Caversham GLOBE posts all news on our Facebook page and also here on our website. Enjoy!
Tuesday 25th June Monthly Meeting, 8pm , Church House, Church Street, Caversham
This month’s meeting will follow on from the AGM, which starts at 7pm. As always, all supporters and residents are warmly welcomed. In the light of RBC declaring a Climate Emergency, setting up a new cleaner air and safer transport forum and the consultation on the Local Transport Plan it is essential that we engage in all these opportunities and keep the air quality issues in Caversham high up the agenda.
The more support we have, the harder we are to ignore.
All residents are welcome to come to the Annual General Meeting of Caversham GLOBE group will take place on Tuesday 25 June at 7 pm in Church House Church Street Caversham, RG4 8AX. This meeting will be followed by our monthly meeting.
Much has changed since the early days of the GLOBE groups in Reading in the mid-1990s. In the current challenging times the group continues to make a difference locally due to a core group of activists and the continued support of interested residents but there are challenges ahead. How will you help safeguard our environment? The AGM is an opportunity to take stock of 2018 and to strengthen the resolve of the GLOBE group to continue its valuable work. Please come.
You may be aware that GLOBE has been involved in measuring air quality in Caversham.
These measurements revealed the dangerous levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in central Caversham.
Of more concern is the equivalent information that RBC has collected for air quality measurement showing that THREE CAVERSHAM LOCATIONS HAVE EXCEEDED THE MEAN ANNUAL LEGAL LIMIT FOR THE PAST NINE YEARS!
Want to read more and see all the details? See our Website article: 'The silent killer on Cavershams busy roads' here cavershamglobe.org.uk/articles/the-silent-killer-on-cavershams-busy-roads-2018/
The silent killer on Caversham’s busy roads – 2018 – Caversham GLOBE
cavershamglobe.org.uk
The silent killer on Caversham’s busy roads – 2018 The harm to human health and our environment of “Poor Air Quality” has been the subject of international, UK and local media discussion for some years. The alarming measurements taken by Caversham GLOBE (Go Local On a Better Environment) gro...
anyone worried enough to take action can lobby their ward councillor or residents group. Your local environment group Caversham GLOBE needs more activists on this matter too. email us and join our mailing list, but don't just leave it at that. Being informed is one step short of ACTION! 🚙🚚🚛🚲🚲🚲🚑🚑
I've been on about it for years and spoke to various local councillors etc. All obviously ignored the problem. One of the reasons we moved away from the area.
will Reading Borough Council include north of the river in their discussions now??
Bet they don’t!
Faye Harland
This is extremely worrying.
I hope there will be a really positive announcement at the launch of the new Climate Strategy next Thursday (14;00, Civic Centre) The council has declared a climate emergency, so you can rest assured this will fix the air quality issue. l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eventbrite.co.uk%2Fe%2Freading-climate-action-network-co...
Please take the time to read these for information,inspiration and hopefully ACTION! The GLOBE group needs more active supporters if "north Reading" as we're being referred to by some, is not to be spoiled by actions of thoughtless outsiders. Only last week a 200+ yr old veteran pollarded willow tree was inexplicably uprooted and destroyed by RBC workers on Christchurch Meadows. Additionally we have plastics and antibiotics in our water courses,litter in places, destruction of habitats, climate emergency, removal of 100s of trees in our Thames parks for the EA's questionable flood defences, poisonous air about which nothing much is being done, pollinators and birds disappearing, thousands more homes in central Reading, the list goes on.
Food for thought maybe, but hopefully ACTION too?Somebody has got to do it, so please don't leave it to anybody because nobody may do it...........
www.gov.uk/government/speeches/a-different-philosophy-why-our-thinking-on-flooding-needs-to-chang...
readingcan.org.uk/events/event/third-reading-climate-strategy-launch-event
RBC is distroying nesting sites in the breeding season did the workmen check if the tree had nests before it was ripped from the ground?
Not all litter in rivers is thrown by people - some gets there when bins aren't emptied! IF you care about issues like this or the antibiotics pollution issue see
www.theguardian.com/society/2019/may/27/worlds-rivers-awash-with-dangerous-levels-of-antibiotics , or you're wondering about the climate emergency, you could make a difference by joining with like minded residents - Caversham GLOBE meets tonight Tuesday 28 May 7 pm see our previous post for more details of agenda and venue.
If you can’t get your litter in the bin TAKE IT HOME!
Look at all that recycling that someone thinks is rubbish, and has now become litter ☹️
Some parks have signs ‘Take your rubbish and recycling home’ I wonder if RBC should do this as often I see the bins in sandy park over flowing at weekends xxx
Nice bin but shame about the service that empties it!!! Let me guess funding cut backs!
Tuesday 28 May at 7 pm in the upstairs room at Church House, Church Street Caversham. All residents are welcome. The GLOBE group is continuing to work with the campaign for a better flood alleviation scheme (CABFAS) given the Environment Agency's (EA) proposals for drastic flood defences on the Thames parks. On air pollution in central Caversham there is as yet little progress by RBC. A new initiative "Reading Climate Action Network" has its first strategy meeting on 13 June 2019 at Council Offices. The work of the GLOBE group supporters needs time, commitment, energy and much more if we are to make progress on these vital local issues. Any suggestions, ideas and practical help is always welcome. Why not come to our monthly meeting?
CABFAS – Campaign for A Better Flood Alleviation Scheme
cabfas.org
News BBC news coverage: River Thames flood defence plans need ‘clear evidence’ Posted on 11th March 201911th March 2019by CABFAS The BBC news has picked up an interview that one of the CABFAS key members did with the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Read the full article here. Read MorePlease note that there will not be a monthly meeting of the group on 23 April. During past four weeks we've planted more hedging on Christchurch Meadows, done litter clearing of Thames Parks where we removed more than 40 sacks of litter, over 200 glass bottles and various fly-tipped items as part of #GBSpringClean. Some of the group have been in discussions/correspondence with EA officials and the CABFAS campaign about the flood defence proposals: also a consultation briefing with a developer determined to obtain planning permission for building on some of our precious local green space. We continue dialogue with various RBC officers on other matters of concern within the remit of our group, for example landscaping in a part of Hill's Meadow and removal of graffiti. GLOBE activists try to make a difference locally and there is always more than each of us can strive to achieve that might in some small way contribute to resolving worldwide environmental issues such as climate change, air pollution and plastics contamination etc. Please contact the group if you have ideas or suggestions about any aspect of our local environment. The next monthly meeting of the group is due on Tuesday May 28. Thanks.
