Dear Councillors,

Re: Serious safety concerns about our local alleyway

We are writing to complain about the unsafe condition of our local alleyway. The alleyway in question is a busy passage in Southall that passes through two local schools, Allenby Primary School and Dormers Wells High School. This alleyway connects Allenby Road to Lovell Road. It is frequently used by pupils and family members of both the schools and these two residential roads. Given its convenience as a shortcut, it is also used by several local residents and passers-by, some of whom are elderly. The local community heavily rely on using this alleyway. All these users complain about the dilapidated condition of the alleyway. There are several longstanding issues making it unsafe for the users, as outlined below.

First, the alleyway is frequently used as a dumping ground and is full of rubbish. Not only is this an eyesore for a busy alleyway but can also be dangerous. There is often shattered glass and syringes thrown in the alleyway. This is a clear hazard, especially for children as young as 3 years old attending the primary school, who use this alleyway on a regular basis. Furthermore, sometimes people dump old clothes and food in the alleyway. This attracts wild animals who leave faeces, worsening the conditions of the alleyway for all who use it.

Second, there is no street lighting for the alleyway. Despite repeated calls from the community for the council to provide lighting, this has not happened. In the meantime, the lack of lighting makes it even more dangerous for children, especially in the winter. Providing lighting for the alleyway would make it safer and decrease the likelihood of people using it as a dumping ground for rubbish.

Third, the alleyway often is overgrown with bushes and nettles. The bushes decrease visibility for users of the alleyway making it more dangerous. Some of the nettles are so tall they reach the height of children using the alleyway and many children have been stung by them. Elderly users of the alleyway also are more likely to fall and hurt themselves given these obstacles, which is particularly dangerous with the rubbish.

The dilapidated and unsafe condition of this alleyway is a serious and urgent issue. We recommend three clear actions to improve this:

1) Provide more bins around the alleyway to reduce the frequency of people dumping rubbish in the alleyway,

2) Provide street lighting in the alleyway to make sure it is well-lit at night and during the winter,

3) Ensure someone cleans the alleyway on a regular basis and trims the overgrown bushes and nettles.

We eagerly await your response given the urgency of this issue.