As lamp post charging points for electric vehicles are installed in our area (although only in West Hill Street and one or two other locations, it seems) the wisdom of subsidising these for use by privately owned electric vehicles must be questioned. It would surely be a far better use of public funds to provide more infrastructures for electric buses and taxis than to spend £300,000 on 200 lamp post charging points rated at a mere 3 or 3.6 kW which the RAC has declared are unsuitable for use as on-street charging points for residents. They are unsuitable mainly because of the time it takes to charge, which will typically be 6 to 12 hours. Other drawbacks such as trailing cables, vandalism and finding the lamp post charger already in use by your neighbour can be envisaged, whilst the other impracticalities of owning an electric vehicle for private use are considerable. Continue reading Jim Gowans’ West Hill Watch, Apr 20→
After the festivities, lots of real Christmas trees are dumped onto pavements and removed by the Council at residents’ cost, when it already provides a tree recycling station at Montpelier Crescent – a short walk for anyone living in West Hill/Seven Dials. Recycled trees are shredded, turned into mulch, and then sold on to grow new trees and plants Continue reading BE of West Hill→
Since last year I’ve been experimenting in Clifton Street to see if I can get wild birds to fly in and brighten up the neighbourhood. Alan Titchmarsh with his ‘90s decking and paving garden TV programmes has a lot to answer for when it comes to declining eco habitats! Continue reading Tweeting around Clifton Street→
Residents do not need reminding of Brighton’s problems with on-street waste collection, especially after the Christmas period. Although Cityclean, the Council’s in-house waste and recycling collection service, must bear most of the responsibility, some residents might well reflect on their own irresponsible behaviour in dumping rubbish and items for recycling on the street next to the bins rather than in a safer and more appropriate place. It is surely not unreasonable, for example, to take glass to the glass collection bin rather than to leave it on the pavement next to the bin for paper etc. And if you have a piece of furniture to give away, leave it in front of your own front door or, better still, advertise it online for collection; it costs nothing to do this, after all. Continue reading Jims Gowans’ West Hill Watch, Feb 20→
IT HAS BEEN a little hazy, rather smoky around Sydney of late – at times significantly more polluted than even Delhi or Beijing so, as the natives say, only the ‘firies’ can save us!
The various rescue and firefighting services that do fabulous work in saving human and animal lives, buildings and often complete town centres, are well lauded throughout this state and wide brown land where droughts have lasted years in some instances. It felt fantastical to read of the frequent rain and floods back in the UK – as unreal as Australia must sound to you cold, wet Poms. Brrr! Even recent daytimes in Sydney feature very dark skies with ash raining down, or a blood red sun glaring down from another overcast hot sky; but never any rain here . . . Continue reading Strange Days Indeed→
HAVING BEEN CALLED a ‘Miserable Old Git’ by a local trader who had their white transit van in a Dyke Road disabled bay (because I legally requested he move for me to use it) I have taken photos and note that ‘disabled’ means not a jot to a huge Co-op lorries, Post Office vans, scaffolding lorries, trader vans and other members of the public. If challenged, the invariable reply is, “I am only here for 2 minutes.” Is a disabled driver supposed to disappear whilst that driver completes his shopping or whatever? Unfortunately, we do need more cameras to cover these bays. The fines and points on illegally parked drivers’ licences are high but few get caught!
2020 MARKS THE end of the UN Decade on Biodiversity, and is an opportunity to reflect on the state of wildlife and conservation both globally and locally.
A coalition of local environmental and cultural organisations is preparing to launch Nature2020, a year-long programme of events and activities to celebrate and highlight the natural environment of The Living Coast: Brighton and Lewes Downs UNESCO designated world Biosphere. Continue reading Nature2020→
News and views from West Hill and Seven Dials in Brighton
