As the evenings draw in and the winter months are fast approaching, we need to make sure street lighting is up to speed with the seasonal changes so that residents and passers by feel secure on their streets in the evenings. But it’s not just along our streets that we need effective lighting. There are also other significant points of access in our neighbourhoods, for example, the footbridges across the Grand Union canal in places like Little Venice.
It’s been noticed by many including my sister Papya Qureshi ( Councillor in Westbourne Ward ) that the lights have been out on the footbridge at the end of Formosa St crossing over to the Warwick Estate during much of the summer. Not a problem during the summer months when the late sun sets but clearly is when the winter months draw in. Residents should be able to cross the tranquil waters of the Ladbroke Grove arm of the canals without fear of having to walk in the dark but this won’t be possible if the lanterns remain unlit over the footbridges. Perhaps the disappearance of the lamps is a sign of our austere times which would be a big price for local residents to pay for a relatively small cost.
Both footbridges at Little Venice and Queens Park are used heavily in the summer, as the photo above illustrates. I just hope this is not allowed to continue throughout the winter months and that the lantern lights are replaced and maintained either by the City of Westminster council or the Canal & River Trust as soon as possible. I also hope these two organisations don’t get into a scrap about who should be providing the lighting facility because ultimately, if the lights remain off, then it’s the residents who will lose out. They won’t be able to continue their safe journey home in the evenings without having to walk around the whole of the canal network in Paddington and that would be quite a shame.