7 Caversham GLOBE supporters and 1 member of the Bell Tower Community Association invested their time and energy on Saturday 6 April to clean up around Caversham bridge, Richfield Avenue green margins and adjacent playing fields and hedgerows for the benefit of our environment and other residents as part of our contribution to #GBSpringclean initiated by the Keep Britain Tidy campaign. Being tidy is nowhere in the consciousness of the inconsiderate people who dumped 24 sacks of food containers, drinks cans, plastic bags, bottles and cups, 104 glass bottles, various scrap metal, 30 drugs needles and miscellaneous plastic, electrical and wooden items. Although it's rewarding to have cleared all this rubbbish, because GLOBE and the Bell Tower Community Association cleared the area in April 2018, something is clearly amiss. See photos of our collection and some of our volunteers. Well done and thank you. 🙂
Thank you everyone x
Hi, I was thinking of starting a Cleanup Caversham initiative, but really glad there's already people doing this. Great stuff. When is the next cleanup planned for?
Thank you
Thank you
Thank you
At our #GBSpringclean this morning 12 volunteers collected 22 sacks of rubbish, 90 glass bottles, a bicycle, a shopping trolley, scrap metal, 50 drugs needles and various items of litter from the Thames parks in Caversham. So that Hill's Meadow, View Island and Christchurch Meadows are much cleaner for a while. Thank you to all involved, some of whom are pictured here. We're at Richfield Avenue 10 am tomorrow, Saturday 6 April to do a similar clean up.
Well done you guys.
Thank you very much. Making parks safer and cleaner for us all to enjoy. 😍
Well done mum and dad! Paul Goddard
Well done everyone ...great job 👏
Thankyou everyone. X
Well done guys. Sorry I couldn’t help today. My stint tomorrow 👍
That's my Mum and Dad!
Thank you so much
Amazing, self-less work. Thank you.
Well done!
Thank you all
Thank you very much
Thank you very much.
Thank you!
Thank you. 🙂
Well done!
thank you 🙂
Golf club plans pushed into the long grass
This week Planning Inspector Louise Gibbons, in her advice to Reading Borough Council on the local plan, rules out any development on CA1b before 2026.
She says that this land (on the 1st and 18th holes only) should "be retained as a site to be developed in the long-term, from 2026 onwards".
Even from 2026 the Inspector wants to see strong controls on any development. She makes it clear any development on CA1b is contingent on golf continuing there.
In an unfortunate typo her advice refers to "Reading Gold Club" but it seems that there will be no 'gold rush' for developer Fairfax for a very long time.
KEG will keep fighting to stop unsustainable development in our community. Please join us.
Here is the Inspector's Post Hearing Advice:
www.reading.gov.uk/media/10054/EI014-Post-Hearing-Advice--Additional-Main-Modifications-and-Relat...
Campaign Against Gladman in Eye & Dunsden
Gladman was refused permission to go to the High Court at a 30 minute hearing held today by Judge Allan Gore QC (delayed from yesterday).That *should* be the end of this application, although in theory, Gladman has seven days to appeal against the refusal of permission to the Court of Appeal.
Our March monthly meeting will be on Tuesday 26 at 7 pm in the upstairs room at Church House, Church Street Caversham; all residents are welcome. Current issues include the Environment Agency's (EA) proposals for those drastic flood defences on the Thames parks. GLOBE has committed to working with the campaign for a better flood alleviation scheme (CABFAS), find on facebook or see their website. The EA's sub-contractors have caused much disturbance when cutting down wild margins and damaging some trees for access to ground survey sites, so much so that we have raised 3 formal complaints As yet there's no progress on the major issue of poor air quality that the group monitored throughout 2018 in central Caversham and has been raised with RBC. At our next meeting we'll be deciding on dates for a thorough litter pick (yet again!) of the Richfield Avenue green margins and another blitz along the Thames parks where thoughtless people continue dropping their litter. The work of the GLOBE group supporters needs time, commitment, energy and much more if we are to make progress on these vital local issues. Any suggestions, ideas and practical help will always be welcome please.
CALL TO ACTION: EA FLOOD SCHEME WORKERS HAVE CLEARED VAST AREAS OF SCRUB HABITAT AND TREES - NEAR MEADOW WAY - FURTHER CLEARANCE WORK SET TO CONTINUE MONDAY 4TH MARCH 2019!
On Tuesday morning (26 February) a team of 6 EA workers with heavy machinery – chainsaws, brush cutters and a tractor was seen clearing and flailing vast swathes of wildlife habitat in the fields south of Amersham Road (between Dean’s Farm RBC field, Meadow Way and Amersham Rd)
GLOBE understands from what the workers told a GLOBE key member that this clearance work is intended to continue all the way along the Berry Brook along around the southern perimeter of the Amersham road estate onwards towards Lowfield Farm.
Some of this land is in Reading and some of it is in South Oxfordshire.
The EA staff were flailing and clearing vegetation by machine in a way that would not enable them to see any nesting birds, reptiles, mammals etc.
Another issue is that such extensive clearance of vegetation will open up this area to potential Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB). These fields link the Amersham Road playing fields through to Deans Farm. ASB used to be an issue here until the entire area became covered in scrub and people stopped accessing it.
They are accessing the site from RBC parks land off The Causeway which leads to Deans Farm, and have damaged one of the whitebeam trees on the grass verge near the entrance (property of either RBC or Dean’s Farm).
The workers said that they had been instructed by the EA to clear the site in preparation for investigation work as part of the flooding scheme.
A formal EA complaint has been made. However, the EA expect to continue more clearing on Monday!
If you care about maintaining wildlife, greenery, your environment and preventing ASB, we ask that you contact your local representatives (EA, Councillors, MP's etc) to stop this damage.
Clair Drever, the EA stands for the Environment Agency
That is outrageous, Environment Agency what have you got to say? Please stop & explain!!!
I’ve watched EA cutting away trees and scrub habitat at deans farm/meadow way area. Local family of deer always seen in there, as are muntjacs, foxes, and badgers. Hope this doesn’t disturb the wildlife.
