The Kensington Society news blog

12 month e-scooter trial has begun in Kensington

In early June, TfL began a 12 month trial with rental e-scooters in Kensington and Chelsea and four more London boroughs. RBKC has set up 20 e-scooter rental bays across the borough, used by the three participating rental companies. The rental e-scooters have a much lower maximum speed than most private e-scooters, but they are legal to use on public roads, which the private ones aren't.
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Update: Pavement licences extended to autumn 2022

In order to help kickstart pubs and restaurants when they, hopefully, will be allowed to serve customers outside from 12 April, the temporary pavement licence scheme, which enables many of them to erect temporary outdoor serving areas on the pavement, will be extended to the end of September 2022.
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Campaign against 344-350 Old Brompton Road

Eight organisations, among them the Kensington Society, are campaigning against the proposed development of 344-350 Old Brompton Road, at the south end of the vast empty space left after the Earls Court Exhibition Centre, urging residents to oppose it before the deadline on 25 March.
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Virtual event about electric cars was a great success

More than 40 members took part in a Kensington Society virtual event on 24 February, where councillors Johnny Thalassites and Cem Kemahli talked about the council’s efforts to help residents to switch over to electric cars.
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Today the lockdown ends – and also the cycle lane trial

Today, Wednesday 2 December, is not only the day when the second national lockdown ends, but also the day when the council begins to remove the temporary cycle lanes from Kensington High Street, which were introduced in October. The removal of the many metal “wands” will be done at night time and is expected to take five days.
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The 2020 newsletter is here!

The 2020 issue of the Kensington Society newsletter has just been mailed to all members, but it can also be read and/or downloaded here.
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In Memoriam: Christopher Buckmaster

Christopher Buckmaster, who was councillor for the Campden ward from 1994 to 2014 and RBKC mayor twice, very sadly died from Covid-19 at Chelsea & Westminster Hospital on 2 November. While in hospital, he turned 82.
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In Memoriam: David Campion

On 18 August 2020, Councillor David Campion passed away after a long illness. He was 86 years old. When he retired from his councillor seat in 2018, he had been representing the Pembridge ward residents for an impressive 51 years. He was also one of the founders of the Pembridge Association and its longest serving chairman.
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Borough-wide 20mph speed limit from tomorrow!

RBKC may have been the last borough in central London to introduce a 20mph speed limit, but when they did, it was very swift: on Thursday 12 November the council suddenly announced that all roads controlled by the borough would have that speed limit - from the very next day, Friday 13 November!
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Subscribe to the council’s Covid newsletters

The council’s weekly email newsletters (at times even more often) are probably the best way for Kensington residents to be stay updated about changes to council services and new government instructions during the Covid-19 pandemic - and it’s very easy to subscribe to them.
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Building work allowed until 9pm – every day except Sunday

With immediate effect, building sites can extend their working hours without seeking permission if it is "short term" or "modest", or seek permission to extend the hours in residential areas up to to 9pm every day, Monday-Saturday. Councils are basically under orders from the government to approve all such applications, and do so within 10 working days.
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Notting Hill Carnival cancelled this year

Because of Covid-19, there will be no Notting Hill Carnival in late August this year. The arrangers recognise that social distancing would be impossible for an event that tends to attract one million people.
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