Set out below is some information, links and contact details which we think you might find useful as a resident of Maida Vale.
It is by no means comprehensive. If anyone has any more information they think their fellow residents might find helpful, please e-mail it to admin@crescentgardens.co.uk
Where are we?
Click here for a link to a Google Map showing the location of the Gardens, you should be able to copy this link and then e-mail it to your friends.
Police
In Emergencies always call: 999
General Police Switchboard: 020 7402 1212
Our local Police station is Paddington Green
Open 24 hours a day 7 days a week
24 Harrow Road, Paddington, London, W2 1XJ
020 7321 2791 – Ask to speak to Paddington Green Control Room
Next closest is Harrow Road Police Station
Open every day between 7am 9:30pm
325 Harrow Road, Paddington, London, W9 3RD
020 7321 2791 Ask to speak to Harrow Road Control Room
For the Westminster Borough Police website, click here
Council Services
Our local council is Westminster City Council. