I have heard several unfounded rumours over the last week that Bexleyheath Police Station has closed for good; I even overheard a couple on a 99 bus on Wednesday afternoon stating that the station was closed down and was going to be demolished for flats to be built on the site. I had to interject and correct them. The only part of Bexleyheath Police Station that is currently closed is the main public entrance and front desk lobby, which is currently being re-modelled and refurbished. It is scheduled to reopen to the public in June. The rest of the station - the parts not open to the public, are working normally - something I can attest to, as I attended a meeting in the building a couple of weeks ago, as part of my volunteer role in Neighbourhood Watch. If you see any comments on social media, or indeed anywhere in relation to the alleged closure of the station, please correct them, as the rumour is very harmful. Comments and feedback to me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.
Following my recent articles on the apparent unreliability of local buses operated by Arriva, I have had several horror stories sent to me by readers. The account here is typical of many:-"At approximately 18:15 on 6th April a bus on the 428 route broke down on Crayford Way. This was probably due to a failure of the heating system, a liquid was leaking from the rear of the bus as well as a thin cloud of steam drifting through the air. There was a stream of liquid some 50 yards long from the bus to a nearby drain. The bus was evacuated and passengers had to wait for the next vehicle on that route". The same reader also pointed out that many of the buses used by Arriva on local routes are very old; the table below was supplied by them. As you can see, the Arriva buses working locally are at least nine years old, and in some cases as much as fifteen years old. Bearing in mind that the buses are in daily use, the level of wear and tear that they will have experienced will be considerable.
Double Deck | DW class | 2010 | 2 vehicles |
2011 | 32 | ||
2013 | 1 | ||
HV class | 2009 | 3 vehicles | |
2010 | 1 | ||
2011 | 9 | ||
2014 | 9 | ||
T class | 2009 | 10 vehicles | |
2012 | 2 | ||
2015 | 31 | ||
Single Deck | ENX class | 2009 | 7 vehicles |
Withdrawn | vehicles | not included | |
Another transport related story; The expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) to all of Greater London in late 2023 has been a contentious issue, particularly for drivers in outlying areas like Kent. Recent figures show that only a quarter of ULEZ fines issued to Kent residents since the expansion have been paid, suggesting significant resistance to the scheme. Transport for London (TfL) is estimated to have been eligible to claim almost £10 million in fines from drivers in the county since the scheme’s controversial expansion last summer. However, its most recent extension by London Mayor Sadiq Khan in August has seen a huge backlash from motorists in outer London and the home counties. A journalist has submitted a freedom of information request to TfL which reveals only a quarter of fines dished out to motorists with vehicles registered in the county have been paid in the first two quarters it has been operational. Across Kent, there have been 54,571 penalty charge notices (PCNs) served to drivers for entering the zone. If paid in full this would have amounted to £9.82 million, or just under £5 million in eligible funds if settled within 14 days. But of these eligible fines, just 14,142 - around a quarter, or 25% - have been paid. Just 26 have been written off. Compliance rates are even worse the closer you are to the London-Kent border. Of the motorists listed as having a postcode in Bexley, Bromley, Dartford and Gravesham, a total of 13,976 fines remain “open” of the 18,651 issued since last August. This amounts to only 13% having been paid. The ULEZ expansion has been met with criticism from many Kent residents who view it as an unfair burden on those who rely on their vehicles for commuting or essential journeys. They argue that the cost of compliant vehicles is prohibitive, and public transport options are inadequate. here may be a lack of clear and comprehensive information about the ULEZ expansion, particularly among residents who don't frequently travel into Central London. This could lead to unintentional non-compliance and subsequent fines. The process of registering for ULEZ exemptions or discounts may be complex or bureaucratic, deterring some drivers from complying. Additionally, technical glitches with enforcement cameras or online payment systems could be contributing to the low payment rate. The cost of living crisis could be impacting residents' ability to pay fines. With rising fuel costs and general economic strain, the ULEZ penalty may be unaffordable for some.
