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Growing support
for Love L8 Scheme
THE latest project in the
Love L8 programme is a genuine grassroots scheme; which has
unearthed part of the city’s history. Love L8 celebrates
Liverpool 8 and its history.
The city council is working with
residents, local businesses and social enterprises, to brighten up
the area with a number of green spaces and grot spots being brought
back into use.
A community growing scheme has now been opened on unused land at
Beaufort Street next to a rail shaft that covers the line that runs
through Dingle.
Because of its location it is never likely to
be developed and has been the scene of anti-social behaviour for
some time. To bring it back into productive use and to
satisfy demand in the area; it was decided that it would be an
ideal site for a community growing scheme.
Local Social Enterprise, Include Environmental Service, carried out
the works to the land, creating raised planters, areas of land to
‘farm’, laying turf, upgrading fencing and increasing security.
During the works an old cobbled road was uncovered. Local historians
said this was the old Chapman Street and it has now been
incorporated into the design of the scheme. As a result it has been
named Chapman Gardens.
To manage the scheme, the Southern Neighbourhood Council has been
signing up local green fingered people who will tend the planters
and land.
“This is a very imaginative project which makes great use of a
piece of land which was never likely to be developed. It
will now be a real community asset which will be looked after by
local people who care about their environment and neighbourhood. It
has also come about as a result of a lot of partners working
together to make this happen.” said
councillor Steve Munby, cabinet member for neighbourhoods.
Partners who worked on the project- which cost £12,000; included
the city council’s neighbourhoods services, Include Environmental
Services, Plus Dane, Liverpool Mutual Homes, Southern Neighbourhood
Council, Grow Liverpool, Merseytravel, Civica and local artist Alan
Murray.
Funding was provided by partners as well as some grant funding
coming from o2 and the NHS.
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Value for money?
Mixed feelings from Britain’s rail passengers
SATISFACTION with Britain’s
railways holds up at 83% of passengers satisfied overall with their
journey. However, this overall figure masks enormous variations on
different routes and widely differing value for money scores.
Anthony Smith, Passenger Focus chief executive, said:- “Well
done to London Midland, Merseyrail and Heathrow Connect, all of whom
improved significantly. Particularly impressive was London Midlands’
whopping 17% rise in how they dealt with delays. Greater Anglia
(previously National Express East Anglia) will be well aware of the
work needed to boost passenger satisfaction.”
Key findings include:- ► First Capital Connect (FCC) passengers noticing improvements at
stations.
► East Midlands Trains recording some good gains both on train and
at stations.
► Overall satisfaction scores on individual routes varied from 97% (Merseyrail
– Wirral) to 70% (FCC – Thameslink South and Greater Anglia* –
Metro) with value for money satisfaction ranging from 75% (ScotRail
– Rural) to 23% (Greater Anglia – Mainline) on those routes.
► Satisfaction with value for money dipping to 42% from 44% in
Spring 2011.
► Passengers using different tickets giving very disparate scores
for value for money.
► Comparing the views of Advance and Off-Peak ticket holders who
think that the railway is reasonably good value, with Season ticket
holders who do not. For example, value for money scores for Advance
tickets on CrossCountry and Virgin Trains were 64% and 68%, while
the scores for Annual Season tickets on Southeastern and South West
Trains were 12% and 23% (respectively).
Mr Smith, added:- “Annual Season ticket holders, particularly
in London and the South East, despite having regulated fares,
unsurprisingly do not think their tickets represent value for money.
The industry must keep its focus on getting the trains on time while
Government must think very carefully about the forthcoming decision
on the rate of rises for regulated fares. The message from
passengers is clear.”
It is interesting to note bus passenger value for money scores in
the March 2012 Passenger Focus Bus Passenger Survey. Satisfaction
with value for money among fare-paying bus passengers ranged from
39% to 68% across the 23 areas of England surveyed. |
