The idea
We are currently working closely with Ealing council to secure planning permission for this project. No pledges will be collected until this is in place.
With an increase in anti-social behaviour and incessant fly-tipping, an immediate solution is the installation of gates at both ends of the alley. CCTV and security lights would further deter people and allow the residents to take back control of an area they use on a daily basis.
Collaboration with art students from schools/colleges in the community to paint a mural on the alley walls. This will breathe new life and colour into the alley, transforming a space that is used by over 130 people. We want to engage students to create something relevant to Southall by portraying the heritage & culture. It will be like an open-air outdoor exhibition starting on the wall on St Joseph’s Drive bending around into the alley. The public will be able to view the mural at any time as the gates will be installed at the end of the mural.
What we'll deliver
- Gates with pedestrian and vehicular access on both ends of the alley
- CCTV and security lights to provide coverage across the alley
- Collaborate with local schools/colleges to paint a mural in the alley portraying Southall's vibrancy and culture
Why it's a great idea
The antisocial behaviour is one of the biggest issues we face. There are approximately 20 three bedroom flats on the upper floors of the shops housing nearly 100 people. Most of the residents are families who use the alley on a daily basis as the flats can only be accessed via the alley. In addition, shop keepers and staff utilise the alley daily and this affects their attitude to work, etc. They have to walk past people drinking, taking drugs, defecating and urinating while making daily trips to the high street, school pick and drops offs, etc. Commercial users despise having to use the alley and it affects their mental and physical attitudes to work. Shopkeepers find it hard to employ good staff as the area does not have any appeal and are instead deterred by the ongoing problems.
Steps to get it done
- Instruct company to install gates
- Hire 2/3 skips and employ a two labourers to remove all the rubbish in the alley
- Instruct company to install security lights and cctv camers
- College/School to paint mural on brick wall leading into alleyway
The alley has been blighted with antisocial behaviour, fly tipping, high street customers parking their cars in the alley and restricting access. This has been ongoing since the 90s and although Ealing Council has been proactive in trying to fix the issues, it is difficult to monitor the alley 24 hours a day! Saving resources allocated towards the alley by Ealing Council means they are able to reallocate these resources to other areas of need.
ASB is now spilling onto St Joseph’s Drive where offenders are drinking more openly on the street, using little metal canisters to inhale nitrous oxide, faeces being smeared on peoples’ brick walls at the front of their drives, and so on.
Fly tipping is a problem that has long faced the alley. Ealing have increased the waste collection frequency and this has helped somewhat but the problem still persists.
