Northumberland Heath
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Northumberland Heath | |
Location | |
---|---|
OS grid reference: | TQ505771 |
Latitude: | 51.472769° |
Longitude: | 0.167941° |
Administration | |
London borough: | Bexley |
County level: | Greater London |
Region: | London |
Constituent country: | England |
Sovereign state: | United Kingdom |
Other | |
Ceremonial county: | Greater London |
Historic county: | Kent 1965 |
Services | |
Police force: | Metropolitan Police |
Fire brigade: | London Fire Brigade |
Ambulance service: | London Ambulance |
Post office and telephone | |
Post town: | ERITH |
Postal district: | DA8 |
Dialling code: | 01322 |
Politics | |
UK Parliament: | Bexleyheath and Crayford (part) and Erith and Thamesmead (part) |
London Assembly: | Bexley and Bromley |
European Parliament: | London |
London | List of places in London |
Northumberland Heath is the upper part of Erith within the London Borough of Bexley.
Northumberland Heath is often referred to locally as "North' Heath". Most of Northumberland Heath is within Northumberland Heath ward (local Councillors are Helen Fuller, Peter Reader and Alex Sawyer - all Conservative), whilst other parts are within Colyers ward.
Contents |
[edit] History
The area was once known as Spike Island after the workhouse that was situated there.The area is mainly residential although there is a large industrial bakery in Belmont Road. Much of the housing stock is Victorian with some 1940's council developments and a Cottage estate built for local Vickers armaments workers in 1916. Nearest Railway stations are Erith and Barnehurst. There is a large Catholic church in Bexley Road (Our Lady of the Angels) with a friary attached, and a Church of England (St Paul's) in Mill Road.
[edit] Community
North Heath has a thriving community whose interests are represented by the Northumberland Heath Community Forum. [1] It is Chaired by Isaac Kwakye, who is supported by Carol Long as Vice-Chair, Maureen Roose as Secretary and Mark Cowling as Treasurer along with an Executive Committee of 15 local people. This independent group provides a voice for our community in dealing with authorities such as the Council and Police. They are keen to develop better youth provision, community activities and engage with planners and service providers to enhance community provision. They produce a twice-yearly Newsletter and hold regular Public Meetings to address local issues with Council Officers, the Police and key members of other agencies.
The Northumberland Heath Community Forum has been working for some time with local businesses in Bexley Road to promote its small shopping centre as a Village. The Forum has been seeking to 're-green' Bexley Rd by restoring its traditional avenue of established trees. They are keen to protect the local environment and improve the community in any way that they can. New members are welcome to attend Executive Committee and Public Meetings or take an active role in some of the numerous sub-groups which take action on specific issues.
The Community Forum has been supported by a Neighbourhood Worker provided by Bexley Council with support from Woolwich and North Bexley Partnership and British Bakeries as part of their commitment to the community in which they work. Chris Long has developed a number of leaflets and other information sources and worked with the forum to plan for the future. He can be contacted c/o the Library in Mill Road where he can be found most Wednesdays from 10 - 4.00. He would be pleased to discuss any initiatives to help the community work better together to address its own issues.
[edit] Crime
Whilst, the area had experienced some problems with youth disorder, in part because of the lack of a Youth or Community Centre, the problems have recently been greatly reduced. This is largely as a result of the provision of a 'Safer Neighbourhoods Team' comprising a Police Sergeant (Perry Wright), 2 Constables (Tony Champion and tba)and 3 Police Community Support Officers (Faizur Rahman, Jack Mahoney and Tracy Petty). The team of 6 provide a focus for high-visibility policing, drawing on the knowledge of the team and local residents/traders to take an intelligence-led, pro-active approach to problems. The team is supported by the Council through the Bexley Community Safety Partnership which links to other initiatives dealing with Anti-Social Behaviour and Personal Protection. Northumberland Heath is to become a Community Safety Action Zone (CSAZ) as part of a roll-out across the whole of the borough of Bexley.
Bexley Community Safety Partnership, jointly supported by the Police and Bexley Council, provides a number of initiatives to local problems arising from crime or disorder. In addition to the frontline Safer Neighbourhoods Policing Team, there are services such as the 'Bobby Van' to assist local residents with upgrading home security, Neighbourhood Watch, Graffiti Removal, a 'BELL' alert system for vulnerable homes or businesses and other tailor-made responses. The Community and other partners are to be engaged through a Residents Panel and regular CSAZ meetings to maximise the flow of intelligence and establish the priorities for continued improvements.
For more information about Community Safety, how to get involved or access services or to contact your local Policing Safer Neighbouhoods Team call 0800 389 5013
[edit] Transport
[edit] Rail
The nearest stations are Slade Green and Erith on the Woolwich line and Barnehurst on the Bexleyheath line. Trains run between London Charing Cross, London Cannon Street to Dartford railway station. On the Bexleyheath line there is a train service to London Victoria.
[edit] Buses
The 89 bus contracted by TfL runs between Lewisham Station and Slade Green Station; The 89 has a frequency of 10 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime and at evening and Sundays the 89 has a frequency of 20 minutes. In the early mornings a night bus service operates called the N89 which runs between Trafalgar Square and Erith; The N89 has a frequency of every 30 minutes.
The 229 bus contracted by TfL runs between Sidcup Station and Thamesmead Town Centre; The 229 has a frequency of 10 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime and at evening and Sundays the 229 has a frequency of 15 minutes.
The B12 bus contracted by TfL runs between Erith and Bexleyheath Shopping Centre; The B12 has a frequency of 20 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime and at evening has a frequency of 30 minutes. This bus does not run on Sundays