Why does Bexley keep missing out? (From News Shopper)

Why does Bexley keep missing out?

8:57am Monday 24th March 2008

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Is there something about Bexley which makes it invisible to the power brokers and the deal makers? LINDA PIPER asks Bexley's politicians why the borough always seems to miss out on the major things in life.

IT CANNOT have escaped the attention of most people in Bexley the borough has been getting a rough deal.

‘Bexley is very much a victim of the political priorities of others.’

DAVID EVENNETT MP

Bexley has limited public transport, especially in the north of the borough, and both Labour and Tory councils have lobbied hard to be included in major transport schemes.

Somehow, the borough seems to have missed out on everything going.

Hopes Crossrail would run through the borough to Ebbsfleet were dashed when it was decided to end the link at Abbey Wood, on the borough boundary.

Bexley also missed out on north Kent's Fastlink to Ebbsfleet International station, the DLR extension and the Greenwich Waterfront Transit.

So what did Bexley get?

It got one of the largest incinerators in Europe, despite spending nearly 20 years and more than £1.2m fighting the plans.

Bexley also got a giant rail freight depot taking up 155 acres of Bexley's green belt in Slade Green next to the ecologically prized Crayford Marshes, with no guarantee it will not become an enormous lorry distribution centre.

And Bexley residents look set to lose out on discounted tolls for the Dartford Crossing, despite living nearer to it than many people in Dartford borough.

Bexley is still fighting a rearguard action against the Thames Gateway Bridge, whose public inquiry is to be reopened.

If it goes ahead, traffic will pour onto Bexley's roads and it has already been proposed, unlike in other boroughs, only a small number of Bexley residents will get toll discounts.

Bexley is a safe borough with a four-star council, a top recycler and has the best park in London, so where is it going wrong?

Most politicians seem to agree Bexley's location is its biggest disadvantage - on the edges of both London and Kent.

Bexleyheath and Crayford MP David Evennett said: "Bexley is very much a victim of the political priorities of others."

He added: "As the Government and the Mayor of London are more interested in inner cities, they have a tendency to margin-alise Bexley's interests when key issues are raised."

But Erith and Thamesmead MP John Austin takes a different view.

Mr Austin says Bexley residents will benefit most from Crossrail coming to Abbey Wood, and from millions of Government cash used to regenerate Erith and Crayford.

He said: "Bexley has been generously treated on police resources, and the Government chose Bexley for its state-of-the-art flagship business academy."

Old Bexley and Sidcup MP Derek Conway said: "I am not convinced Bexley is picked on' but it suffers the consequence of being on the fringe of central London schemes as it is, in reality, neither Kent nor London."

Mr Conway thinks it would have been better for Bexley to have been in Kent, with parts of his constituency in Bromley.

Former council leader Councillor Chris Ball agrees Bexley's geographical position is a major problem.

He said: "I think we continue to suffer from an image perpetuated from the 1970s, that Bexley is a green, leafy place similar to Bromley and therefore has no real issues."

Cllr Ball says Bexley has done well on specific issues such as community safety, which has attracted national attention, and in bringing in external cash for projects.

Current Bexley Council leader Councillor Ian Clement describes Bexley as "the pivotal borough south of the river in the Thames Gateway".

He said: "The challenge is to put and keep Bexley on the map with those who matter; challenge and fight our corner on issues we care about and sell what we can offer, to bring in the right investment."

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