Tag: Portsmouth

Portsmouth residents to have say on electric vehicle parking and charging around the city


https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/2023/09/19/portsmouth-residents-to-have-say-on-electric-vehicle-parking-and-charging-around-the-city/content.html

I hope this study will look at general parking and not just focus on EV.

The strategy will include a review of parking in the city centre and district centres and encourage sustainable and alternative travel for some journeys where possible. It’s reco gnised that this will mean some people will leave their cars at home more often and will need access to parking spaces nearby. 

Working for a housing association, my daughter needs her car for her job. As part of her job she has to visit various housing association properties both in the city centre but also in the suburbs.

She already experiences parking issues and quite often cannot park near her home. Finding a space near home is something of a lottery. If the council intends to implement strategies to persuade people to use alternative means of transport, leaving their cars at home, won’t this exacerbate the problem.

Lets assume you change cars and get an EV but you cannot park outside your own home, where are you supposed to charge your new EV.

Only 100 charging points in a city with a population in excess of 200,000. The council needs to be looking hard at the overall strategy for all forms of transport. The infrastructure isn’t there for folks to switch over to EV. It’s no wonder Rishi and the UK government are back pedalling on the banning of internal combustion engine powered vehicles.

Portsmouth Car Meet Driver Sentenced


https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/2023/09/19/teenage-driver-who-ploughed-into-pack-of-people-causing-serious-injury-to-two-females-at-portsmouth-car-meet-is-sentenced/content.html

Another positive result for our local police but sadly at the expense of onlookers who were injured by his acts.

The 17 year old driver hit four people, two suffering serious injuries requiring them to be taken to hospital. The other two suffered minor injuries.

At his court hearing, the defendant was banned from driving for two years and will have to undertake an extended test to regain his licence. He was also handed a referral order and was referred to Hampshire Youth Offender Panel for a six-month contract.

Only 17 so he wasn’t “legally” driving for very long and has already lost his license. He will have to retake his test to get it back.

This youth could so easily have been facing a manslaughter charge and be spending time in prison.

Let’s hope he has learnt something from this.

Police Crackdown on Shoplifting


https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/2023/09/20/one-jailed-and-three-charged-as-police-crackdown-on-prolific-shoplifters-to-support-portsmouth-businesses/content.html

This is good news but I feel it is just the tip of the iceberg. Staff in supermarkets have to deal with shoplifters on a daily basis and in some cases, several times a day.

A police statement said: “Targeting shoplifters is a priority for the district, and we will be relentlessly pursuing those that are violent to staff or are repeat offenders………”

My granddaughter used to work in a local Tesco store where shoplifters were brazen, would frequently front staff, telling them what they were taking and that they, the staff, could do nothing about it. Staff are told not to confront shoplifters due to the danger of assault.

Shoplifters are scum, the lowest of the low. They are a blight on modern society.

Regardless of the UK economy, lack of a job or home, there is no excuse for subjecting shop staff to abuse, threats of, and actual physical violence.

Noise – Just For The Sake Of It


Just yesterday afternoon, I was sitting with my wife, watching the TV, enjoying the Italian F1 Grand Prix.

Unfortunately, that enjoyment was somewhat marred by “eejits” tear-arsing along the roads at the back of our house.

The volume of their engine/exhaust systems sufficient to drown out the race commentary.

Sure, I could close my doors and windows, but why should I? These hoons are impinging their antisocial activities on my home from several hundred feet away. I should be able to enjoy a warm summer Sunday afternoon in the comfort of my own home without these eejits spoiling it.

So, I was somewhat surprised to read this in today’s “The News”. The focus of the article is aimed at the posh prats in their Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Maclaren supercars who terrorise Nightsbridge in London.

https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/full_page_image/page-14-1834/content.html

“The News” is our local paper, and I would expect the articles to prioritise local issues. However, anything that highlights this current blight on society as a whole has to be viewed as a positive thing.

Pat does however point out that the police do have the power to to take action against the hoons.

I understand that the police are desperately understaffed. But perhaps they could alternate from setting up speed traps to setting up sound traps. As I stated in a previous post, the police know where the hoons gather, where they run. As to funding, just how much does a sound gone cost as opposed to a radar gun ?

Late News ?


Our local rag, seem, on the face of it, to be dragging their heels with today’s article on our summer weather.

https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/full_page_image/page-19-1815/content.html

The News is not renowned for proofreading prior to publication, but come on, a headline!!!

