News archive

Format: 2024-04-20
Format: 2024-04-20

South West Trains: if you want to sit down, bring a stool

You can't knock them for their innovative thinking. South West Trains, officially Britain's most packed train operator, intend to combat overcrowded carriages by ripping out seats.

Government guideline stipulate that each passenger should have at least 0.54 square metres of floor space, so SWT's solution: get rid of those seats that are taking up all that space. Oh, and while they're at it no doubt put up ticket prices too.

SWT says, "If anything, this will enhance comfort, our experience is that many passengers are happy to stand on short journeys, especially if it means they have more space."

Read more in The Times or The Guardian...

Festival? What festival?

For all those who missed Saturday's Surbiton Festival, Surbiton.com have now added an events calendar.

The calendar should give you plenty of warning of any upcoming activities. Registered users can submit their own events for inclusion using the online form.

What's one plus two?

Eagle-eyed users may have noticed a change on the site today. In order to combat an increasing problem with 'spambots', Surbiton.com now requires users to solve a simple mathematical question before posting comments anonymously.

Quiet as a lamb

Resident resist proposed opening hours extension for The Lamb in Brighton Road

Smellier Berrylands

A council experiment means two weeks between household rubbish collections.

Tesco try again with Tolworth development

After last years protests by local action group, Tolworth Residents against Over Development (TROD), Tesco have submitted new plans to Kingston Borough Council for the proposed redevelopment of their Toby Jug site on the South side of the A3 in Tolworth.

Surbiton woman experiments with tiger dung

Pan Hillier from Queen's Drive, acquired a load from Chessington Zoo to trial a recent NSPCC charity auction prize.
Apparently the camembert smelling droppings are renowned for deterring small mammals.

After spreading the tiger poo around her garden Mrs Hillier said, 'I did think it would work because I had read about it working with lion poo rather than tiger poo. I like birds and feed the birds but the cats are a nuisance.'

A unknown Ebay user has won a year's supply of the stuff after placing a winning bid of £241.

Can you smell anything strange in the Berrylands area?

Public meeting to discuss health cuts

Kingston Primary Care Trust are holding a meeting this Saturday at Surbiton Library to debate spending changes needed to cope with £9 million pound.

The meeting open to the public and will be held at Surbiton Library on Ewell Road from 10.00am to 1.00pm on Saturday 9th September.

Find out more on the Kingston Primary Care Trust website and This is Local London...

Surbiton Festival 2006

This year's festival will be opened by His Worshipfulness the Mayor on Saturday 30th September.

There'll be the usual street market and parade in Victoria Road. Keep an eye out for the Surbiton.com stand, float and marching troop.

Find out more on the Kingston Council website...

Strike called off

Contrary to our previous story, the planned walk out by ASLEF and RMT drivers this Friday and Monday has been postponed.

Read more on the BBC News website...