Latest news with #LDRS
BBC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
TfL spends £37,000 on clearing Park Lane homeless encampments
Transport for London (TfL) has spent almost £37,000 on removing homeless people from Park Lane since April last year, it has been response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, the transport authority said it had spent the money on court costs and instructing bailiffs and legal counsel, with fairly large encampments basing themselves in the area over each of the last two which owns the green stretch of land running down the dual carriageway, has worked with Westminster City Council to remove the charity St Mungo's called for a compassionate response. TfL said "no-one should be faced with sleeping rough" but that Park Lane was not safe. In its reply to the FOI request, submitted by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), TfL revealed it spent £35,260 in 2024-25 and £1,714 so far this year.A spokesperson confirmed an additional £404 had been spent since the FOI response was received – making a total of £37,378 – with further court charges expected in said people who had been sleeping rough in Park Lane had been made aware they would be removed if they returned and that security staff would patrol the area. In 2021, Westminster City Council staff had to clear piles of rubbish and dismantle an encampment thought to have occupied the space for around seven years. Last October, TfL removed a group of about 40 people from the site having been granted a possession order the month before. Conservative councillors Paul Fisher and Tim Barnes previously said TfL and Westminster City Council needed to "provide a lasting solution" to the camps."Otherwise we will be back at square one," they told the LDRS in May."This is unacceptable at the centre of our capital."A spokesperson for St Mungo's said people facing rough sleeping in London needed to be supported into accessing emergency accommodation, housing in the private rented sector and specialist accommodation. The TfL spokesperson said: "Park Lane is a busy part of the road network that is not a safe place for people to sleep rough and our focus has always been on the safety and welfare of everyone involved."People who have been sleeping rough at this site have been made aware that returning to the site is not an option and that they will be removed."A Westminster City Council spokesperson previously told the LDRS its support services were "comprehensive and there is no reason a person should have to sleep rough – on this site or anywhere else in the city".
Belfast Telegraph
3 days ago
- Health
- Belfast Telegraph
Councillor warns of laughing gas dangers after ‘toxic' den discovered in NI town
Under current legislation, the knowing or reckless supply of nitrous oxide (NOS) for inhalation is banned and dealers face up to seven years behind bars. However, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has found that it can readily be bought online for around £25 a bottle. Slieve Croob representative Alan Lewis said he has personally removed 'multiple cylinders' from the Grove Road after residents complained that they 'can be regularly found at this location'. 'These gas bottles were found with pump nozzles attached and used balloons scattered alongside,' he said. 'There are dozens of these bottles being found on a weekly basis at this location. 'At the moment, we are working on how to dispose of these gas bottles safely. These gas bottles are a real and present danger for younger children who will not know what they are. 'Some of these bottles were thrown away without any thought for others' safety, some even still had balloons attached, which an innocent child could easily pick up and be exposed to the dangers. Inhaling nitrous oxide is dangerous. It's being talked about as a quick high." The potentially deadly gas is typically released into balloons from small silver canisters and then inhaled. Prolonged use can cause vitamin B12 deficiency, anaemia and nerve damage. Doctors previously warned that using the substance can lead to spinal injuries and, in some cases, even death. The DUP councillor warned that, despite the nickname, laughing gas isn't funny. 'This gas starves the brain of oxygen, leading to dizziness, unconsciousness, and in some cases, death,' Mr Lewis said. 'There is a toxic warning label on these for a reason, it's dangerous. 'Some brands are stronger than regular NOS and may contain unknown additives. You never know what you're inhaling. Life is worth more than a 60-second high. Stay smart. Stay safe. Don't be stupid.' The PSNI said nitrous oxide is a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and warned that 'making possession and sale for recreational purposes a criminal offence'. The Northern Ireland Public Health Agency website states that New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) have received a high media profile over the past few years, 'in part because of the difficulties in restricting access to these drugs using the law and also because of deaths in Northern Ireland relating to NPS.'
BBC News
6 days ago
- Science
- BBC News
Kew Gardens opens exhibition focused on supporting the planet
A new attraction opened at Kew Gardens on Friday, featuring 6,500 new plants and 35 Carbon Garden shows how carbon helps to sustain life on Earth, the scale of the climate crisis and how nature can be used to combat it. It aims to inspire visitors to take actions in their everyday lives to support the planet and educate them about how plants and fungi act as "natural allies in climate repair" by capturing carbon and restoring said the attraction was one of its most ambitious garden projects in recent years. Work to build it was carried out this year, after Richmond Council approved the scheme in 2024. The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said visitors with a ticket to Kew Gardens can enter the garden at no extra cost and will see a colourful display of plants reflecting the dramatic rise in average global temperatures over is a fungi-inspired pavilion in the centre of the garden, with a sloping canopy directing rainwater into the rain garden and sheltered space to host school visits and community activities.A feature also shows layers of soil, a rocky outcrop and a layer of coal in the Earth's crust with fossilised plants revealing the hidden world of carbon underground, the LDRS Wilford, designer of the Carbon Garden and manager of garden design at Kew, said: "The Carbon Garden offers a unique opportunity to showcase our ongoing research, combining scientific insight with thoughtful design and beautiful planting to highlight the role of carbon in our lives, how it moves through the environment and how plants and fungi can help us tackle climate change."We hope the Carbon Garden inspires visitors to act and join us in shaping a more sustainable, resilient future for life on our planet."
