Pictures: The Council's summer flower displays in Purley are being welcomed by visitors to the town centre and traders. Top picture: Flowers on railings outside the Rectory pub; Bottom left: A twin high level display in the High Street. Bottom right: Stacked units outside the swimming pool.

NEW IMPROVEMENTS ON BRIGHTON ROAD AT OLD LODGE LANE WILL INCLUDE LATEST COMPUTER CONTROLLED SYSTEM LINKED TO TRAFFIC FLOW
The A23 Brighton Road junction with Old Lodge Lane is to be improved by Transport for London (TfL) in the current financial year. Some road widening will be part of the the scheme, but a key feature of the changes will be the installation of a computer-controlled traffic light system. The SCOOT system involves embedding sensors in the roads approaching the junction to report traffic flows to the computer. The phasing of the traffic lights is then adjusted to increase the green time of the longer vehicle queue.
It is hoped that the changes will improve delays to traffic exiting Purley Cross towards Coulsdon, but its impact on traffic flow coming into Purley has not yet been projected.
See full story for more details on the SCOOT (Split Cycle and Offset Optimisation Technique) and notes on the changes from local M.P. Richard Ottaway. (Click here for more details)

PURLEY SCHOOL CHOSEN BY BBC TO FIND BRITAIN'S BEST YOUNG PUBLIC SPEAKER AND GET AN INVITE TO MOSCOW . . . . .
Thomas More Catholic School in Purley has been invited to take part in the new BBC 2 TV series called “ The Speaker” .
The programme is designed to find Britain's best young public speaker. Over 20 pupils were called upon to read at the audition the programme. (Click here for more details)

PURLEY SAFER NEIGHBOURHOOD TEAM NEWSLETTER
To reduce drivers speeding through residential roads in Purley the Safer Neighbourhood Team are to start Road Watch scheme. Police team members will work with volunteers from the community to monitor the speed of motorist on our roads. All volunteers will be fully trained how to use the speed gun. Volunteers are needed. If you wish to be a part of Road Watch please send an email to Purley.snt@met.police.uk for the attention of PCSO Russell Woollcott, or telephone 0208 721 2467. (Click here for more details)

MORE LOCAL NEWS . . . . . AND BLOGS ABOUT A BANKSY
Richard Ottaway tells residents to bin developers proposals . . . . Poets at the Library . . . .Was It a Banksy of Salvador Dali with a spray can ask two bloggers, and more bloggers comment on Purley's future, and another asks for a suggestion for someone to design a garden, another suggests bus route changes; see Purley Village blogs and let us have your comments . . . (Click here for more details)

Stories from previous issues