Tomilyn

I'm tired of having to walk my cycle the last block home, playing frogger trying to cross the street, and reporting broken bollards. New Cross deserves healthy and safe streets. My op-ed this morning: salamandernews.org/give-new-cro... @salamandernews.org #Lewisham #london #tfl

"The planning application for Lion Green Road, submitted in 2017, received 18 letters of support and 257 objections, mostly about the loss of parking." Result of council's courage to press ahead? Beautiful affordable homes. Blackheath car park could take note. www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...

The early National Trust missed its chance to bring historic gardens into public ownership Over 140 years later, they're back to green the estate .. @tomilyn.bsky.social reports www.salamandernews.org/2026-10-the-...

Devastating news. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of this young man. Can you help? If you were on or near Eltham Hill, Eltham, at 5.13pm on September 28, or may have doorbell or dashcam footage - please contact police on 101, quoting reference 5340/28SEP www.msn.com/en-gb/news/o...

Points for least pedestrian friendly way to place the temporary pedestrian crossing signal in New Cross this morning

Beautiful day for #typographia. The venue gives space age airlounge vibes in the best way. And Derek Owusu has been my favourite speaker, such candour!

Campaigners trying to stop 45 homes being built on Blackheath station’s car park have had the site declared an asset of community value by Lewisham Council. A developer wants to build a row of terraced houses and two blocks of flats on the land. greenwichwire.co.uk/2026/09/17/b...

'Imagine a Lewisham not dominated by cars' - what do council transport plans deliver? My latest for @salamandernews.org looking at recent budget allocations (more interesting than that sounds!) www.salamandernews.org/2026-09-imag...

Greenwich Council is planning to introduce a 20mph speed limit across the borough, bringing it into line with the rest of inner London. Campaigners who have called for speed restrictions outside a primary school say they are delighted. greenwichwire.co.uk/2026/09/09/g...

“We have given up so much public space to cars, and if you live in a city with kids you live in constant fear that they will be hit by a passing vehicle”, Banchini said. “It restricts our movement so much that we almost can’t see it anymore.” www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...

The Master Shipwright's House is for sale, and dreaming of an ideal world in which the council buys this and opens the Thame's facing stretch to the public. It's such a unique performing arts venue that only opens up to the public about four times a year: www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/det...

Independent local news faces huge financial challenges in its work holding local power to account Dorothy from Salamander on Today programme 45:20 www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

The second entrance to Surrey Quays is looking close to finished- ar least from the outside. Benches installed and just a bit of landscaping missing. Meant to open in late 2026.

London Fire Brigade reporting another fire at Landmann Way, Deptford. 15 fire engines and around 100 firefighters deployed. www.london-fire.gov.uk/incidents/20...

St John's Society running a mural competition to complement an upcoming rain garden: st-johns-soc.org/mural?fbclid...

49th anniversary of the battle of Lewisham today, when Southeast London turned back the fascist National Front. Tune into Sister Midnight FM at 2 pm today to hear me and @transpontine.bsky.social talk about it and play some of the music of the time radio.sistermidnight.org

Dusk bird watching tour this evening on Sayes Court Estate, led by an expert team from Creekside Discovery and the National Trust. Disappointing amount of birds, unless you count all the carrion crows (which the kids on the tour did) but excellent night. They've flora walks coming up soon!

I do love the bougieness of the Brockley Farmers market. Tote bags from Fitzcarraldo, Granta, and Daunts spotted this morning. If I'd seen one from the LRB would've been a bingo in literary swag.

A two-way cycle path could be put in place across Blackheath as part of revived plans to create a better route for riders between Greenwich Park and Eltham. But Greenwich Council has backed away from earlier proposals to close roads to motor vehicles.

Summer Saturdays are for cycling: traded in the polluted A21 for the dappled forest paths of the N21 (mostly, except where we got lost), with a stop in at Standen House and Gardens.

Very pleased, I've a new piece of fiction out today in issue 3 of Outskirts Literary Journal. The whole issue is worth a read I (biasedly) think! My story takes place at a dog show in middle America www.outskirtslit.com/tomilyn-hann...

Healthy Street Scorecard results are in: Lewisham leads on school streets but the bigger picture shows stagnation as they remain bottom of inner London boroughs. My latest @salamandernews.org www.salamandernews.org/2026-07-heal...

Enjoyed this bit of reporting in @vittles.bsky.social on where food waste in South London ends up, by Imogen West-Knights, following orange peels and a #Lewisham team. Six tea bags can power turning on a kettle once! www.vittlesmagazine.com/p/how-to-mak...