We recommend cutting hedges and trees is avoided between March and August as this is the main breeding season for nesting birds. It is an offence under Section 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 to intentionally take, damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while it is in use or being built.
Who commissioned this? I’m not sure who EA are. I’ve never been good st acronyms. Whoever it is should be environmentally aware.
Outraged too? Elisa Del Galdo Miles
This is what’s been done at Mapledurham playing by RBC and the Heights school
Local people will be welcome on Tuesday 26 February at 7.00 pm (refreshments available) to the monthly meeting of the Caversham GLOBE group in the upstairs hall in Church House, 59 Church Street, Caversham. RG4 8AX. Participating in the group's activities - see photos and posts - requires various skills, abilities and interests for the various campaigns in which we are active. We need more activists to invest their time, interest and energy for the benefit of local residents and our environment. If you or someone you know enjoys campaigning for change as well as doing practical tasks you'll be welcome to join in all aspects of our work to help keep Caversham a pleasant place to live. Come and contribute! Contact via email at [email protected] or Facebook message or ring 07768958407 or come to our meeting.
Here is an opportunity to help improve grass verges in our area with wildlife friendly plantingAre pretty wildlife-friendly flowers and well-maintained grass verges compatible?
People have different opinions about how grass verges should look, some like the grass full of flowers laden with insects and don’t mind the ’mess’ of straggly grass even when it is cut and left around. Others don’t want flowers if it means mess.
Reading Council are now supporting research to find out if short-growing flowering plants would solve this problem. Which short species (other than daisies and buttercups) will grow in the grass, attract beneficial pollinating insects with their flowers, and survive the mowing regime?
The scheme needs volunteers to monitor a small specific patch of grass that is mowed by the council, and keep notes for about six months. You could choose a patch of grass near your house or work to adopt. The attached note gives more details - and please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions.
www.facebook.com/notes/tilehurst-globe/planting-verges-in-reading-for-pollinators/10156432831673208/
Campaign Against Gladman in Eye & Dunsden
We are delighted to have heard today heard that Mrs Justice Lang DBE has REFUSED permission for Gladman's High Court claim to be heard.They now have 7 days to ask for a short oral hearing – which is held just to allow Gladman to appeal against the decision to refuse a substantive hearing.
On Monday 28 January 10 supporters of Caversham GLOBE group were busy litter picking Christchurch Meadows yet again. Where does it all come from and who puts it there? 16 sacksful and a lot of bulky flytipped items. They were also planting more hedging along the north field eastern boundary that will eventually help to hide the laundry fence and provide more wildlife habitat. A big thank you to those GLOBE activists who organised and carried out this valued work.
Well done. I would like to help if you need volunteers on a Saturday, otherwise working full time takes precedence.
Thank you and for painting and fixing the planters on Church Road too
Thank you. Great work, especially in this cold weather
Thanks so much 👍👍
Great work😀😀 well done. Can you post any minutes from the meeting you all had the other night
Thank you...
Thank you
Thank you!
Hello to all GLOBE supporters. On Monday 28 January we will be planting some hedging and carrying out some maintenance including litter picking and rubbish clearance in Christchurch Meadows. This should be for about 2 hours from 10 am. All will be welcome. We have litter picking tools and sacks. We also have various pairs of protective gloves, though most people prefer their own.
Obviously, the right clothing and footwear is essential and if you have your own secateurs, border fork/spade or similar they'd be useful.
Meeting point by 10 am is opposite Westfield Rec by the entrance to north field of Christchurch Meadows on Gosbrook Road RG4 8BU.
To give an idea of numbers attending please let us know if you will be attending.
Residents will be welcome on Tuesday 22 January at 7.00 pm (refreshments available) to the first 2019 meeting of the Caversham GLOBE group in the upstairs hall in Church House, 59 Church Street, Caversham. RG4 8AX. GLOBE supporters are currently investing their time, interest and energy for the benefit of local residents by highlighting the poor air quality in central Caversham, monitoring local building plans, questioning aspects of the flood defences that will controversially change our riverside forever, working to keep our green spaces clean. We'll be hedge planting next month. We welcome more activists to join in all aspects of our work to keep Caversham a pleasant place to live. Come and contribute! Contact via email at [email protected] or Facebook message or ring 07768958407 or come to our meeting.
During the past 25 years Caversham GLOBE volunteers led by a small group of enthusiasts have achieved alot for the benefit of the wider community. 20 years ago a small hazel sapling was planted in Balmore Walk. That tree has been giving passers-by a lovely display of catkins. Currently pictured, the male blossoms are obvious but where do the fruits appear? You'll have to pause and admire that natural wonder more closely to see the small red female flowers also pictured. Clever? Yes but not such a wonder of nature as those trees like the yew, holly and many more whose male and female flowers grow on separate trees!
Reading Golf Club site REJECTED from South Oxfordshire's plan for strategic development!
KEG has just learnt that the large part of the Reading Golf Club site which is located in South Oxfordshire (28 ha) has been firmly rejected from their stategic development plan. It will NOT be considered for further assessment for development. The plan is for the period up to 2034!
It's definitely a Happy New Year! Thank you for your support! Let's keep up the pressure in 2019 to KEEP EMMER GREEN!
Good news for SOAR (Save Our Ancient Riverside) campaign and for Caversham GLOBE supporters who objected to this development. WOKINGHAM councillors again refused the planning application for the controversial east Reading Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) public transport link over the River Kennet mouth along the River Thames. The original application was refused by Wokingham Council in June due to concerns with the scheme’s environmental impact and its viability as a mass rapid transit scheme. On December 12 Wokingham council’s planning committee refused an amended scheme, which had been submitted to Wokingham by Reading Borough Council because there was not a “sufficient change” in the proposals. Councillor Carl Doran moved a motion to refuse the application after saying: "I'm the only Labour member on this committee and I am embarrassed that this has been brought back with so little changed. There's no support out there for this really. It is all objection. We must not let Reading Borough Council make us look like idiots.”
The new application for the public transport link, which would have been used by buses, cyclists and pedestrians between Thames Valley Business Park and Napier Road, outlined changes to the scheme including a camouflage addition, in which “planters containing ivy, or a similar plant,” would provide a “greening of the structure”. This failed to convince the majority of the planning committee as six councillors voted to refuse the scheme, one more than when the application was refused in June.