Last week I published an article commemorating the 65th anniversary of the first broadcast of radio comedy series The Navy Lark; I had a huge response from readers to this piece. In fact, one reader who has not contacted me before sent me his recollections of interactions with one of the cast members, who subsequently went on to be one of the most famous and beloved British actors of his age. What I did not realise was that the actor had a strong local connection. The reader wrote:- "Very interesting. I lived in the UK for some years and really enjoyed the Navy Lark. Sufficiently, that when it was released on CD, I bought the complete set. The story lines never tire me. Jon Pertwee lived in Havelock Road Dartford for some time. If he was working in his front garden, he never failed to chat. (Dr Who time frame,). I found him very polite and a real gentleman. I never realized at the time how much he did in the war. A man to be respected". John Devon Roland Pertwee, known professionally as Jon Pertwee, was a towering figure in British entertainment for over six decades. Born in 1919 into a theatrical family, Pertwee's career encompassed radio, film, television, and stage work, leaving a lasting impression on audiences of all ages. Born in Chelsea, and, having French Huguenot ancestry, his surname was an Anglicisation of "Perthuis", the origins of his surname being "de Perthuis de Laillevault", the family being Counts descended from Charlemagne. Jon was the son of screenwriter and actor Roland Pertwee and distant cousin of actor Bill Pertwee. Pertwee's mother, Avice Scholtz, separated from his father Roland when Pertwee was young. Pertwee was educated at Frensham Heights School, an independent school in Rowledge, near Farnham in Surrey, at Sherborne School in Dorset, and at some other schools from which he was expelled. After school, he applied to the Central School of Speech & Drama, but was denied admittance because of his lisp. He was admitted to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), graduating in 1939. He was accused of writing graffiti about the tutors on the lavatory walls. During the Second World War, Pertwee spent six years in the Royal Navy. He was a crew member of HMS Hood and was transferred off the ship for officer training shortly before she was sunk by the German battleship Bismarck, losing all but three men in May 1941. Later, he was attached to the top secret Naval Intelligence Division, working alongside future James Bond author Ian Fleming, and reporting directly to Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Deputy Prime Minister Clement Attlee. In an interview conducted in 1994 and published in 2013, he said, "I did all sorts. Teaching commandos how to use escapology equipment, compasses in brass buttons, secret maps in white cotton handkerchiefs, pipes you could smoke that also fired a .22 bullet. All sorts of incredible things." In 1942, as a Sub Lieutenant, Pertwee was posted to HMS Valkyrie. Whilst stationed on the Isle of Man he was actively engaged in amateur variety shows appearing in character sketches. It was during this time that Pertwee became one of the founding members of the Service Players, a drama society which remains active to this day. During his time in the Navy, Pertwee woke up one morning after a drunken night out while in port to find a tattoo of a cobra on his right arm. After the war, Pertwee worked as a stage comedian, which included performing at the Glasgow Empire Theatre and sharing a bill with Max Wall and Jimmy James. He began to work as a comedy actor on radio, becoming known for being able to do a variety of comedic voices and accents. He featured Waterlogged Spa, alongside Eric Barker, and Puffney Post Office in which he played a hapless old postman with the catch-phrase "It doesn't matter what you do, as long as you tears them up." On 15 November 1948, at the Wood Green Empire, he was billed as "The Most Versatile Voice in Radio – Jon ('Tear 'em Up') Pertwee from the Radio Shows Merry-go-Round and Up the Pole". From 1959 to 1977, he performed the role of the conniving Chief Petty Officer Pertwee in The Navy Lark on BBC Radio. The fictional ship in the series HMS Troutbridge almost shared its name with the real HMS Troubridge whose commanding officer at one point was a relative of Pertwee's, who wrote to the BBC to provide details of comic incidents on the ship which were then used in The Navy Lark's scripts. After Ronnie Barker left the series Pertwee took on various additional roles in the series. In a departure from the Doctor's first two incarnations, Pertwee's era on Doctor Who was influenced by the James Bond film series. He played the character as an active crusader with a penchant for action and fancy clothes, while the character was exiled to Earth by the Time Lords for