Morning. The buses are back on Surbiton Hill Road after four days, and TfL still hasn't said what the incident was. UK Power Networks' Hook Road works now run to 27 November, not 25 October. Kingston Market is expected to start reopening on Monday. Then a Guilford Avenue planning application, the weekend and half-term.
TfL's feed shows the 406, 418, K1 and K4 back on Surbiton Hill Road this morning, with the 406 and 418 predicted at Maplehurst Close and Hollyfield School again, four days after it diverted them for what it called an emergency services incident. Its notice ran out overnight and hasn't been renewed, and it has said nothing about what the incident was. Vanessa, who drove past the site of Saturday night's Maple Road fire a number of times this week, says there were no road closures at all; the brigade had that fire out by 1.34am on Sunday, 83 minutes after TfL's notice began, and I still can't find anything that links the two. The K4 stays on its Lamberts Road diversion until 13 November. If you know what kept four routes off the road for four days, reply.
The council's roadworks list, updated this week, has UK Power Networks' signals and closures in one direction on Hook Road, between Upper Brighton Road and the Hook roundabout, running to 27 November; until this week the list said 25 October. TfL's feed has moved too: the emergency lane closure northbound at Clayton Road and the lane closed in both directions at Trewenna Drive, Chessington, are both now listed to 11 November. UK Power Networks' cabling also keeps Villiers Road in Kingston on signals to 13 November, and closes Fairoak Lane in Chessington, near the substation, from 30 October to 19 February 2027.
Also: Fullers Way North and Red Lion Road in Tolworth are closed overnight, 8pm to 5am, from 28 to 30 October for resurfacing, between Tara Close and number 219.
The council expects the market to start reopening from Monday 19 October, after nine days shut for the demolition of the stalls damaged in the 6 October fire and repairs to the site. Traders who lost their stalls will take longer: the council and the operator, Between the Bridges, are arranging temporary stalls, and nobody pays pitch fees until they can trade. The council leader says he fully expects to be ready for the Christmas market.
An application validated on Monday would demolish 42 Guilford Avenue, Surbiton, and its garage, and build two four-bedroom semi-detached houses with a new dropped kerb. Neighbours have until Thursday 5 November to comment on the council's planning portal (search 26/02057/FUL; you need to register); the council has until 7 December to decide.
After Wednesday's C3 grade from the housing regulator, the housing portfolio holder, Councillor Emily Davey, told Radio Jackie that while the council accepts its survey programme 'is not sufficiently progressed', it is now 24% complete, and that there is no suggestion tenants' homes are unsafe. Councillor James Giles of the Kingston Independent Residents Group called the judgement 'damning'.
Friday: poetry at the cornerHOUSE, doors 7 for 7.30, £6 with a cheese buffet. Wet first thing, clearing during the morning, 16.
Saturday: the farmers' market on Maple Road, 9 to 1; a free coffee concert by Kingston Grammar School at St Andrew's at half ten; Edith Gardens' open day, 10 to 2, free; Hook's schools association's musical bingo at Hook Junior School hall, 3 to 5, £5; Corinthian-Casuals v Wallingford & Crowmarsh in the Premier Challenge Cup at 3, £10, concessions £6. Surbiton Hockey's women's first team play East Grinstead at Sugden Road, Long Ditton, at 5, £7.50 on the gate. In the evening, Kirris Riviere at the Lamb at 7.30; Thames Concerts at St Andrew's, 7.30, £22 on the door, free for under-16s and students; and SEEGER, Randy Noojin's solo show about Pete Seeger, at the cornerHOUSE, 7.30, £20, or £5 if you're 25 or under. Sunny spells, cooler, 14.
Sunday: St Andrew's installs its new vicar at 6. Joao Mello at the Lamb at 5. Quizzes at the Elm Tree, 7.30, free entry with a £50 bar tab to win, and the Antelope, 7.30. Kingston Orchard Project's grow-your-own session at Knollmead allotments in Tolworth, 2 to 4. Sunny spells and the odd shower, 14.
Half-term, from Monday: Hollyfield and Surbiton High are off for two weeks; the borough's community schools finish on Friday 23 October. Surbiton Hockey Club runs camps at Sugden Road from Monday to Thursday, 9 to 4, ages 3 to 13, £64 a day or £32 a half-day. Chessington's Howl'o'ween is open 10 to 6 all week, 7 on Friday, from £34 online. The libraries' half-term programme and the Rose's Room on the Broom start the following week. On Tuesday the cornerHOUSE marks 40 years of Poems on the Underground with its manager, Sara Chernaik, 7.30, £5 on TicketSource. Bargain World on Victoria Road is reported to be opening on Monday. Cloudy with showers likely on Monday, 15; 16 on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Back tomorrow.
Mike
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