Further to earlier post showing link to Enviroment Agency, here are copies of leaflet issued to selected homes by the EA.
We must object to thees proposals. They are based on the 1947 flood event when snow melt couldn't enter the frozen River Thames - these conditions are unlikely to occur because we no longer have those conditions & much has changed on the river since then. 3-4 kms of walls will destroy all the trees & natural habitats & will change Caversham for ever.
Please read and share widely. A major issue seriously threatening the local riverside scene in Caversham is the planned 4 kms of concrete walls and embankment FLOOD BARRIERS that will change forever the Thames Parks. After public consultations in mid-summer some revisions have been made by the Environment Agency. There are many downsides to these proposals apart from the loss of trees, loss of riverside ambience, more anti-social behaviour in secluded hidden areas, unforeseen consequences of hydrostatic pressure on groundwater and backwash into sewers and drains affecting homes across lower Caversham. There is to be a further public consultation by the Environment Agency on Thursday 6 December in Caversham Baptist Church between 2.30 to 7.30 pm - we urge local people to attend and object to the damaging earthworks and concrete that would change our Thames Parks forever. The EA has just published this link. www.gov.uk/government/publications/north-reading-and-lower-caversham-flood-alleviation-scheme/nor...
Some doubts exist about possibly misleading statements in the EA consultation .."north Reading and Lower Caversham have flooded many times in recent years.." This is vague and unquantifiable. It also states.."In 2012 and 2014 homes and businesses in low lying areas of Caversham flooded..." where? How badly and how many? .."and in 2003, many houses were surrounded by floodwater.." How many? Where? .."and a number of roads closed to vehicles for up to 5 days." What number of roads and which? We know a canoeist was able to proceed down the middle of Amersham Road but how many houses and businesses were flooded? The EA should follow its own example and consider wetlands and other natural solutions (and tell the public) about these solutions. Green Park south Reading was just such a scheme not requiring flood walls. Instead, the EA offers only walls and embankment that will leave some Caversham homes on the wrong side! Heron Island, Deans Farm to name but two.
consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/thames/reading-and-caversham-flood-reduction-options/supporting...
On Thames Side (I know we are on the other side of the river) we do not flood, but like Heron Island the EA think we will be at risk if these works go ahead. I don't want a brick wall outside my house,
They plan on building these defences however, what are they doing regarding the mill streams - that's what makes our garden flood
I want more info on this, everything seems too wishy washy to me - it’s as if the council is too scared to let us know everything! I can’t make the meeting on Thursday as I am away on business so would be grateful if someone can keep us updated.
Are there any pictures to show what it looks like now and what it would look like with the proposals?
Where do we find the plans, please?
Interesting as also a very important need to reduce flood risk, maybe just too hard to meet all needs?
Funny how this is being proposed alongside so much development on floodplains. 🤔
Our group has recently benefited from a generous £100 donation from Simon Walmsley (pictured below left with Bob Busby of Caversham GLOBE). Simon is director of the well known local property sales and lettings Walmsley estate agency. This money will be put to good use ensuring the continued existence of the GLOBE group and our activists' work in keeping Caversham a more pleasant, greener and cleaner locality. Thank you Simon.
Meeting of the Caversham GLOBE group - Tuesday 27 November at 7.00 pm (refreshments available) in the upstairs hall in Church House, Church Street, Caversham.
Recently, some activists have been busy in central Caversham working on the planters, also in Christchurch Meadows and Balmore Walk. We also received the results of the air quality readings showing excessive levels of nitrogen dioxide locally. We learned of the success in the CAGE Dunsden campaign in which GLOBE was committed and took an active part, also making financial contributions. Another major item seriously affecting the local riverside scene is the planned 4 kms of concrete walls and embankment FLOOD BARRIERS that will change forever the Thames Parks. GLOBE representatives invested time and thoughtfulness in an extended site meeting with the Environment Agency to look at the extent of these drastic proposals. There is to be a further public consultation by the EA on Thursday 6 December in Caversham Baptist Church from 2.30 to 7.30 pm - we urge you to attend.
All residents are welcome to our monthly meetings where we raise and discuss any issues. You can also contact the GLOBE group by email, Facebook messenger or phone/text 07768 958407 beforehand about any local matters in which people in the GLOBE group may share your concerns and be able to take action. (Two more people have done this recently with some successful results.)
Countryside north of Caversham/Emmer Green saved!
Some great news from CAGE, representing the local parishes, residents associations and Caversham GLOBE
The planning Inspector has REFUSED Gladman's appeal to build 245 houses on the open countryside off Peppard Road just to the north of Emmer Green!Inspector Nick Palmer has today refused the Gladman appeal!
A fantastic victory for which huge thanks to so many who have contributed in so many ways.
The decision notice acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ViewCase.aspx?caseid=3185997 is clear that development at the site would conflict with South Oxfordshire development policies for where houses should go, and that it would do significant harm to the landscape. It is also clear that SODC has an adequate supply of housing land and that the ‘tilted balance’ does not apply.
Needless to say Gladman are quite likely to appeal to the High Court, but in the meanwhile, it’s party time!
Hello to all GLOBE supporters. This a brief quick update about poor air quality that Caversham GLOBE started measuring in Dec 2017. GLOBE installed test tubes at four locations over an extended period and the alarming amounts of harmful and dangerous nitrogen dioxide in micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3 ) have been confirmed by Winchester based Gradko Laboratories. Readings obtained below:
Church Street/Prospect Street jnc
41 µg/m3: 41 µg/m3: 34 µg/m3
Near Church St/Priory Ave jnc
47 µg/m3: 49 µg/m3: 40.5 µg/m3
Church Road/St Anne's Road jnc
56 µg/m3: 57 µg/m3: 50 µg/m3: 41.5 µg/m
Peppard Rd near Prospect St jnc
54 µg/m3: 71 µg/m3: 48.5 µg/m3
The legal MEAN ANNUAL limit for nitrogen dioxide is 40µg/m3. Of more concern is that some other air quality information collected by RBC shows that three Caversham locations (parts of Prospect Street and George Street) have exceeded the mean annual legal limit for the past nine years! What is to be done? Who will do it? When? These crucial questions and many more need some answers. The GLOBE group hopes to work with RBC Councillors, the North Reading Safer Neighbourhood Forum (NRSNF) and CADRA to develop a joint approach for remedial action. This could include: air corridors, more trees, street planters, green walls, anti-idling of vehicles when stationary and traffic reduction policies. Only by reducing the levels of polluting traffic exhaust fumes will residents, pedestrians and cyclists be able to breathe cleaner air in the long term.
