Feedback forum

Town Ditch has some issues

Message recieved 22nd February – via email.

Good to meet you today. As I mentioned we are looking for help around the Salter’s Close area. The Town Ditch has some issues with non native invasive such as Himalayan Balsam and Japanese Knotweed. It would be good to see how we could work together.

RDRA response:

The Town ditch is currently being reviewed by TRDC in conjunction with the EA. Mike Sims gave Chris Lloyd a walking tour of it and he is taking it up further.

River Chess Association response:

I am the Chair of the River Chess Association and a partner in the Chess Smarter Water Catchment Project. Over the past year along with the Chiltern Society and Chiltern National Landscape we have established a group of volunteers (River Rangers) to do maintenance work on the Chess. It has been a success and they have been successful in improving flow through Chesham and significantly reducing flood risk while creating good wildlife habitat.

We have seen all the good work that Three Rivers have done around Scotsbridge and are keen to work with existing groups on the maintenance and improvement of channels through Rickmansworth.  There is so much good that is going on in Rickmansworth with expanding water vole populations, otters and growing fish populations. It would be good to build a network of enthusiastic volunteers to grow the engagement with the river, while balancing wild life needs with flood mitigation.

I have been monitoring invertebrates on the Chess at Scotsbridge for over 16 years and it is one of our best sites for Yellow May Dun mayfly in the Colne Catchment.

By R.D.R.A., ago

Opinion on re-organisation

Message received 11 Mar, 2025 – via email.

I know that the re-organisation was mentioned as part of the General Election but when one has one choice of ‘vote for Labour, Conservative or Other’ it does not allow for nuance.

I live in Rickmansworth. I have Batchworth Community Council, Three Rivers and Hertfordshire County Council.

I am very happy with that. BCC is very local and the people managing it know and experience what I do.

Three Rivers manages a wider range of things and HCC overarching and ‘big’ stuff.

Furthermore, it is MY money which pays for these organisations (along side other members of the communities) and it is far closer to Democracy than a once in five year national election.

I do not want to be part of a merger into other localities which bear no resemblance of mine.

By R.D.R.A., ago

Illuminated beacon poles

Message received 10 Mar, 2025 – via email.

Thank you for your recent newsletters which I always find an interesting read.

I was sorry not to be able to attend the recent meeting regarding the crossing by the Batchworth canal.

I regularly drive over it on my way to work in Northwood so I am aware how some other drivers seem to disregard the needs of pedestrians looking to cross and how difficult it can be sometimes be to see people there when it’s dark.

In Ruislip some of the pelican beacon poles are illuminated and that at least makes drivers aware that a crossing is there as they approach it. Better lighting also would help in my opinion.

RDRA response:

Many thanks for your email. I wholeheartedly agree with your comments and these were raised at the forum.

Also look up our column in March issue of Ricky News-page 48.

I sincerely hope that HCC/TRDC take this issue seriously and do something about it.

May elections are your opportunity to express your views to your councillors as they will be after your vote.

By R.D.R.A., ago