Petition to "Save Uxbridge Road"

Local Shepherd's Bush residents have raised a petition to clean up Uxbridge Road, one of our neighbourhood's main East-West arteries.

The purpose of the petition is to encourage our local council, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, to focus on cleaning up the Uxbridge Road, dealing with some of the anti-social behaviour and generally tidying things up.

Local residents have long complained about social problems on Uxbridge Road.  Back in 2021 the Uxbridge Rd Police Station closed and was put up for sale, a decision which did little to deter crime and disorder.  

In 2022 Jonathan Pearl, chair of FOSGB (Friends of Shepherd's Bush Green) highlighted the growing problem of anti-social behaviour. 

Cyclists Jumping Lights on Uxbridge Rd Face £50 Fine

Cyclists - jump the lights at your peril

Cyclists beware - running a red light in Shepherd's Bush could cost you £50.  

It's become commonplace for London cyclists to jump the lights; after all, unlike motor vehicles, cyclists are unlikely to get a ticket. 

Partial Closure Order of Shepherd's Bush Green to Close 27 Feb

PCO on Shepherd's Bush Green expires on 27 Feb

The Partial Closure Order imposed on Shepherd's Bush Green in November will expire at the end of the month, on February 27.

The PCO has been a part of a concerted attempt by the police to clean up Shepherd's Bush Green, by using extra powers to move on the drunks and drug dealers.

Of course, in some ways this just moves the problem on, but at least it shows action on the part of the police to deal with anti-social behaviour.  You can read more about it at the official LBHF site here.

Public Meeting at Du Boisson Village Hall Tonight

Du Boisson Village Hall, Wood Lane

Tonight at 6pm at the Du Boisson Village Hall (the old Drill Hall) on Wood Lane, "Sergeant Tom" from our local Police force is hosting at meeting to discuss the Partial Closure Order currently in force across Shepherd's Bush Green.

Is the PCO working? Does our local community approve, or disapprove? PCOs are a relatively draconian policy, and the current order expires on 27 February 2023. 

Anecdotal evidence suggests that the PCO has had a positive impact on crime and anti-social behaviour in our neighbourhood.  One local resident explained that the Sainsburys Local on Shepherd's Bush Green has reported a drop in shoplifting, for example.  Come along tonight at 6pm and share your views.

Partial Closure Order for Shepherd's Bush Green

Local Police Officers with copies of the PCO

On 22 November local police attended Westminster Magistrates Court to secure a "Partial Closure Order" (PCO) of Shepherds Bush Green.

The PCO includes a number surrounding streets, notably the "Caxton Village" area north of Shepherd's Bush Green, which has been the scene of considerable anti-social behaviour in recent months.

The PCO took effect from yesterday, Monday November 28, and lasts for three months, until 27 February 2023.

Anti-Social Behaviour Getting Worse in Shepherd's Bush?

Public drinking in Caxton Village

What can be done about the ongoing anti-social behaviour in Shepherd's Bush?

Jonathan Pearl, Chair of the Friends of Shepherd's Bush Green (FOSBG) recently posted about the growing problem of public drunkenness and anti-social behaviour that many believe is getting worse around Shepherd's Bush Green.

Why is Shepherd's Bush Green Such a Mess?

Spring has come at last, good news us all, but bad news for poor Shepherd's Bush Green, which once again has become a public rubbish dump.

Local resident Sonia Carnelli has written to our local council, and councillors, to express her own response to the problem.

Sonia isn't just complaining; she also offers a number of possible solutions that might make things better.

After all, it surely cannot be impossible to clean up Shepherd's Bush Green.  Giving up on our public green spaces - which can at times feel like no-go zones - cannot be the right choice for our neighbourhood.

Worthless Bicycle Pinched in Shepherd's Bush

Like many people in Shepherd's Bush, I like to cycle around the neighbourhood, but I don't have any storage for my bike, so I leave it chained up in the street. 

Knowing the problem of bicycle theft in London, my solution has always been to own an ancient bike that no-one in their right mind would bother to steal; in my case, an ancient Raleigh ladies bike of uncertain vintage.

Why Can't We Clean Up Shepherd's Bush Green?

Shepherd's Bush Green on a Summer Morning

Back in 2014 we first started started posting about the sorry state of Shepherd's Bush Green, and the failure of our Council to do anything about enforcing the law.  Six years on, things are worse than ever.

Walk across Shepherd's Bush Green in the morning and you will see piles of fast food, empty bottles and cans, often dumped right next to the bins.

The worst thing is that there doesn't seem to be any attempt by our Council to enforce the laws against dropping litter. Why not?

Friday Night - Trouble in White City

Friday Night in White City

On Friday night, the White City Estate was the site of an incident of some fairly serious public disorder, the latest in a series of illegal street parties turning into riots - and violence against the police.