Please use this information in any way you can to campaign for improvements. If you have ideas please contribute them. Don't stay silent. Thanks.
Helen Goodchild
Anything to stop ignorant drivers sitting their cars with the engine running. Summer is worst, engine running, keeping cool inside car with air con. On. Ignorant drivers running engine so they are warm to get into. What a nation of wimps.
I’m always surprised that there isn’t a mass response to air pollution updates as it affects the health of everyone who lives and works in Caversham. Safer cycle paths would help. Thank you for highlighting. I’ve emailed the local councillors and MP.
Has this been shared to CGG’s?
Please could you tweet this so more can see? Can you also tell me what the three readings are for each junction, were they taken at different times?
Thank you Caversham GLOBE. Are there any councillors who can comment. Can they press the matter with Tony Page. Are there results equally as concerning or worse even for elsewhere in Reading?
Thank you for doing this work.
Caversham GLOBE volunteers were busy Sunday morning reconstructing some of the planters on Church Street, planting winter bedding, cutting back the overgrown hedge on the library (listed building) by the centenary Caversham information map and generally sprucing up the streetscape. This work takes some resourceful organisation, time, energy and commitment for the benefit of the whole community. Photos below. A big "Thank you" to the people who worked on this project.
You are doing a great job and so nice to see mini gardens in the streets. Keep it up! Xx
Well done thank you.
Thank you 🙏 looks fantastic
Thank you makes such a difference the place looks valued,which it is!
Great work and thank you very much for the work round the heritage map on the library railings.
Great work- thank you for all your hard grafting xx
Thank you for working hard to make Caversham beautiful x
I noticed and admired when I parked there yesterday
Thank you all involved
GLOBE activists were busy on Friday afternoon in Christchurch Meadows removing logs and litter from the Danall, tending to recently planted street trees and cutting back overgrown margins in Balmore Walk. Staffing reductions in RBC Parks and consequent falling standards of care and maintenance are all too obvious and cause for long-term concern. The Caversham GLOBE group needs more people who can help keep north Reading cleaner and greener. Don't leave to the few, please.
Well done to these volunteers!! If we were younger and more active we would give a hand. Thanks from 2 seniors who appreciate your effort.
I had some free time on a Friday but I didn’t get an email notification of this litterpick. Can you check that I haven’t fallen off the mailing list? Thanks 🙂
Thanks for doing this. X
Saw you in Balmore Walk. How do I get on the list for volunteering?
I agree we can all help. But we should make it higher priority for our Council. Clayfield Copse car park seems to have become an unofficial dumping group and no matter how many tickets I raise they are closed as complete with no action taken.
Our monthly meeting of the Caversham GLOBE group will be next Tuesday 23 October at 7.00 pm (refreshments available) in the upstairs hall in Church House, Church Street Caversham. All residents are welcome to our monthly meetings where we raise and discuss any issues. You can also contact the GLOBE group by email, Facebook messenger or phone/text 07768 958407 beforehand about any local matters the GLOBE group may share your concerns about and be able to take action.
Due to the rain forecast for Sunday morning 14 October we have decided to cancel our litter picking event and will reschedule some time in near future. It's no fun picking up other people's rubbish in the rain. Thanks.
As part of the borough wide clean up known as RESCUE (Rivers and Environmental Spaces Clean Up Event) our group is planning to clean up Richfield Avenue green margins and adjacent Thames Parks and Rivermead car parks at 10.30 am Sunday 14 October . Our muster point will be in the public car park on Thames Prom near the Boat House just upstream from Caversham Bridge at 10.30 am. Litter pickers, high viz and sacks will be provided. We have gloves, though you may prefer to use your own. email [email protected] This event may be weather dependent so please include contact phone number if you can attend and let us know by 12 noon Saturday 13 October. Contact Richard Denney on 07768 958407 if needed, Thanks.
Our group has recently benefited from a generous £150 donation from Peter Neville (below, right) owner of Elegant Homes, the bespoke residential property developer providing well-designed and crafted new homes throughout Berkshire and South Oxfordshire. This money will be put to good use ensuring the continued existence of the GLOBE group and our activists' work in keeping Caversham a cleaner more pleasant locality. Thank you Peter.
Next meeting of Caversham GLOBE group will be Tuesday 25 September at 7 pm. GLOBE activists are investing their time, interest and energy for the benefit of local residents, in many ways e.g. highlighting the dangerously high readings of nitrogen dioxide on central Caversham roads; repairing the street planters; keeping Caversham cleaner by removing graffiti and litter picking. Soon we will be organising our local autumn litter picking (RESCUE) for 12 - 14 October and various planting and maintenance in green spaces. Two local planning applications for house building will also be discussed at our meeting: one on Abbotsmead Place where brambles and trees were cleared last year, the second one is proposed "infill" for 5 houses on mature protected (TPO) woodland/wildlife area between Blenheim Road and Kidmore Road.
All residents are welcome to our monthly meetings where we raise and discuss any issues. You can also contact the GLOBE group by email, Facebook messenger or phone/text 07768 958407 beforehand about any local matters in which people in the GLOBE group may share your concerns and be able to take action.
Hello GLOBE supporters, this email gives you some more worrying information about the East Reading Mass Rapid Transit System proposals. There is a short film that you should watch and share please. www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_hMj2m2oi4
The film gives great cause for concern about Reading Borough Councils agreed planning policies being ignored for this proposed transport scheme. The film includes a reference to Caversham GLOBE's objections (We should all be grateful to the detailed work Dave Kenny put into investigating the plans and compiling GLOBE's objections we approved at a monthly meeting). Please read this message from John Mullaney of the SOAR campaign.
To coincide with Reading Borough Council's 'consultation' with the public about their revised MRT proposal, SOAR have made a short film, also released today.
The 11 minute subtitled film uses the brilliant speech given by Councillor Josh Williams at the Planning Committee meeting earlier this year, during which he spells out just some of the Core Planning Policies and Strategies - both local and national - that the scheme contravenes.
