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ABOUT THE
RIDDLESDOWN
RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
ABOUT RIDDLESDOWN
AND ITS COMMON
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
RRA Litter Pick
New 6/5/23
A big thank you to the 30 or so residents (including those from the 19th Purley scout group and three Ward Councillors; Hale, Redfern, & Llabutti) who turned up at the RRA litter pick on Saturday 29 April. For a change, it was a lovely day, weather wise!
And thank you as well to Tracey Bellamy from the Council for supplying all the equipment.
We collected in the region of 30 bags of rubbish, a metal safe, and a road barrier. It is quite noticeable that the volume of rubbish being collected is reducing on each litter pick, and this may be because Tracey is also now holding regular litter picks with the Collegiate students.
Riddlesdown Collegiate -
New 10/3/23
Over the last six weeks or so, students in Year 7, from Riddlesdown Collegiate have been carrying out litter picking near to the Collegiate building, ably assisted by Tracey Bellamy, the Council's Street Champion Co-
They have carried out litter picks, 30 students at a time, and they have litter picked for an hour, choosing to pick up litter, on the 'White Path', the footpath from Dunmail Drive to Grisedale Gardens, Honister Heights, the footpath to Hamsey Green on the 'Common' and the farm fields opposite the Mitchley Avenue. This has resulted in over 60 bags of litter between the groups. This is throughout the year with Year 7 students.
We are told, all the students have embraced this activity and been really interested in the effects on the environment of the litter they have been finding.
On behalf of the RRA, well done to all students who took part and to the Staff at the Collegiate for supervising.
Photos; Credit and permission from Lee Harkness, Head Teacher -
RRA Litter Pick
Posted 10/4/22
Thank you to the 30 or so residents (including those from the 19th Purley scout group) who turned up at the RRA litter pick on Saturday 9 April.
A big thank you as well to Paul from the Council (who had to deputise for Tracey at the last moment),for supplying all the equipment.
We collected in the region of 30 bags of rubbish, 4 tyres, a green wheelie bin and the remains of a metal sprung bed mattress! A few photos from where the rubbish was left at both locations and then collected by Veolia.
RRA Litter Pick
Posted 16/10/2021
A big thank you to the 45 or so people (including those from the 19th Purley scout group) who turned up at the RRA litter pick this afternoon.
Due to Covid restrictions, this was the first litter pick in 2 years.
The photo of the rubbish is about 75% of the litter picked, as some was left at another location in Mitchley Ave to be collected. A big thank you as well to Tracey Bellamy from the Council for supplying the equipment and Veolia for collecting the rubbish.
RRA Litter Pick
Posted 3/11/19
Thank you yet again to all those who turned up to the RRA litter pick yesterday afternoon (2/11/19).
We weren't expecting that many because of the appalling weather in the morning but 40 people including a number of children and also members of the 19th Purley Scout group attended. Fortunately the weather just about stayed dry for most part of the 90 minutes (it started raining near the end) and about 40 bags of rubbish, and a tyre were collected. We even ran out of litter picks and had to urgently get some more from the RRA's stock cupboard!
The RRA committee believe that with these regular 6 month litter picks we are gradually getting on top of the litter/rubbish issue on local Green Belt land and local main streets.
Thank you again to Tracey Bellamy from the Council for also attending and supplying the equipment.
Riddlesdown Collegiate -
Posted 24/7/19
Information received on 22 July from Tracey Bellamy, Croydon Council's Street Champion Co-
"The Riddlesdown Collegiate carried out a litter pick today clearing over 25 bags of litter from the farm field, the White Path and the footpath leading to Grisedale Gardens onto the farmland. The students as usual were great ambassadors for the school and really set about the task in hand. The opinion of the students was that most of the litter would have come from the journey to school. However we did find bags of green waste and cardboard as well. It was great to see the students so engaged and taking responsibility for the litter whilst taking pride in their community.
Thank you again Riddlesdown Collegiate for taking part..."
On behalf of the RRA, well done to all pupils who took part and to the Staff at the Collegiate.
RRA Litter Pick
Posted 13/5/19
A big thank you to all the beavers and cubs from the 19th Purley Scouts, two Police Officers from the Purley Oaks & Riddlesdown SNT, a Council Neighbourhood Safety Officer, and all local residents and children who attended the RRA litter pick on Saturday 11 May. This was the sixth litter pick locally since the RRA started organising this in November 2016.
Despite the heavy rain/hail shower an hour before the litter pick, about 30 people attended today. Fortunately the rain just about held off for the 90 minutes during the litter pick.
About 30 bags of rubbish, two tyres, traffic cones, plastic and scrap metal were collected and the area is now a bit tidier than before. The photo doesn't show all the rubbish as some other bags were at another location in Mitchley Ave. The RRA committee believe that with these regular 6 month litter picks we are gradually getting on top of the litter/rubbish issue on local Green Belt land.
