On 9 November 2016, Croydon was devastated by the tram derailment, which claimed the lives of seven of our residents and forever changed the lives of many more. Yesterday Transport for London and Tram Operations Limited were found guilty of health and safety failings and ordered to pay a total of £14m – the highest fine after a prosecution by the Office of Road and Rail.
Also yesterday, Louis De Zoysa was sentenced to the rest of his life in prison for the murder of Matt Ratana, a much-loved Croydon police officer who was fatally shot by Zoysa in September 2020.
Whilst these verdicts cannot begin to heal the pain and suffering these tragedies have caused, or bring back those we have lost, we can only hope that the accountability may help to bring their loved ones some peace. All my thoughts and sympathies are with them always – Croydon will never forget.
Policing
I attended a community meeting this week to discuss concerns about two separate policing incidents in Croydon – a video of a child distressed as his mother was handcuffed and wrongly accused of bus fare evasion, and the death of a man in custody. I welcome the Metropolitan Police decision to refer themselves to Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) for further investigation into both matters. I also welcome the openness and honesty with which community leaders, residents and our local police have approached constructive discussions.
Better council homes for residents
Approving the next steps in the redevelopment of the Regina Road estate at Cabinet on Wednesday was a significant step in improving council homes across Croydon. This will be the first major regeneration project as we look to improve standards in all our high-rise blocks. I look forward to continuing to listen to and work with residents as we take this forward. We are also launching our new housing repairs service, which we have developed with our tenants and leaseholders. This is so important in making sure that our council homes are well-maintained, warm, safe and dry and that all residents are getting the standards of customer care they deserve. We have a long way to go before we get our council homes to where I want them to be, but we are moving in the right direction.
ULEZ expansion
I am extremely disappointed with today’s High Court ruling, which enables the Mayor of London to continue moving forward with his plan to expand the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) to greater London. Like many other outer London leaders, I have objected to his proposal in the strongest possible terms since the outset and I will continue to resist his plan. It will be a hammer blow for many local people – who will be paying £12.50 just to get in their cars – and the final straw for many local businesses. It’s time for Mayor Khan to start listening.
This is Croydon – London Borough of Culture
This Sunday I’ll be heading to Croydon Carnival in London Road – another fantastic free event in our London Borough of Culture programme – open to all, with music, dancing, food and more. As always, carnival will be an opportunity to celebrate the culture and art that makes Croydon so unique – but most of all our fantastic communities, their talent and pride. Hope to see you there – find out more here.
Jason Perry
Executive Mayor of Croydon