Portsmouth: One-off Drone Dive, Spinnaker Tower


Follow the link and take a unique look at Portsmouths iconic Spinnaker Tower.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-66671537

Filming took place while painters were working on the outside of the tower.

Perfect Power


https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/full_page_image/page-11-1858/content.html

It wasn’t so long ago that the UK government was floating the idea of taxing businesses for the parking spaces provided for their employees. This would also have been applied to supermarkets and other commercial premises.

This seems to be a much better use of the land. Being beneficial to all and taking some of the load of our energy producers.

Seems to me a close look should be taken at the “Havant Hypermarket” site, aka ASDA Supercentre. Another prime contender for power generation.

RIP Tony Bennett


At the age of 96, by anyone’s standard, Tony Bennett had a good innings.

I had the pleasure of attending a Tony Bennett concert at Portsmouth Guildhall. This would have been in the early seventies. Well over forty years ago, when I was in my twenties.

Obviously, I don’t remember a whole lot about the show. I do remember that he only had a small band supporting him. That they opened for him and that I really liked the stuff they did. I also know how when Tony came on stage, he owned the stage, the auditorium, and the audience.

He was the consummate professional showman with a superb voice and his own style.

He will be missed, but he has left behind a huge legacy of recordings. Dip in, give them a listen.

Peace Protest


Spotted this yesterday afternoon while out for Mothering Sunday lunch.

I will admit to a fair amount of guilt.

Guilt that we were out enjoying ourselves while war criminal Putin has destroyed the Ukrainian peoples lives and their homeland.

I suffer a huge amount of frustration too. Knowing that there is nothing tangible that I can do. But also that I, being almost 70 years old, have seen Russia do this time and time again.

Russia has been testing the waters for the last few years. Sending ships and submarines into our territorial waters. Invading and annexing neighbouring states.

Meanwhile, we and our allies have reduced spending on defence. Reduced the size and capability of our forces.

Putin has watched all of this and and has siezed the moment. Our complacency has signaled our inability to respond.

It may be that Putin may have over-reached himself and underestimated Ukraines ability to resist.

One thing is sure Putin did not expect the worldwide condemnation of his actions. He has woken Europe and the world out of its slumbers.

I feel sorry for the Russian people who are being lied to by Putin and his government. They, like the Ukrainian peoples are going to pay the price of Putins ambitions.

The Russian people are the ones that are going to have to topple Putin from his position of power.

Pompey Shoreline


I have been trawling through my old photo’s. This one does not exhibit anything special, photographically. But it does contain some interesting buildings/structures, demonstrating how Portsmouth has changed through the years.Pompey_Shore_DSC02193.JPG_Adjusted

Starting at the lower left, the white building, is Quebec House which was built c1754 by public subscription as a bathing house !!! It apparently contains baths which were replenished by harbour water.

I’m not sure I would have wanted to bathe in waters from the harbour, in times past. It would be dubious even in todays era with our modern sewer systems.

Up, and to the right of Quebec House, the tallest building at 560 feet, is The Spinnaker Tower. Conceived as a Millenium project it was given the go ahead in 1995. One of three designs which the local people could vote for, the Spinnaker won 60% of the votes. Various obstacles delayed the start of construction which commenced in November of 2001. The project was completed and finally opened in 2005. Named The Spinnaker, it represents a sail billowing in the wind. The tower is visible from over 23 miles away and its three viewing platforms give fabulous views overlooking the harbour, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, the Isle of Wight and all the surrounding towns and suburbs.

Back down at sea level and running left to right is the Round Tower and The Hot Walls. Part of the ports old fortifications the Round Tower overlooks the entrance to the Harbour. Although a tower, built of wood, existed in the mid 1400’s, a stone tower was constructed in the 1490’s. A series of ramparts were later added, connecting with the Square Tower (just out of shot). The small section of beach below these ramparts, to the right, is called the “Hot Walls” by locals, as it acts as a sun trap heating up the walls.

Yet another change of architectural style, the tall blue tower, above the Hot Walls. Officially known as East Side Plaza Tower, it is commonly referred to as The Lipstick Tower because of its shape. This residential tower is 331 feet tall and was completed in 2008.

I hope this was of interest to you. I’ll see if I can dig out some more photos.