much of his tenure and serving as the scientific adviser to Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart and UNIT. He played the Doctor for five seasons from early 1970 to mid-1974, a longer stint than either of his predecessors in the role, although he ultimately appeared in fewer episodes than William Hartnell as the BBC had reduced the production schedule. Pertwee credited his performance as the Doctor with helping him work out exactly who he really was when he was not resorting to comedic disguises or voices. This was because the BBC's Head of Drama, Shaun Sutton, had advised him to act the Doctor as himself: in effect, to "play Jon Pertwee". Pertwee's interpretation of the Doctor was described as "a man of action, supremely confident, articulate, yet also warmly reassuring". This incarnation was credited with being more action-oriented and scientifically minded than early versions of the Doctor. In The Making of Doctor Who, Pertwee himself said "Doctor Who is me – or I am Doctor Who. I play him straight from me". It was reported that in 1971, the BBC paid Pertwee a salary of £650 per week - a considerable fortune at the time. This was the period when he was living in Havelock Road in Dartford - a quite modest address considering his comparative wealth at the time. In early 1974, Pertwee announced he would step down as the Doctor to resume his stage career. After a stint between 1974 and 1978 as the host of the Thames Television murder-mystery game show Whodunnit?, Pertwee took the starring role in Worzel Gummidge, based on the books written by Barbara Euphan Todd. Produced by ITV franchise contractor Southern Television in the initial run, it was first transmitted on ITV from 1979. The series saw Pertwee as a scarecrow, as well as using several comedic voices. The show was an immediate hit, with Pertwee describing it as "becoming something of a cult" after only four episodes had been broadcast. Press interest in the series was high, and it ran on the channel until 1981. Keen to continue beyond this, Pertwee campaigned for the series and it was picked up by a New Zealand network, TVNZ, in 1987. Worzel Gummidge Down Under aired for the next two years and was screened in the UK on Channel 4. In 1995. Pertwee continued on the Doctor Who convention circuit, and with his voice and television acting, until his death; he died in his sleep from a heart attack in Connecticut USA on the 20th May 1996, at the age of 76. On a personal note, I met Jon Pertwee on his very last public appearance, only weeks before his death. The photo portrait above was one of the very last he ever signed. Comments to me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.
Bexley Fire Brigade - March Update. From Clinton Walsh, Borough Commander for Bexley, London Fire Brigade:- "March was a very testing month for the fire service as we had a number of significant fires within the borough. The most notifiable one was in GRANGE HOUSE,SUN COURT, ERITH which had multiple rescues and a mass evacuation from the building. Residents were displaced and provided accommodation in hotels etc and I believe some residents have still not returned. We then had another fire in Thamesmead that affected 3 property’s and again three families had to be re housed while the damage is repaired. We are still attending smaller fires where e-bikes and scooters are being charged on balcony’s catching alight and effecting the whole block. Again it is believed that white goods i.e. fridges, freezers, washing machines were the cause of the fires so please be mindful of how and when these are used. As I have said previously the LFB have again promoted the campaign to try to educate member of the public on the dangers of charging these items within their homes. I cannot stress enough to be very careful where you place these items before charging. Only use chargers provided with the equipment and do not use untested or reclaimed chargers. If you would like to invite me to any of your meetings, I am happy to provide information on how you can be safe at home or in work. The link below will give you more information and considerations about electrical items and using them safely. https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/safety/the-home/electrical-items/batteries-and-chargers/ Do not place them in your escape route where you may become trapped as a result of a fault in the product. Avoid storing, using or charging batteries at very high or low temperatures. If you see damage in the battery pack or product please get these checked as safe before re using. Never cover chargers or charging devices – that includes using your laptop power lead in bed. For safety information please use the following link. https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/safety/lithium-batteries/ "