SOAR have enhanced that speech by showing on-screen each contravened policy that Josh cites.
Wokingham Council's grounds for rejecting the scheme were because the scheme " would be harmful to the landscape character of the area and would be contrary to Core Policies and Core Strategy "
Josh's speech and Wokingham's reasons for rejectinhg the scheme remain as relevant to today's revised application as to the previous proposal. Put simply, the scheme contravenes the multiple Planning Policies that RBC's Planning Committee would otherwise enforce.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_hMj2m2oi4
Please share the film far and wide so that as many people as possible understand the extent of the MRT scheme's non-compliance with both local policies and government legislation.
Thanks and I hope you find the film informative.
SOAR
Save Our Ancient Riverside
Website: www.saveourancientriverside.co.uk
Facebook : www.facebook.com/NoPaRThamessideWokingham/
Twitter : twitter.com/soarreadingSpeech given by Reading Green Councillor Josh William in which he exposes how many planning policies are contravened by the Council's own proposed 'MRT' sche...
Huge credit to Josh Williams one of the few RBC councillors with any integrity.
Do watch the video!
Our monthly meeting of the Caversham GLOBE group will be next Tuesday 28 August at 7.00 pm (refreshments available) in the upstairs hall in Church House, Church Street, Caversham. Since the July monthly meeting we have received the consistently alarming results from our four local air quality tests test tubes that we installed to measure the amount of harmful and dangerous nitrogen dioxide (micro-grams per cubic metre) on some local roads - results below:
Church Street/Prospect St. jnc. 41 µg/m3
Church Street/Priory Avenue jnc 49 µg/m3
Peppard Road nr Prospect street Jnc 71 µg/m3
Church Road/St Anne's Road 50 µg/m3
Also of concern is the resumption on 29 August of the appeal by Gladman land against the refusal of planning permission for homes on south Oxfordshire farmland bordering Emmer Green.
GLOBE supporters are doing work to enhance the group website to include advertising for the business sponsors that are being sought to cover the groups operating costs. Others are going to be out helping keep central Caversham cleaner during the Readiing Festival.
All residents are welcome to our monthly meetings where we raise and discuss any issues. You can also contact the GLOBE group by email, messenger or phone/text 07768 958407 beforehand.
If you are concerned about pollution in our towns and cities please share this post. Air quality is a problem in many parts of in the UK and Caversham Globe is doing a great job in raising awareness of the danger.
Thank you to your wonderful, dedicated litter pickers- they were hard at work when I drove past them Thursday. Much appreciated & well done 👍
The Public Inquiry resumes on Wednesday 29 August, 0930 at Henley Rugby Club, Marlow Road, RG9 2JA. Please attend if you can. The outcome of this Inquiry is so crucial to the future of the open countryside which surrounds Caversham and Emmer Green - our green lungs are under threat from these speculative developers.Please share, print and display!
Alarming levels of air pollution persist in Caversham centre! Following our worrying March results we have now received the July results from the four air quality test tubes that we installed to measure the amount of harmful and dangerous nitrogen dioxide per cubic metre on local roads - results below
Church Street/Prospect St. jnc. 41 µg/m3
Church Street/Priory Avenue jnc 49 µg/m3
On Peppard Road near Prospect streetJnc 71 µg/m3
Church Road/St Anne's Road 50 µg/m3
Our March 2018 stats were almost as serious so this means we're consistently breathing in dangerous particles! The legal MEAN ANNUAL limit for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is 40µg/m3 . As these alarming results are for a two week period in July 2018 they are a snapshot showing how bad pollution is. What's to be done? Drastic improvements are needed. If you care contact your councillor, residents group or why not join Caversham GLOBE?
From the Council's own records we now discover that there are 3 AQ test sites in Caversham that have exceeded the mean annual legal limit for the past 9 years!
They better do something soon because once they’ve finished under Cow Lane Bridges the congestion that was held up there is going to be held up in Caversham.
Seems there is an answer! www.bikebiz.com/community/clean-air-get-rid-of-cars
The 71 µg/m3 at the junction of Peppard Road and Prospect Street is really concerning. This is a dangerous junction anyway for cyclists and pedestrians. Now it turns out it is also increasing the likelihood of my son developing asthma (from this systematic review: Khreis et al. 2017 doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2016.11.012)
It is almost all vehicle related if it is in July. And still RBC have done next to nothing to make Caversham suitable for people to ride bikes through. The National Cycle network passes through on what must be one of the worst facilities for cyclists anywhere. And simple things, like a decent access to Christchurch meadows from Gosbrook road have never been implemented. RBC seem to think cycling is a problem.
I am pushing for measures to reduce congestion & pollution, rest assured!
My asthma wasn’t like this until I moved to Caversham ☹️
Urgent! Urgent! There are 2 days left for responses to the Environment Agency consultation. Your objection to current proposals is strongly recommended please. To view the detailed proposals that would destroy the current Caversham riverside as we know it see this link:
consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/thames/reading-and-caversham-flood-reduction-options/
Some GLOBE supporters who attended the consultation exhibition and discussed with EA officials and have studied the detail are horrified to see the ill-considered proposed destruction of wild life habitats, felling of trees, building of massive embankments, concrete walls and metal gates all for the off chance of potential flooding and ignoring many technical difficulties associated with the consequences of attempts at holding back flood water from a relatively small area.The introduction paragraph of GLOBE's objections to be submitted is reproduced below and we urge residents to adapt this, add any additional comments and submit to the Environment Agency to: reading&[email protected]
Caversham GLOBE strongly objects to these proposals which would see the removal of numerous trees and hedges and the building of ugly reinforced concrete walls, these would intrude into our green spaces along the river corridor. The entire River Thames corridor through Reading is designated for protection under the adopted Local Plan and we believe that these proposals would result in unacceptable environmental damage to our parks and green spaces. We believe that the environmental damage caused by permanent reinforced concrete walls and the potential loss of so many trees and hedging is unacceptable and would be far in excess of any transitory flooding risk.
All comments count for something, so please don't leave it to others, these proposals would bring drastic changes to the Thames parks with unforeseen consequences!
consult.environment-agency.gov.uk
Find and participate in consultations run by the Environment Agency
Submitted, thanks xxx
✅ done
Done.
The black & white photos look dramatic but that water's shallow; our house nearby did not flood in 1947 according to a neighbour.