Scotsman
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Scotsman
Edinburgh roads: Business owner says plans for pedestrian-friendly Dalry Road could force him to move
An Edinburgh business owner has said he could be forced to move over planned road changes in Dalry which will see a number of streets closed for over five months. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The council has put out notice that it will close Orwell Terrace, Orwell Place, Caledonian Place and Caledonian Road for works, which are likely to start from September or October. The changes are part of a project to make Dalry Road more friendly to pedestrians and cyclists. Business owner Alan Wallace, 66, said he may have to leave Dalry over the project | LDRS Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The works have been hailed by a local councillor and the city's transport boss as bringing 'significant improvements' to the area. But Alan Wallace, 66, owner of Wallace's Appliance Repairs, Parts and Sales, has had worries that the overarching project may force him out of Dalry. He said: 'It's already terrible getting parked. Our problem is most of our customers come here in cars, and they can't get parked anyway. 'Because of the double reds, they can't get parked, because the loading bays are all full up. It won't be good for our business. Our customers basically all come in cars.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He said that when the project was first consulted on a year ago, he began looking for an industrial unit to move his shop out of a fear that less customers would drive to his shop. But, believing that the project was not going ahead as advertised, he ditched those plans. He was shocked to hear that the closures, and that part of the project, were going ahead, and said that he had not had any notification from the council about the works. An Edinburgh Council spokesperson said that local residents and businesses would be contacted in the coming weeks about the works, and stressed that the council will engage extensively with businesses in the area to limit the impact of the works. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad They said that it was normal practice to apply for road closures prior to notifying residents about works due to applications needing to be submitted three months before works start. Additionally, they stressed that the works were only planned, and that they could be amended or cancelled before they get underway. The works will incorporate elements of the Dalry Living Locally project, which is set to see a variety of changes made to the length of Dalry Road, as well as the northern end of Gorgie Road to reduce traffic and make the area more walkable and cycle friendly. Some more controversial elements of the project, such as a bus and taxi gate at Haymarket Junction, are being reconsidered after a public consultation held last summer. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad According to the plans, the four roads which are to be closed for works would operate as a one-way system. Caledonian Road and Caledonian Terrace would operate as a one-way street running away from Dalry Road, with the three other roads returning traffic to it. Ross McKenzie, the independent councillor for Sighthill/Gorgie, said: 'This is great news. We already knew that road resurfacing was scheduled for these streets during autumn. 'But it now looks very likely that significant improvements to the pavements will be made alongside this work, including continuous footways at junctions and improved access to Telfer Subway. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'In other parts of the city, such as Tollcross, we have recently seen road resurfacing take place without any improvements for pedestrians. 'While there will obviously be some disruption during the works, there will be no long-term change to current parking arrangements on these streets.' Labour councillor and transport and environment convener Stephen Jenkinson said: 'We're continuing our wider work in the Dalry area with scheduled road resurfacing works at Orwell Terrace, Orwell Place, Caledonian Place and Caledonian Road. 'We have planned ahead and ensured that any potential works have been registered on the Scottish Roadworks Register. Any proposed works are only planned at the moment, and we will be contacting residents and businesses in the coming weeks with further details. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'If plans are progressed then we currently expect the works, which will include continuous footways and raised tables to improve walking and wheeling in this busy town centre, to begin in late September or early October.'
BBC News
22-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Leicester flats demolition plan reveals asbestos concerns
A disused block of flats in Leicester earmarked for demolition would have to be torn down by hand due to asbestos, planning documents Leys building off Upper Temple Walk in Beaumont Leys has been empty for seven years and fallen into a "state of disrepair", the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) City Council wants to demolish it to make way for 52 new homes on the site and on vacant land approved, the authority said it hoped the demolition could be completed in December. The building was bought by the city council in 2019, but two previous attempts to redevelop it came to nothing after building defects resulted in increased project application seeking demolition approval reveal concerns over asbestos in the building, which would need to be "handled carefully" and removed by a licensed company, said the building would need to be torn down by hand, while no crushing or burning of materials would be allowed on the site and no explosives can be used, the authority screening would also be installed to reduce dust impacting on the nearby school and council said it hoped a decision on whether to approve the demolition would be made by 5 September.