RRA Litter Pick
Posted 17/11/18
Thank you once again for all those residents who turned up today (17/11/18) at the RRA litter pick. About 25 residents, including many from the 19th Purley Scout Group (beavers & cubs) and Cllr Helen Redfern and her family.
About 35 bags of rubbish, bags of flytip and some metal were collected. A good effort was made by all and Dunmail Drive, Mitchley Ave, Rectory Park, Mitchley Hill and the farmer's fields opposite the shops and in Mitchley Hill have had a good clean up. The fly tip material in Mitchley Hill (by the gate) was also cleared by the Veolia fly tip team.
The farmer’s field opposite the shops in Mitchley Ave has had a number of good clean ups now, over the last 18 months or so, and is in a lot better condition! Let's try and keep it clean?!
Thanks also go to ex Riddlesdown resident Tracey Bellamy, Dermot Linehan and Mason McIlroy from Croydon Council for assisting. Tracey continues to be in contact with Riddlesdown Collegiate and litter picks with the school children continue.
Riddlesdown Collegiate students carry out litter pick
Posted 4/5/18
On 3 May, around 30 students from Riddlesdown Collegiate carried out a litter pick on land near to the Collegiate building. Between them, they litter picked 15 bags of general waste and 5 bags of recycling. The students had identified for themselves the type of litter they thought they might find and where it would be. The top of the list was plastic bottles and crisp packets.
The event was organised by Tracey Bellamy, Croydon Council's Street Champion
Co-
The students have reserved the recycling collected, for using in an assembly which will be carried out with the support of the Recycling Education Officer from Croydon Council. Riddlesdown Collegiate have given their support for future litter picks each term and the next one is hopefully in about 4 to 6 weeks. Tracey and students from the Collegiate have carried out some previous litter picks but we hope this will become a regular event now.
The RRA liaised with both the Council and Collegiate to make this event happen following the successful litter picks the RRA have organised over the last 18 months or so. Well done to all those who took part.
RRA residents clean up the area -
Thank you to those residents who attended the Riddlesdown litter pick today.
Attendance wasn't quite as good as in the past, (about 25 people including 5 children). However, about 40 bags of rubbish, 2 tyres, a trolley an old bike and other metal were collected. A 6" kitchen knife was also found in the horse field beside Dunmail Drive, by two children and the local SNT will be contacted about this, to see if it may have been involved with any crime locally.
A good effort was made and Dunmail Drive, Mitchley Ave and the footpaths on the farmer's field opposite the shops have had a good spring clean. The farmer’s field still needs a bit more work on it!
Thanks also to Tracey Bellamy and Dermot Linehan from Croydon Council for assisting.
Are you interested in becoming a Street Champion?
Updated 19/11/16
We are sure many of you agree that some parts of our area are badly littered, but this has slightly improved recently, with all the litter clean ups. Most of this litter is on private land. But not all. Some is on the highway. The Council have now cut back on street cleaning to most streets in the Riddlesdown area, to every 6 weeks, rather than every 4 weeks. However, the group of streets south of Mitchley Ave, close to the Collegiate are still on 4 weekly clean, i.e. Honister, Ingleboro, Derwent, Grisedale, Buttermere, Eskdale and Dalegarth. However this 4 weekly cleaning doesn’t include the main thoroughfares of Mitchley Ave, Rectory Park or Mitchley Hill!
Tracey Bellamy at Croydon Council, is the Clean and Green Champion Co-
Tracey has already made contact with Riddlesdown Collegiate and her aim is to work with the school to encourage the pupils to take pride in the beautiful environment that their school sits within. We believe quite a proportion of the litter in this area originates from the 2,000 school children who visit the area, but they are not the only ones who litter! Visitors to the shops in Mitchley Ave and Lower Barn Rd, together with commuters to the Station, as well as some of our own residents don’t help! Some of the litter is also wind blown from the recycling boxes!
The RRA would like to know whether any residents and/or groups are interested in becoming Champions to help keep our streets and green spaces locally, clean and tidy.
As well as maybe litter picking some streets (which we know some residents already undertake) we are in particular concerned about the following Green Belt areas which seem to be badly littered:
This is the link for further information on this scheme to the Council’s website and we would like to know the amount of interest in this, and whether residents would like to become “street champions.”
For anyone who is interested in becoming a Champion, perhaps you can leave Email us and we will respond in due course. Please also let any friends or family who live in Riddlesdown know, who you think may be interested.
Riddlesdown Collegiate Pupils Clean up the Area -
Today, (7/10/16) 28 pupils, and two teachers from Riddlesdown Collegiate, together with NSO’s, one local resident and Cllr Tim Pollard undertook a clean up of litter, bottles, cans etc, to areas around the Collegiate.
