Too little too late?

by Emma Bower

The news that the regeneration of Elephant and Castle has finally received the go ahead came as a welcome surprise for me and probably many others who have the displeasure of experiencing the area on a daily basis.

After the plan was stalled for two years, it seemed that the much-needed regeneration would forever remain a pipe dream.

This part of London has been completely neglected for decades, even more so since London won the Olympic bid.

Why is all of the taxpayers money being spent on an event that will last two weeks when areas such Elephant and Castle are part of many people’s lives on a daily basis?

On stepping out of the station the first thing to hit you is the smell: A mix of fast food and urine is suffocating even before you submerge into the subway.

Hopefully the new plans will alleviate this problem.

The roundabout and subway system is not only an eyesore but also extremely dangerous; it has seen many road accidents and only last week a cyclist was injured in a collision with a lorry.

Hopefully, the £600,000 investment in the roundabout and subways will improve safety for its users and perhaps it may even be aesthetically pleasing.

Even though the go-ahead will be a positive move for many people including myself, I do feel that it maybe too little too late.

The residents have become accustomed to their surroundings and being deprived of taxpayers’ money.

People have lost all value for the area and have become comfortable with treating it with disrespect.

A whole generation have been brought up with this mentality and a facelift or a lick of paint will not change their attitudes.

How long will it be before graffiti and the smell of urine return?

Perhaps it is not only the area that needs a regeneration but also peoples’ attitude for their surroundings.

 

See also: Stalled E&C rebuild to go ahead