Police station closure consultation

Love Wimbledon has responded to the Mayor of London’s consultation on the closure of Wimbledon Police Station.
Over the past five years we have built a very strong partnership with the local police team to reduce crime in Wimbledon. Building business links, driving forward crime prevention initiatives such as Pubwatch and townlink radio have assisted businesses and the police in keeping crime low. Whilst we understand there are savings to be made we do not believe that the closure of this police station will assist in effective policing of the town and may demonstrate additional costs to the operations of the team.

Wimbledon is the economic heart of the borough, with the 21st busiest station in the country, strong retail and cultural offer as well as a vibrant night time economy. This is all in addition to the eyes of the world being on us for The Championships every year, bringing crowds and publicity. Mitcham police station is not large enough to accommodate Merton Police, requires significant renovation works and will undoubtedly lead to wasted officer time and delayed response rates. Helen Clark Bell stated  “This is not about keeping a front desk open for the reporting of crime, this is about selling the family silver for short term gain, which once sold, will never be recouped. We have raised our concerns about the potential operational impact but also the knock on effect this could have on the long term policing of the busiest town centre in Merton”.

Toxicity Charge starts 23 October 2017

Toxicity Charge part of a package of actions by Mayor of London to help clean up London’s polluted air

The T-Charge comes into effect on Monday 23 October and is part of a package of actions being taken by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to help clean up London’s polluted air, especially nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter. Both of these contribute to thousands of early deaths in London each year and impact our health over the course of our lives, leading to smaller lungs in our children, and greater risk of dementia and stroke when we get older.

The T-Charge is an additional £10 daily charge which applies to older vehicles that don’t meet minimum exhaust emissions standards in the central London Congestion Charge zone. It will be in effect from 23 October 2017 between 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

Cars, vans, minibuses, buses, coaches and HGVs, motorised caravans and horseboxes, breakdown and recovery vehicles, private ambulances, motor hearses, dual purpose vehicles and other specialist vehicle types that do not meet the minimum Euro emission standards are subject to the T-Charge.  Motorised tricycles and quadricycles that are subject to the Congestion Charge are also affected. Motorcycles are not subject to the T-Charge. Use the vehicle compliance checker to find out which vehicles are affected.

The T-Charge can be paid in the same way as the Congestion Charge, using the same payment and operational systems so drivers will be able to pay both the Congestion Charge and the T-Charge in the same transaction.

Discounts and exemptions are broadly the same as the Congestion Charge, however 9+ seater vehicles that do not meet the minimum emission standards will be liable to pay the T-Charge. A full list of exemptions and discounts can be found here.

The charge is intended to reduce toxic emissions in London and help clean up our dangerously polluted air. The best way to help cut these toxic emissions which harm Londoners’ health is not to drive unless you have to. Walking, cycling and public transport are the cleanest ways to travel in central London. Visit TfL’s Journey Planner tool for more information.

If you do need to drive, you can avoid paying the T-Charge by using a vehicle that meets the standards. If you are buying a second-hand vehicle, please be aware that the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) will soon be in force and has stricter standards for diesel vehicles.

If you are purchasing a new vehicle, consider electric, hybrid or alternatively fuelled vehicles. Certain electric and hybrid vehicles are also eligible for a government grant to help reduce the costs of a new vehicle. Car clubs are a great option for those who need to drive infrequently. Plan ahead. Take public transport, walk or cycle where possible, or pay online at tfl.gov.uk/t-charge