Anyone trying to get some sleep in West London on Friday night can hardly have missed the noise of the Police helicopters circling overhead. 

According to BBC news, "seven police officers were injured after police tried to break up an unlicensed music event in west London."

But if "Unlicensed music event" sounds to you like some innocent fun on a friday night, think again. Local resident Adam tells the story.

Ramraid in Shepherd's Bush

Ramraid

Tonight saw a dramatic ramraid in Shepherd's Bush, as the new Uxbridge Road jewellers were the victim of a smash and grab robbery involving what appeared to be a stolen Range Rover, driven at speed into the plate glass window of the shop.

The new shop had only been open a few days, its windows full of sparkling jewellery, its owners no doubt hopeful of making a go of their new venture.

Trouble at Westfield

On Tuesday I found myself having to call the emergency services for the first time.

As I was walking home through Westfield, I was a witness to a crime - one man assaulted another, in broad daylight, right outside Waitrose.

The victim, pushed violently against a wall, slumped to the ground, and didn't get up again, while his assailant sauntered off.  He lay on the ground groaning, clutching his shoulder.

So I dialled 999 and, initially, asked for the police, but it quickly became clear that an ambulance was needed.  How long do you suppose it takes to get an ambulance to Westfield on a busy Tuesday evening?

H&F Report It App for Your Phone

Our Council has launched a new app - the "H&F Report It App" for Your smartphone.

The app allows you to report problems like fly-tipping to the Council on your phone, without the need to send an email or make a phone call.

Free Bicycle Marking Today at Shepherd's Bush Green

Free Cycle Marking today from 4pm

Today at Shepherd's Bush Green from 4pm to 6.30pm our local police are marking bicycles - for free.

What happens is they bind a non-removable marker to your bike and add it to a national register.

If it gets stolen, your bike can (in theory at least) be much more easily returned to you. Plus, anyone thinking of stealing your bike might think twice if it's registered.

Shepherd's Bush Next Door is Here

Shepherd's Bush Next Door is a new-ish web platform for local communities that is starting to gain traction in Shepherd's Bush. A tech startup from the US that was launched in 2011, the site has since gobbled up Streetlife and looks to become a useful social media service for local neighbourhoods, including ours. So, what is NextDoor, and why bother anyway?

Public Spaces Protection Order for Shepherds Bush Station

Shepherd's Bush Tube Station: not often this peaceful

Local residents will have noticed how noisy it can get outside Shepherd's Bush Tube Station on weekends, with all sorts of political and religious groups competing for attention with music and loud hailers. 

As a result, LBHF (our Council) have introduced a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in the area outside Shepherds Bush Station (Central Line), to tackle noise nuisance from busking, street entertainment and amplified public speaking. 

The aim of the PSPO is "to stop individuals or groups committing antisocial behaviour in public spaces".

New Year's Resolutions for Shepherd's Bush

A tree is not a place to dump your old junk

We all need a few New Year's Resolutions, and Shepherd's Bush is no exception. Whether or not we stick to them, resolutions are a way of occasionally taking a good look at ourselves and seeing how we might improve things, just a little bit.  So here is our list of New Year's resolutions for Shepherd's Bush.

Resolution No 1 - Stop fly-tipping
The streets of Shepherd's Bush are not a dumping ground for your bin bags, fridges, and old mattresses. Find some place else to get rid of your old junk.

Watch Out For Moped Muggers in Shepherd's Bush

Beware of thieves on bikes

Street crime seems to be on the increase in the Bush. A local Mum was recently mugged in our neighbourhood by two men on a motorbike who drove past her, snatched her bag, and made a swift getaway.

She rang 999 and was told by the police that there is an "absolute epidemic of this in London at the moment".

Why Is Our Council Failing Shepherd's Bush Green?

Recently we reported on the sea of litter that greets anyone crossing Shepherd's Bush Green in the morning.

The story got a good deal of traffic, and we received many comments and emails from local residents, suggesting that the state of Shepherd's Bush Green is something that people in our neighbourhood care about.

So we contacted our local Councillors, Mercy Umeh, Natalia Perez, and Andrew Jones to ask them if they could help us out in the fight to clean up Shepherd's Bush Green. What was the result?

Shepherd's Bush Green Is a Mess

Shepherd's Bush Green yesterday morning

Anyone who walks across Shepherd's Bush Green in the mornings will be familiar with the sea of litter that is deposited there every night.

Food, empty bottles, soda cans, McDonalds wrappers - all sorts of junk gets left there - often right next to the bins. It's a depressing sight, and there doesn't seem to be any attempt to enforce the laws against dropping litter.