Deptford's the Albany theatre is looking into building student accommodation to pay for infrastructure upgrades. Two drop-in sessions soon: at Deptford Lounge on Wednesday 15 July 2026 from 4pm – 7pm and the Albany on Saturday 18 July 2026 from 10am – 1pm www.thealbany.org.uk/about-us/tra...

Dodgy shops on your local high street? They're still paying rent. And what if they're actually *pricing out* the legitimate cafes, restaurants, thanks to the option of "simply not paying your taxes" and therefore having more budget to pay landlords. www.londoncentric.media/p/who-wants-...

Visited the new V&A East this weekend, and a design highlight was this 1984 poster showing some community spirit for a residents association in Tower Hamlets, designed by Tony Minnion.

Lewisham getting a pocket grant from the Mayor's Office boost for summer streets, creating #Sydenham Night Market. The new "market will host around 10 local traders each week alongside outdoor seating" June - August. Greenwich won bigger, for Woolwich. www.london.gov.uk/mayor-announ...

“That means that at the moment, for us as an organization who has two completed projects with genuinely affordable homes for local people, we don’t currently have a route to funding for new and for some existing projects as well" Great piece on affordable housing open.substack.com/pub/peteapps...

Rain gardens bring traffic calming to Malpas Road. @tomilyn.bsky.social reports www.salamandernews.org/2026-06-broc...

Lewisham Greens hold on to the Crofton Park ward with a margin of just ten votes! @salamandernews.org has the story: www.salamandernews.org/crofton-park...

Standard sight at junction of Copperas Street and Creek Road: three signs for the national cycle network 21, and a nice crossing onto the CS4, but no actual space for #cycles. Definitely not a redundant route even with Church Street lanes open considering the sheer volume of creekside housing.

Tonight! Be there!

The Malpas road traffic calming is looking particularly beautiful this week. Urban design for people and bees!

Huge plumes of smoke can be seen across SE London from a fire at Landmann Way: www.london-fire.gov.uk/incidents/20...

Greenwich Council will finally introduce an initial 29 parking bays for Lime bikes – and is set to sign an agreement so Forest bike users will have to use them too. Objections from residents have held up progress on a further 26 bays. greenwichwire.co.uk/2026/06/03/l...

Over a year since the hoardings outside NX Station were given an order to be taken down, and they're still there. www.salamandernews.org/unsightly-ne...

Local democracy needs indie news- come down to @thealbanyse8.bsky.social June 15th to hear from your two favourite local papers @salamandernews.org and @greenwichwire.bsky.social talk about it! It's free (like our coverage!) But grab a ticket to get a seat www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/why-local-...

Happy election day! If you're still undecided, @salamandernews.org has been doing lots of coverage of Lewisham candidates and issues, includong indepth interviews with mayoral hopefuls: www.salamandernews.org/tag/local-el... Vote!

Detail of TfL's cycleway upgrades in Greenwich from May '27 sent via FoI It's appears rather unambitious at some awful junctions. No start on a lane to Greenwich Peninsula in contrast to Deptford where Lewisham requested one - then later built it out www.fromthemurkydepths.co.uk/2026/05/03/a...

Immensely enjoyable Jack in the Green pub crawl in the #Deptford sunshine yesterday.

Goldsmiths students occupation against staff and course cuts is now in its second week, with a rally on Wednesday. More here: transpont.blogspot.com/2026/04/gold...

Loving how the marathon has made Deptford high street basically pedestrianised, if only this was the year round reality!

A nearby housing co-op has launched a petition for safety improvements to Sanford Street in response to the history of accidents: you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/pe... #VisionZeroLDN

My article about last week's tragic loss of life of a pedestrian in her 20's, on Sanford Street in Deptford, and the calls for safety improvements by community campaigners, in the London Minute today

Road safety campaigners worst fears came true in fatal accident on Sanford Street, Deptford @tomilyn.bsky.social reports www.salamandernews.org/campaigners-...

Lewisham leads in #schoolstreets across London. I joined the newest bike bus to report for @salamandernews.org and find out how parents, caregivers, and schools, are utilising this opportunity. And where they see room for even more improvements. www.salamandernews.org/north-lewish...

On Friday I got to ride with the newest #bikebus in Lewisham for @salamandernews.org, and it was absolutely joyous. At the start, a few kids held a sign reading 'streets for kids', and for the duration of the ride, that really came true! www.salamandernews.org/new-cross-ne... #schoolstreets