Public Consultation for Gidea Park Station

Local residents and other users of Gidea Park station are invited to take part in a public consultation to express their views on the proposals. The consultation will run from Friday 4 to Wednesday 23 November. There will also be the opportunity to talk to planners in Gidea Park library from 10am - 2pm  on Friday 11 and Thursday 17 November, 4pm - 8pm.

Romford Station improvements

Improvement works around Romford Station start next month

​Havering residents will soon benefit from brand new trains and direct access to central London and Heathrow airport thanks to Crossrail. 

​As part of the multi-billion pound project a £28.5m fund was set up by Transport for London (TfL) and councils were invited to bid for that money to improve public areas around Crossrail route stations.

Havering Council successfully bid for money and is now investing £4.1million that will be spent on works around Romford, Gidea Park and Harold Wood stations – the three Crossrail stations in the borough.

Civil engineering consultants Jacobs have worked up plans for Crossrail “Complementary Measures” around the three stations and the green light has been given for work to begin outside Romford Station on Monday 10 October.

The works are designed to improve the environment around the station and to make interchange with buses and pedestrian access to the station easier. They will complement work in the station itself that will result in a re-designed ticket hall appropriate for increased passenger numbers, step-free access to all pavements, an additional pedestrian entrance on the north side of the station, and extended platforms that will be required for the new 12 carriage Elizabeth Line trains that will service the station from 2019.

The Council’s contractor Marlborough will start the work on the eastern side of South Street along the stretch of pavement between the junctions with Eastern Road and Victoria Road. The plan is to improve the pavement surface to complement works that have already taken place in recent years in Victoria Road and the stretch of South Street between Eastern Road and Western Road. The works will include providing step free access to buses stopping outside the Haart estate agency offices. Other improvement works will deliver better lighting, signage, tree planting, bins and seating, the creation of a larger pedestrian plaza to accommodate the increasing number of people using Romford station and better pedestrian crossings in South Street and Eastern Road.

The work on the footways and roads outside Romford Station will be split into two phases with a suspension of the works between 25 November and early January 2017 to minimise any disruption to Christmas shoppers and travellers. Any temporary road restrictions will be lifted at weekends and taxis will still be available from the rank in Eastern Road. 

Councillor Jason Frost, Deputy Cabinet Member for Environment at Havering Council said: “These works will make travelling to and from Romford station a much more pleasant experience. This investment coupled with the dramatic improvements to the train services including new rolling stock next year and longer trains from the end of 2018, will help our borough’s businesses thrive and residents  enjoy speedy direct access to central London and Heathrow airport.”

The stretch of South Street Romford where the first phase of the works outside Romford station will commence on 10 October 2016.

Please offer Me a Seat badge

TfL trials new 'Please Offer Me a Seat' badge.

A new trial will see disabled passengers and those with hidden conditions, illnesses and injuries receive a blue badge to alert fellow passengers to their need for a seat on public transport.

The “Please Offer Me a Seat” badges, which are similar to the popular "Baby on Board" badges, are being trialled from next month to help passengers who need a seat, but often have difficulty getting one.

The Hopper

The Hopper arrives on buses

A second bus or tram journey made within one hour of the start of your first journey will be free, if you’re using contactless or Oyster pay-as-you-go.

From 2018, passengers will also be able to make unlimited bus and tram journeys within one hour – once TfL has upgraded its ticketing technology.

The Hopper in 2016:

The Hopper fare applies automatically to passengers who are using contactless or Oyster pay-as-you-go

Passengers can switch between buses and trams in any combination, within an hour

New Leisure centre

Leisure Centre shapes up

The Council’s multi-million poundRomford Leisure Centre is taking shape. The frame of the three storey building is now in place at the Western Road site. The new centre will include two pools, a 25m eight-lane lane main pool, and a 15 x 8m leaner pool, a fitness area with two studios, sauna and steam rooms; along with the boroughs only ice rink. It is due to open in April 2018. You can see the building work happen live using this time lapse camera link www.romford.photosentinel.com.au.

Shared Lives Carers

​The Council is appealing for residents to become Shared Lives Carers. The Shared Lives Service offers adults with social care support needs the chance to receive that care in a family home with a Shared Lives Carer in the local community.

Councillor Wendy Brice-Thompson, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services and Health, said:

“The Shared Lives Service means that people live in the homes of carers who have been recruited, trained and approved for this purpose. Arrangements can be short term, lasting anything from one night to several weeks, enabling both the person and their carers to have a break. Or, they can be more long term, providing the opportunity for the person receiving support to live as part of the family.

“It is meant for people over the age of 16 who live in the borough and need some extra support to live independently, for example, adults with physical, sensory and or learning disabilities, mental health support needs or people finding it more difficult to manage as they get older.

“To access this service, residents need to have been assessed and be eligible for social care services.”

A young man who has lived with his Shared Lives Carer for three years says:

“I have not regretted a second. She is the most fantastic, the most extraordinary and most amazing carer I have ever known.”

Residents who are interested in using the Shared Lives Scheme are matched with a carer with similar interests and lifestyle. Those people applying will be able to go and visit the carer several times before deciding if they want to live with them.

Anyone who has a spare room, and wants to share their lives with someone who needs some extra support, can apply to become a Shared Lives Carer. Our team will fully support you through the application process, and offer on-going training and support to make sure the experience is a really positive one. Shared Lives Carers are paid for the support they provide individuals. Shared Lives Carers do not need to have lots of experience or qualifications, it is more important that they respect and value people as individuals and are willing to learn and attend training as necessary.

Residents who would like to know more about becoming a shared lives carer or want to find out how the scheme could support them are invited to a coffee morning and chat on Tuesday 27 September 10.00-12.00pm at Havering Volunteer Centre.

New trials for A&E

Queen's promotes alternative to A&E in new trial

A new approach is being trialled at Queen’s Hospital to redirect people who go the Emergency Department (ED) but could be treated elsewhere. Anyone who does not need emergency care will be redirected to the most appropriate care in the community, such as their GP or local pharmacist, during the two-week trial, which runs from 8am to 8pm. There are plenty of other places to go in the borough if someone needs medical attention including walk-in centres at Harold Wood Polyclinic, RM3 0AR, and at South End Road, Rainham RM13 7XJ, where you can get advice for any health problem. You can also book urgent on-the-day GP appointments at our GP hubs – call 020 3770 1888 to book or find out more online.