A big "thank you" to the seven Caversham GLOBE activists, who gave their time and energy to do some maintenance and improve the appearance of the ageing planters in Church Street today.
Great work - thanks.
Thank you, these look fab 🙂
Brilliant work. Everyone shopping in Caversham will benefit from them looking so much smarter. Well done!
amazing job thank you
Thanks so much
Thank you for doing this - they look great 👍🏻
Wow, they look amazing! Thank you very much!
Thank you very much, they look amazing !
Thank you!
Good eggs 👍🏻
On Sunday morning 22/7 from 8.30 am we need help with woodwork maintenance (sanding/painting) on the planters in central Caversham. If you could spare 2 hours, please contact us via PM or text/phone 07768 958407. Also, residents are welcome to come to the July monthly meeting of the Caversham GLOBE group next Tuesday 24 July at 7.00 pm (refreshments available) in the upstairs hall in Church House, Church Street, Caversham.
Can you help? A cherry tree on Westfield Recreation Ground has been seriously damaged and may now die. The Reading Tree Warden Network believe this may have been done by someone training a vicious dog. Similar damage has been done to a walnut tree on Christchurch Meadows.
If you have any information about people damaging trees please contact the Reading Tree Warden Network
www.readingtreewardens.org.uk/contact-us.php or by emailing [email protected]
You can also report damage to the council 0118 937 3787.
Gosh. This is terrible. I must keep a look out for [unspeakable] doing this, but already I go through CcM and WR at all hours. When can they be doing this?
The Annual General Meeting of Caversham GLOBE group will take place on Tuesday 26 June at 7 pm in Church House Church Street Caversham, RG4 8AX. This meeting is expected to last no more than one hour. After the AGM attendees are invited to take a walk, weather permitting, along the Thames parks including View Island, Hill's Meadow & Christchurch Meadows looking at various issues, past GLOBE projects and ideas for suggested improvement projects. All GLOBE supporters and residents are welcome. Much has changed since the early days of the GLOBE groups in Reading in the mid -1990s when there was abundant and active Council sponsorship, liaison, support and cooperation on many projects. In the current challenging times the group continues to make a difference locally due to a core group of activists and the continued support of interested residents but there are challenges ahead. The AGM is an opportunity to take stock of 2017 and to strengthen the resolve of the GLOBE group to continue its work.
Hi Dave and Richard, just wanted to let you know that I have submitted the motion we discussed to Full Council (26th June), asking for 2 permanent diffusion tubes to be fitted in Caversham. As it’s Clean Air day today let’s hope that the motion gets passed and we can start to build a bigger picture of the air quality North of the river. The agenda papers are here if you’d like to read the motion: www.reading.gov.uk/article/11426/Council-26-JUN-2018
Thank you so much for the guided walk after the (well attended, lively) AGM. Was fascinating, and lovely to see the bats also. Good luck for the coming year.
What a lovely idea. I have full Council that night so unfortunately can’t join you. I’ve shared the link into CGG in case any of them can come along.
Residents are welcome to come to the May monthly meeting of the Caversham GLOBE group next Tuesday 22 May at 7.00 pm (refreshments available) in the upstairs hall in Church House, Church Street, Caversham. Have you thought about the problem of poor air quality in Caversham centre and what should be done about it? Do you know that many mature trees could be lost if the Kennet mouth bridge and viaduct from Thames Valley park to Napier road is constructed? Could you help the group in any way or could someone you know help? The small group of GLOBE group activists would welcome more residents' ideas, energy and action. All residents are welcome to this meeting where we discuss and raise any issues. You can also contact the GLOBE group by email or Messenger beforehand about any local matters in which people in the GLOBE group may share your concerns and be able to take action.
Balmore Walk has got its sign back 2 years after decapitation by the council's hedge cutting monster. Thank you RBC.
It would be nice if it had a cycle network to go with it.
Did it get a new head?
That is very good news.
Pollution alarm in Caversham! We have now received the worrying results from the four air quality test tubes that we installed to measure the amount of dangerous nitrogen dioxide per cubic metre on local roads - results below
Church Street/Prospect St. jnc. 41.18µg/m3
Church Street/Priory Avenue jnc 46.83µg/m3
Near Peppard Road/Prospect Street Jnc 54.17µg/m3
Church Road/St Anne's Road 56.90µg/m3
So what does this mean? It means we're breathing in dangerous particles! The legal MEAN ANNUAL limit for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is 40µg/m3 . As these alarming results are for a two week period in March 2018 they are a snapshot showing how bad pollution is around here. We're grateful to our residents' association CADRA for paying the cost of these four tubes; GLOBE paid for the first one last December that also gave a dangerous reading of 56.µg/m3, so there's consistency.
Our nearest Reading Borough Council air quality testing apparatus, as many local people will know, is on Caversham Road just south of Caversham bridge. This gives a “low” reading on the national picture. However, its site on a wide open road by a pedestrian crossing with fewer traffic queues may record lower pollution levels than near the narrow busy junctions of central Caversham. The national campaign for clean air map can be seen via this link
friendsoftheearth.uk/clean-air/clean-air-campaign-air-monitoring-kit-results
Don't stay silent on this issue. It requires drastic change - but who will make it happen?
We need the third bridge to cut the number of cars coming through the village
Matt Robinson
Jason Haarpper
Richard Hawkins
We used to live in Reading/Caversham and now we live in the countryside. Every time we come back to visit we notice how polluted the air is in Reading - it's like hitting a smog-wall when we arrive.
