Hanging out on Chase Side

Two of the 28 new mosaics that have been installed on former hanging basket posts along Chase Side in Southgate, forming the Portrait of Southgate Arts Trail, celebrating the colourful mix of people and their stories associated with Southgate . Each mosaic has a unique design which refers to a specific topic of historical note or cultural significance.

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Will we ever get the promised lifts at Palmers Green Station?

The image above shows a visualisation from October 2023 of how Palmers Green Station would look after work to provide step-free access from street to platform. Since when, several people have tried to chase up how this project is, or isn't, progressing.

In August last year Colin Younger was told that the entire Access for All scheme that it's part of was being reviewed. Then silence. Then, earlier this week, new reader Julius was seeking an update. Another reader, Alex, made some enquiries and was told in response that the design work was proving difficult. His reading of the response: "We didn't do the design above properly, now can't afford it and are just kicking it down the road."

I then asked Dave Cockle from the Enfield Society, who's something of an expert on public transport in the borough, if he had any news. He didn't, but he did think that an alternative way of making the station step-free was viable. This would use existing slopes or ramps on either side of the station to get from Aldermans Hill down to platform level. For the northbound platform this would involve widening the gate to the car park and the path up to Aldermans Hill. On the southbound "Up" side, there's a path that runs next to the platform up to a door between two shops on Aldermans Hill. This was used by builders working on repairs to the station a couple of years ago, and Dave says that, back in the day, it was used by porters to transfer parcels to and from trains.

This solution would be far cheaper than installing lifts. But, of course, it would mean people could access platforms without passing through "revenue gates". However, it seems that when improvements due at Alexandra Palace Station are carried out, the gate there that forces everyone to go through the turnstiles in the station building is going to be removed - so it's not totally out of the question.

Updates about work at Ally Pally were obtained by a Haringey councillor, who posted this to a community website on 1st March and this to the same site back in 2023. From what she writes it seems that, for cost-cutting reasons, the improvements there will be reduced in scope.

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Meeting discusses women's perceptions of safety in Southgate town centre

Southgate Club director Nicole Charitou summarises the discussions at last Friday's 'Walk, Talk and Do Initiative' meeting dedicated to the subject of girls' and womens' feelings about their safety in Southgate town centre.

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Touching the spirit of plants

PG-based artist Cathy Taylor invites you to a free event this Sunday afternoon where you can try your hand at traditional Chinese brush painting, in the beautiful surroundings of Broomfield Conservatory. Suitable for ages 14 to 114.

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Bounds Green Food Bank invites you to Sponsor a Neighbour

Bounds Green Food Bank have launched a campaign called Sponsor a Neighbour. They are asking people to set up a regular weekly or monthly donation using the Kindlink website.

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Journey back in time by bus this Sunday...

On Sunday Wood Green Vintage Bus Running Day will provide an opportunity to ride preserved buses and former routes.

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...And travel on more vintage buses the following weekend

Just less than a week after the Wood Green vintage buses event, on Saturday 29th March 2025, the London Bus Museum will be running heritage buses dating from the 1950s to 1970s alongside the normal daily service on route 19. The 19 is very long lived, still following essentially the same route, having been started in 1906 as route H and numbered 19 two years later.

No need to book, just put your hand out at any route 19 bus stop and a heritage bus will stop to pick you up!  Hold tight! 

Travel is free and you may even get an old-type ticket issued by the conductor!  Remember those?

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No newsletter next week

The next newsletter will be in a fortnight's time, on Thursday 3rd April. However, in the meantime the website will continue to be updated with:

• more events added to the What's On pages
• more news items, features and forum comments.