Afternoon, Surbiton. So many of you replied over the weekend that I've changed the newsletter already. The most-asked-for thing, by miles: roadworks and closures. So there's a new Roads & routes section below, in every issue from now on. Keep the replies coming.
Prime Suspect writer fights a Kingston Hill speeding ban
Lynda La Plante, the 83-year-old creator of Prime Suspect and Widows, lives in Kingston and faces an automatic six-month driving ban after allegedly breaking the 20mph limit on Kingston Hill three times in five months, at 24, 26 and 27mph. She's contesting the charges, arguing the signage is confusing, and the case is at Lavender Hill Magistrates' Court on 3 August.
31°C tomorrow. Check on your neighbours
Kingston's district and community nurses have put out heatwave advice ahead of this week's hot spell: drink 1.5 to 2 litres a day, eat high-water foods like melon, grapes and strawberries, and check in on neighbours and relatives. Confusion, dizziness and falls are the dehydration warning signs they see most. As one of the nurses put it: it takes five minutes to knock on a door. With tomorrow forecast to hit 31°C, worth doing.
Residents push back on the council's weed spray
The borough's annual glyphosate spraying started on 15 June and runs about four weeks, and some residents aren't happy. One says their dog needed a vet visit to have grass seeds removed, blaming the council for spraying too late, after the weeds had already gone to seed. Another says he spotted an operator spraying without protective kit last week. The council says herbicide use has fallen since 2019, and that its 2021 trials of alternatives, including manual removal and hot foam, weren't as effective, with hot foam expensive and disruptive on top.
- Berrylands station: still closed for the £6m rebuild until end of September. Trains pass but don't stop; the replacement bus runs every 30 minutes between New Malden and Surbiton from Surbiton Hill Park.
- Ewell Road at Dysart School: two-way temporary lights until Mon 20 July while a new pedestrian crossing goes in.
- A3 at Tolworth: no access from Tolworth Junction onto the A3 southbound until 29 July, and lane closures on Tolworth Rise South.
- Bus 281: on diversion until 29 July. It misses Tolworth Station in both directions, and Tolworth Broadway towards Hounslow too.
- Hook Road: the western side of the Bridge Road roundabout is closed with temporary lights running traffic round the eastern side, and there are two-way lights at Gladstone Road. Both are power-network works, expected out late July.
K2 riders: good service, no diversions posted today. And to the reader who hit a surprise closure on Berrylands Road at Ewell Road: the council's list only shows overnight power works there on 5–6 July, so I'm chasing what you ran into. Hit a closure that's not listed here? Reply and I'll dig.
- The Local Plan, explained: Kingston Society public meeting on the 20,000-homes plan, Wed 15 July, 7.30pm (doors 7pm), Judge Lecture Theatre, Tiffin School KT2 6RL. details
- Free lunchtime jazz: The Half-Diminished Band at the Rose Theatre, Thu 16 July, 12pm to 2pm. Free. listings
- Blak Twang at Ram Jam Records: UK hip-hop, Thu 16 July, 7pm. tickets
- Surbiton Farmers' Market: Saturday 18 July, 9am to 1pm, Maple Road. Around 40 stalls. details
A scorcher. Sunny with highs around 31°C, light winds, next to no rain. UV is very high, so hat and sun cream if you're out at lunch, and water for the dog.
That's your lot. The new roads section came straight from your replies, so if you want something else covered, you know what to do. Hit reply. I read every one.
Mike, Surbiton Daily
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