Accident on Shepherd's Bush Road

The eagle eyed among you will have noticed a rather large jam on Shepherd's Bush Road (the A219) this morning. It was a car accident, and was being run on BBC London this morning but details seemed to have disappeared from their site as I write this. I dont know how serious it was but it resulted in a lengthy closure so that's never a good thing.

Meet the police

Following this little episode I looked into how the community here can better talk to the local police. The first chance is to come along to one of the meetings the local Safer Neighbourhood Teams are holding in and around the Borough.

I've seen a proliferation of PCSOs in the last few years around this area and to be honest although its nice to see them always wondered what exactly they could do, other than act as eyes and ears. They don't have the same powers as fully fledged police officers and are not armed with a baton so unlikely to intervene in anything serious.

But the council has put a lot of money into to the local police and Shepherds Bush has been a pilot area for things like crack downs on street drinking which they deserve praise for. I will try and get along to one of these meetings and report back. Why not come along.

The meeting details are all here

Score bore draw for QPR

I wasn't going to go to Nottingham Forest after seeing this display on the opening day, but when I saw the hoops shirts milling around up and down Uxbridge Road I thought twice. Then on the 228 going past the stadium I thought thrice. But hearing about the game afterwards and seeing the report today my word I'm glad I saved my 30 quid. Here we go again...

7/7 Memorial

It' still only a few weeks since the commemorations of the 4 year anniversaries of both July 7th and 21st 2005. On a wander through London today I decided to stop by the memorial that was unveiled this year to the 7/7 victims. I deliberately didn't go to either the launch or the first few weeks after that because the atmosphere of the place wouldn't have been right.

But for reflecting it's really quite perfect now. Quiet and with banks on three sides that shield the noise from traffic a little bit but also form natural seating. Well worth a visit at some point.

Historic Bush Number 4

Following Historic Bush one, two, and three this little fish shop, which is actually just outside the Bush but next to Homebase so well frequented by W12ers, is number 4 in the series. It hasn't been in business for many years, at least not the time I have been here. Its like the place that time forgot with insides that look like a 1940s restaurant and everything left as if the last customer only just left.

Sights like this in London just remind you of how much and fast everything changes - so I wanted to capture it before it gets redeveloped for ever. An ominous sign has appeared on the building from a developer so I fear this one last window into the past is shortly to be closed forever. Anyone know anything about this shop?[gallery]

Street robberies in the Bush

In the last week we have had two of these unwelcome pieces of paper through our door, which basically means that a crew of burglars are targetting our street at the moment. It begins to make a mockery of H&F's propaganda about crime but the real point is how many of these ever get solved. I have never been a victim myself but have known many who have, including several who didn't bother reporting it.

I think in terms of crime, including violent crime, the Bush is generally very safe. Some of my former haunts in this fair city have been nowhere near as good. Looking back now on a walk home from the tube after dark in Finsbury Park I'm reminded of some of the places I get sent to for work these days.

But we also seem to live in an area that is capable of producing the bad and really bad of the prison population. And I'll never forget the day I was walking to the gym at 6am on a dark morning vaguely aware of someone in front of me on Bloemfontein Road. Suddenly this person, a small woman as it turned out, had wheeled around and was glaring at me with some kind of self defence posture. She looked terrified. I just mumbled something about being really sorry and walked around her. And then felt terrible all week for managing to scare someone like that without even thinking about it - goodness knows what must have been going through her head.  

So I guess the figures are one thing but its how you feel that makes difference. I still think we're lucky compared to other areas, but what do you think? And do lock your windows, there are thieves on the prowl in W12.

Central line fire?

Did anyone else get caught up in that incident last night? About five o'clock I was in Oxford Circus trying to catch a central line back to the Bush only to be confronted by a strong burning smell, no visible smoke though and what looked like a blacked out train!

London Mela 2009 Gunnersbury Park

This is on today - get either the 237 from the Bush to Gunnersbury Park, or get the district or Piccadilly lines to the same destination. Based on my experience 2 years ago don't even think of using their car park - it will take you quite literally hours to get back out again, and your abiding memory will be of frayed tempers!

Capital Ring walks

Following on from this post about the London Loop walk yesterday I ventured out to another set of walks called the Capital Ring. Both of them circle London but the capital ring is slightly more inside the city wheras the London Loop is very much on the outskirts. But you can still get to both by tube/bus.

The Richmond-Boston Manor route is amazing. From the Bush either get the 272 to Turnham Green and then district to Richmond or if you do it the other way around get the 237 from the Bush out to the middle of the route near Syon Park.

You walk alongside the Thames for half the way and the Grand Union Canal for the other half taking, among other things, a vertigo inducing walk across Richmond Lock, an island nature reserve and pubs that just sit out looking over the Thames which is so slow (and apparently clean) at this point that kids can play on the banks!

Well worth a trip. The only thing that spoils it are the low flying aircraft that quite literally thunder overhead with their wheels already down. Surely there has to be an alternative to expanding that airport to encompass the Bush under a flightpath?! Both our council and local MP Andrew Slaughter are opposed but the government very much in favour. I doubt any of them live in Richmond.[gallery]