Help Make Clapham Common Safe Post Reply

[Community Editor]

With the disappearance of Sarah Everard on her way home last week, residents in Clapham are asking Lambeth Council to add more lighting to Clapham Common, and have started a petition. After all no one should feel threatened or scared on their way home.



The common is widely used by communities in the borough of Lambeth and surrounding areas. Now more than ever, we need access to local outdoor space considering the restrictions we are under due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Rather than a luxury recreational space, it has now become an essential part of our day to day lives.

With the recent and ongoing events surrounding the disappearance of Sarah Everard in Clapham, the question of safety for not only ourselves but our friends, families and the community as a whole is at the forefront of our minds. 

The common is heavily populated throughout the day however for those trying to utilise it after working hours, they are forced to use the common in complete darkness (as most of the common has little to no lighting). 

So, the purpose of this petition is simply to request that the local council urgently take action to provide sufficient lighting to cover all areas of the common, so that we feel safe to continue to use what currently stands as a wonderful outdoor space on many of our doorsteps.

You can view the petition to maximise lighting on Clapham Common to improve safety here: https://www.change.org/p/lambeth-counci ... 24832a9288 

[Ratski]

They could start by not closing down the local police stations. She must have walked past the recently closed Cavendish Road police station just before she was abducted.

You can thank Sadiq Khan for that one.

[Luvnyrick]

Well said it's all down to Sadiq khan !!

[Community Editor]

There has been a response from both Lambeth and Wandsworth Council regarding making the area safer for all:
A Lambeth Council spokesperson said: “The thoughts of the council and our communities are with the family and friends of Sarah Everard at this incredibly difficult and traumatic time.
 “Lambeth Council is in close contact with the Met Police about the ongoing investigation, and are fully playing our role in supporting their efforts.
 “It is understandable that this case has increased local women’s concerns about personal safety, and for some will have triggered memories of past trauma.
 “We are working with the police on community reassurance and are currently reviewing if further local action needs undertaking, including in regard to lighting and CCTV. That includes work already underway to put extra lighting in at Clapham Common.”
 A Wandsworth Council spokesperson added:“This is a crime that has caused great shock and upset across the whole community, but we would like to reassure our residents that Wandsworth is one of the safest boroughs in inner London and our street lighting is of a very high standard.
 “If people are concerned about the lighting on Clapham Common then improvements there would need to be carried out by Lambeth Council which looks after and manages the common in its entirety.”

As of midday on Friday 12 March the online petition has received over 20,000 signatures 

[Community Editor]

You may have spotted over the weekend the new lighting which was swiftly installed on Clapham Common last Friday following safety concerns raised by locals during the week.

Here's what Lambeth Council posted on their Twitter account regarding the installation:

Today, we've placed additional lighting on Clapham Common in response to requests from members of the local community. Thank you to everyone who shared their concerns with us. We are reviewing whether further action needs to take place, including additional lighting and CCTV.

[dimelda]

As 'Help Make Clapham Common Safe' is a consequence of the tragic abduction & murder of Sarah Everard, I'm therefore at a loss to understand why there's so much hysteria about lighting on the Common when, it would seem, she was not accosted on the Common, even though it was unwise of her to walk across it at night. 

As for lighting, it's well recorded that artifical lighting at night has a detrimental effect on wildlife, particularly birds, bats & insects.  Light pollution is environmentally damaging and city lights & urban wildlife do not fit together.

As regards safety, The International Dark Sky Assn. website, - on their Lighting, Crime & Safety page - states that there is no scientific evidence that increased outdoor lighting deters crimes:  it may make us feel safer, but has not been shown to do so.

Clapham Common does NOT need more lighting - particularly the ugly type that Lambeth, clearly in a panic, has erected.   The reality is that it makes sense not to walk across the Common at night alone.  Man or woman.  It's a no-brainer.


 

[janee]

Well said, dimelda.  One of the joys of parts of Clapham Common (and others) is that there are "secret" areas for animals and birds to hide in.  On another point: Why does Lambeth maintain Clapham Common.  Does Wandsworth pay them to do their bit or is Wandsworth in receipt of charity in its bid to maintain low council taxes?  The boundary goes across the common.

[muddyboots]

I assumed the lights were a temporary measure to be seen to do something straight away. I must agree they are horrid.... and also agree that whilst you should be able to cross the common after dark not many at all would actually choose to do so IMO.

[janee]

To those so quick to blame Sadiq Khan for everything, please check your facts.  The Mayor funds 24.8% of the net cost of the Met, with Home Office/Government funding 75.2%
So, if you think the Met is not getting enough money, perhaps you should be blaming the Government.

[readysteadycook]

To those so quick to blame Sadiq Khan for everything, please check your facts.  The Mayor funds 24.8% of the net cost of the Met, with Home Office/Government funding 75.2%
So, if you think the Met is not getting enough money, perhaps you should be blaming the Government.

Well with the unbelievable 9.5% council tax increase Khan has just forced on us, there are now now excuses

[dimelda]

Thank you, Janee & Muddyboots, for supporting my comments relating to the proposal to increase lighting on the Common.  I've today posted a new topic on this subject (headed Clapham Common - Additional Lighting Not Needed), inviting people opposed to the Petition to write to the relevant person in Lambeth and to their Councillors on the subject.

Janee:  ref maintenance of the Common, I'm not in a position to answer that question unfortunately but I do know that the Clapham Society and The Friends of Clapham Common know a great deal about it.  Both have excellent websites.

Muddyboots:  you're absolutely right:  even if the Common were lit up like a Xmas tree, not many people would choose to walk across it at night.  And, as for the ugly temporary lights, from what I understand, they'll probably be there for a month.  Sadly.

Kind regards,