Green Lanes Station

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Pat on October 7, 2016 at 14:02

I am all for lobbying for better provisions. So, how would you decide which services to cut to get universal coverage for all the homeless in the borough? You seem to think it is very clear cut and simple to provide all the spaces required to house homeless people. Are the people who sleep rough around Green Lanes being helped or just being moved on. This is a question that I would like answered.

Permalink Reply by Alexander on October 6, 2016 at 21:44

Steve that attendee was infact me... :)

I'm not sure where exactly you have lived for 19 years, however I can assure you within 19 minutes a single walk from Manor House station down green lanes you will be approached more than once by a clearly intoxicated bunch of individuals asking for spare change for 'food', yet when you buy them some chips or other hot food they are quick to discard it into the nearest bin. I very much doubt these people are actually homeless.

I have no doubt that some of the homeless people under the bridge are genuine and a separate issue. I hope they have been resheltered particularly as the weather has now turned a lot colder.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Steve on October 7, 2016 at 12:15

Alexander, thank you for giving me the opportunity to engage with you on this but I have to say I still take issue with what you have said both at the meeting and your post on HoL! So in response - I live very close to Barclay's Bank on Green Lanes, which as you know is near to the Bridge where many of the homeless people frequent, and I can assure you I have done so since 1998! With respect you appear to have missed the point I am making - I am not in anyway suggesting there isn't 'begging' taking place, there is and quite a lot which is both disturbing and heart breaking. The issue I had with your contribution at the meeting was the picture you painted that the requests for 'change' were aggressive and you suggested that this was the norm. I would argue it is rarely aggressive and I repeat I personally have not witnessed any aggressiveness, elsewhere on the odd occasion but not on our patch. Frankly if it was anywhere near as bad as you say my 12 yr old daughter who passes them every weekday, to and from school, would be frightened witless!

What I find a little confusing by your post is that you see those under the bridge as 'a separate issue'! The only other people that I would encounter on a day to day basis is the one, or occasionally two people at the Barclays ATM and the guy at the foot of the steps to Homebase on Green Lanes who in my experience has never failed to say 'thank you, have a nice day' to every body! On the odd occasion I have been approached by someone who is not seated and yes sometimes they have had a drink - however outside the above mentioned seated people I don't recall ever being approached by a 'bunch of individuals'. I am not saying this has never happened to anybody but to say you can assure me that I will be approached by a bunch of people more than once on a single walk simply hasn't happened to me! And to be honest if this has been happening to the extent you say it has how has it passed HOL by? Having said all this I don't expect everybody to accept my rejection of what I call the 'out of sight out of mind' approach but I do ask people not to embroider reality - to do so could put, albeit unintentionally, those that are vulnerable at risk!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Picoletta on October 6, 2016 at 22:38

Steve, I have to say in recent months I have noticed an increase in aggressive begging and people sleeping rough, particularly near Manor House and Green Lanes stations. This as a young female can be very intimidating and at times even threatening. I walk home from the station every night after work and there isn't a single occasion I don't bump into one of the usual suspects, the character that I'm sure you too would recognise on Green Lanes in your 19 years here...

Without being rude, I think it's naive to think that things like this don't happen on Green Lanes. Drugs and professional begging is rife.

I welcome any clean up on Green Lanes, but done properly ensuing that the people that need help receive it.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Steve on October 7, 2016 at 13:05

Hi Picoletta. I don't think you're being rude but one thing I am not is naïve. What I would respectfully ask you to do is read what I said not what you think I said! The point I was making was not a denial of drug taking or professional begging but the exaggeration of aggressiveness - I am not saying it is never the case but that I have personally not experienced it. You will no doubt read my response to Alexander which I hope will clarify my concerns.

And yes I do recognise most if not all the individuals who frequent the area and I feel lucky I am not in their position. But nor do I wish to say what is right for them as I know many will continue to live on the streets and as much as we try with some there is probably little we can do to change that. For others that are potentially destined to follow well that is another topic........

• ▶ Reply

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page