweep and Lavender Hill roads for the 2 segments in front of the public spaces ending Aliwal Road and Eckstein Road: no curve and small pavements similar to the larger ones used on the footpath.
Wandsworth Borough Council and contractors will liaise with residents about the impact on the road traffic, and the exits from some streets when it will be closed.
At the end of the refurbishment, St John’s Road is to become the first 20mph zone in Clapham Junction.
150th Anniversary for Clapham Junction Station
On the 2 March 2013, Clapham Junction Station will be 150 years old as it opened on 2 March 1863. The set up of what is still the busiest station in Europe (until Farrington and CrossRail operates fully) brought development to the surrounding area which was mostly covered with fields in the 19th century and whose population rose from 6,000 in 1840 to 168,000 by 1910.
Wandsworth Heritage Service has released some photos on Flickr and you will find more in the Wandsworth Museum.
We were told during the Clapham Junction Town Centre Board meeting that South West Train (which manages the station) has not planned anything for the specific date, but agreed to “make something” to mark the anniversary sometime during 2013.
It was suggested to print travel card holders to distribute free on the 2nd March, and display a series of old photos of the area in the main concourse.
Debenhams, BAC, police report…
Debenhams is modernising the store from May to October (the Party Shop will be leaving to move to its brand new store across the road). The Battersea Art Centre will be re-branded and change its BAC logo (with red cubes) to display tits full name. The police report told us that they have noticed a surge in crime in the area, with more burglary, phone theft, shops broken… Gangs operate in the area and they arrested 12 youths recently (sentenced for 18 months in prison) and 2 others arrested (in detention centre). Some are local (Winstanley Esate, Battersea park…) but others are coming from Lambeth and Croyden.