The event was organised by Tracey Bellamy, the Council's Clean and Green Champion Co-
The Green Belt land around the Collegiate is a lovely green space in our area. There have been issues with litter in this area, and we have noticed this has increased in term time. Tracey approached the school and explained the types of complaints being received. Riddlesdown Collegiate were fully supportive and they started to plan some litter pick days to highlight the impact the litter is having on the environment. Today was the first litter pick and they collected 40 bags of litter.
The day was received well by local residents who thanked pupils for their efforts. The pupils were surprised at how many drink bottles and sweet wrappers that they found. The school have offered support with further days involving pupils from varying year groups. Future litter picks will involve highlighting items that could be recycled.
Well done to all.
Overhanging hedges, shrubs and trees
We would like to remind residents that the RRA do receive a number of complaints/comments, about some households within the area, who allow vegetation, like trees, shrubs, bushes, hedges, and roses from their gardens to overhang the pavement. This vegetation can in particular, cause inconvenience for people with buggies, in wheelchairs, the disabled and more importantly the visually impaired, who could walk directly into the vegetation and injure themselves. All property occupiers are legally responsible for ensuring this does not happen and could possibly have damages awarded against them by a court for any injury caused.
The Council also have the power under Section 152(1) and Section 154(1) of the Highways Act 1980 to serve a notice on the household and, if necessary, undertake the work themselves by removing the danger and charging the owner accordingly. They usually write a letter first asking for the occupiers co-
If you want to report an overhang to a particular property to Croydon Council, it can be done on the Council’s website by going to this Highway ‘Report it’ section. Or alternatively telephone the Council on 020 8726 6200 and ask for the Area Enforcement Officer for South Area. Or perhaps if you know the person concerned, have a word with them and point it out to them.
Bushes and Shrubs on Grass Verges
There are also in our area a number of shrubs and bushes which are set on the grass verges which are on the public highway. These grass verges and shrubs/bushes are the responsibility of Croydon Council to maintain.
Some residents advise us these shrubs are now getting tall and do obstruct their sight lines when exiting their driveways. Some of the streets particularly affected by this, are Lower Barn Rd, Borrowdale Gardens, Ingleboro Dive, Derwent Drive, Grisedale Gardens, Eskdale Gardens, Holmwood Ave, Tandridge Gardens and Buttermere Gardens.
If any resident is experiencing problems with sight line obstructions because of these shrubs and bushes then the RRA would suggest for residents to contact Paul Rest in the Development and Environment Department at Croydon Council direct e-
Bonfires wood burning equipment -
The RRA receive many complaints from residents about bonfires and wood burning equipment, which seem to be happening more recently over the last few years! The smoke especially in the valleys of Riddlesdown can spread for many hundreds of metres from the source of the bonfire and wood burning equipment.
The RRA would like to remind our residents about their responsibilities. The following advice is taken from Croydon Council’s website.
“Coronavirus (COVID-
“Smoke control areas
Under the Clean Air Act 1993, Croydon declared the majority of the borough as a smoke control area. To find out if you are in a smoke control area please contact the Pollution Team using the contact details below.
If you live in a smoke control area you must comply with the following:
- It is an offence to emit smoke from a domestic chimney.
- It is an offence for any person or company to obtain or deliver unauthorised fuels to a building, unless an exempt appliance is in use. Ordinary wood and bituminous coal are not authorised fuels.
- Smoke control areas only restrict smoke from domestic chimneys and do not cover garden bonfires or bonfires on building and construction sites. For further information on bonfires see 'Are bonfires necessary'.
For more information on the location of smoke control areas, approved fuels and a list of exempt appliance, see UK Smoke control areas or download the 'Using wood and coal for home heating'
“Are bonfires necessary?
Bonfire smoke can have damaging health effects and although serious harm is unlikely if exposure is brief, it can cause significant problems for people with asthma, bronchitis, and heart conditions.
Bonfires generate around 30,000 nuisance complaints to local authorities each year. As well as causing health problems, smoke prevents neighbours from enjoying their gardens, opening windows or hanging out washing.
Please note: you should never burn household or commercial waste on a bonfire, only garden waste. However, we encourage more environmentally friendly ways of disposing of your garden waste. For more information see Garden waste collection.”
Lighting bonfires
If you have a garden bonfire please observe the following:
- burn garden waste only
- site the bonfire in a remote area of the garden where the smoke will not blow onto neighbouring properties -
consider the direction the wind is blowing - douse the fire with water once the material has been burnt to avoid smouldering and fire risk
- never leave a bonfire unattended
- be considerate to your neighbours.
Fines for unlawful bonfires
The council can issue legal notices to people having nuisance bonfires. Offenders can be prosecuted and fined up to £5,000 for residential properties and £20,000 for businesses.”
We have a very good Recycling and Reuse Centre available close to us at Purley Oaks, so please consider using that facility first before lighting a bonfire. An annual green waste collection is also made by the Council.
Further information is on this link to Croydon Council Website
The telephone number for the Council’s Pollution team is 020 8760 5483 and e-