Croydon’s cyclists are protesting over a late-notice and unconsulted decision by Southern Rail to remove their secure bike storage at East Croydon Station, leaving them without a safe place to lock up their bicycles.
Short notice: the signs that went up outside East Croydon Station yesterday, barely 11 days before Southern say they will remove the bike racks
Southern posted notices only yesterday, notifying the removal of the cycle facility on July 1.
The rail operators have given no reason for this sudden removal of amenity for their passengers.
The removal will deny a crucial facility to commuters who cycle to East Croydon before enduring a daily train journey into central London.
“This is the only cycle parking around here with available spaces and proper CCTV,” said Chris Galpin, who regularly cycles from his home in Addiscombe to the station on his way to work.
“It’s outrageous they didn’t even bother to ask people what impact this would have. They are treating us with complete contempt.”
A member of the Croydon Cycling Campaign told Inside Croydon: “This arbitrary decision will make it much more difficult for people to choose cycling as part of their journey to work. Continue reading
While frustrated by 
While Croydon’s finances were “runaway” and out of control, and while the government was bailing out her council with a £136million loan, Katherine Kerswell, the council’s chief exec, was spending her valuable time ordering IT staff to block their colleagues from reading Inside Croydon on their work computers.
CROYDON COMMENTARY: 
Official figures show that in the four years that there has been an improvement and assurance panel in Croydon to oversee the council’s recovery from its serial bankruptcies (try not to laugh!), payments to the panel members have cost residents in this borough more than £700,000.
But it is increasingly clear that shop owners are suffering more than ever, facing rising business rates, soaring rents, higher electric, gas and water bills, inflation hitting their stock and a diminishing number of customers visiting their premises.
In our latest Andrew Fisher Interview, our columnist discusses Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Spending Review with Jo Michell, Professor of Economics at the University of the West of England in Bristol
Katherine Kerswell was at her patronising and passive-aggressive peak on Friday, as she issued a 1,500-word briefing note to all council staff.