If these tests were performed in December/January time I bet the results would have been even worse. When I come back to the area I have to put the car on internal air circulation as soon as I enter the town. The smell of fumes is very strong but after a couple of days of being back I get used to it! Scared 😟
It’s no surprise about the pollution levels and of course it’s unacceptable but until people take personal responsibility for only using their vehicles where absolutely necessary (which realistically won’t happen in an affluent area where some households have upwards of 3-4 vehicles and can afford them, also if one lives rurally there is little alternative) and huge investment is placed in public transport (more buses/trains + drastically reduced fares) in order to make travelling by PT an attractive, convenient and viable alternative which at present, it isn’t - then I don’t see anything changing. There are nowhere near enough safe/joined up cycle routes around the town. Reading has outgrown itself with a booming employment record, the ever increasing need for housing and the road infrastructure just can’t cope. We of course need a third bridge which would divert the traffic away from Caversham centre, but three local authorities cannot agree where or who will pay and a great deal of money has already been spent on lengthy ‘consultations’. People living in leafy villages of course wish them to stay that way and who honestly can blame them. Also, in an area of outstanding natural beauty nature lovers and environmentalists like myself fear the impact this will have on the countryside and the creatures that happily live in it. All the while, more homes are being built (not enough affordable ones may I add) and as the local population increases, so does the traffic. And so it will continue. I’m fortunate and live within walking distance of Caversham and Reading town centre. I walk and cycle as much as possible but if you live further out it’s hard not to just jump in the car if otherwise your journey involves taking 1 or 2 buses to get from one side of Reading to the other. In addition to this, children have to be driven to school if they live too far from their school to walk as is often the case now, which increases traffic further. I’m all for lobbying etc., but surely until people have a real incentive to leave their cars at home, then our air quality will continue to decline?
People need to use the bus more . Bring down the bus fairs 🤔 you don't know weather to open windows at night or keep them shut
fewer cars may help
Most of this caused by traffic passing through caversham
Could it also have something to do with all the traffic jams with cow lane being shut !!
TONIGHT! Fri 27 April 2018 @ 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM GREN Environmental Hustings 2018 RISC conference hall, 35-39 London Street, Reading RG1 Come and challenge the environmental policies of the candidates in this May's local elections in Reading. Representatives of the four parties holding seats in the council will give a short presentation of their policies and goals and then answer questions from the floor for at least an hour. Press Release from Greater Reading Environmental Network (GREN). "Local Elections 2018 - Environmental Hustings Local elections are on 3rd May 2018 and GREN (the Greater Reading Environmental Network) is running an ‘Environmental Hustings’ again, as in previous years. This meeting gives the public a chance to hear Reading politicians debate the local environmental issues people care about. Councillors Tony Page (Labour), Clare Grasshoff (Conservative), Rob White (Green) and Ricky Duveen (Liberal Democrat) will represent their parties. The format will be similar to ‘Question Time’ with opportunities to ask questions from the floor and supplementary questions on topics chosen from prior suggestions. The meeting will be in the RISC Conference Hall, London Street, at 7.30 on Friday April 27th." Fri 27 April 2018 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM Reminder: environmental Hustings this thursday at RISC RISC conference hall, london street reading Come and quiz local politicians about their environmental policies at 7.30 in the RISC conference hall in london street
And if the extra 254 houses get built at the top will f emmer green as there could be another 500 cars 🚙
THAT IS ALARMING ESPECIALLY AS MY SON HAS ASTHMA AND IS NO ACCIDENT THAT THERE ARE MORE CARS ON THE ROAD AND MORE CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA IN THE WHOLE OFEUORPEAN COUNTRY,
GREN Reading Local Election Hustings TONIGHT!! Friday, 27 April 2018 @ 7.30pm RISC Main Hall, 35-39 London Street, Reading RG1
That's really worrying, but not surprising. I wonder if there is an argument to move the monitoring site or add a new one?
*Raises hand*
Might be a silly question, but what can we do about this?
Hello to all GLOBE supporters and other addressees. Our April monthly meeting of the Caversham GLOBE group will be next Tuesday 24 April at 7.00 pm (refreshments available) in the upstairs hall in Church House, Church Street, Caversham. Since the March meeting we have now received the alarming results from the additional four air quality test tubes that we installed to measure the amount of nitrogen dioxide per cubic metre at 4 locations on our busy local roads. All readings were above the European Union legal MEAN ANNUAL limit for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) at 40 micrograms per cubic metre . As these alarming results are for a two week period in March 2018 they are but a snapshot showing how bad pollution is around here. We'll be deciding what action GLOBE should take with this information. We're grateful to CADRA for paying the cost of these extra tubes; GLOBE paid for the first one last December that also gave a high reading. You may also know that we organised a litter pick of the Richfield Avenue green margins and adjoining fields on 13 April. 21 volunteers collected 35 sacks of litter, including 10 sacks of recyclable cans and plastic, 242 glass bottles, 4 vehicle tyres, 4 drugs needle cases and various scrap metal and wood.
Soon it will be time for the group to do some work on the central Caversham planters so volunteers will be needed there. Then we'll no doubt be encouraging residents to participate in the May 11-13th KEEP BRITAIN TIDY - The Great Plastic Pick Up.
Do you have any thoughts about these issues? Could you help in any way or could someone you know help? The small group of GLOBE group activists would welcome more residents' ideas, energy and action. All residents are welcome to this meeting where we discuss and raise any issues. You can also contact the GLOBE group by email [email protected] or messenger or phone/text 07768 958407 beforehand about any local matters in which people in the GLOBE group may share your concerns and be able to take action.
We must get good alternatives to the private car. The bus is only a part of the solution, they still cause a load of pollution, in use and in manufacture and maintenance. Much more walking and cycling and much better infrastructure.
Richfield Avenue looked great when we walked along it on Monday. 😀
Are there any more events scheduled? There is mention of the 'central Caversham planters' and 'keep Britain tidy' 11 - 13 May.
We are catering too much to the driver with red routes and attempts to speed up the traffic at the expense of the pedestrian. Reading should become a pedestrian friendly town, enabling them to cross roads safely. We should become a slow and safe town.
Friday 13 April 2018 on Richfield Avenue green margins and adjacent fields towards the Thames. Caversham GLOBE organised a litter pick with 16 local residents and 5 volunteers from local businesses who collected 10 sacks of recyclables, 25 sacks of general waste, 242 glass bottles, 4 vehicle tyres, 4 drugs needles cases and various scrap metal/wood. A massive thank you to all participants, including 3 people from Bell Tower Community Association. WHO throws all that rubbish away? Why do they do it?
If Richfield Avenue litter was bad, this is the A33 just south of town centre on this lovely sunny spring Satuday.
belle initiative a poursuivre bisous
Thank you to Caversham Globe for organising and all the helpers who give their time to clear the rubbish. Much appreciated.
Thank you for organising, and for everyone who gave their time and effort to help clean up our town!
Thank you to all that helped make are environment clean again .Lets hope it stays free from letter .
Thank you for doing that. It is very much appreciated xxx
Fantastic turnout! Thanks everyone for doing this for us all.
me do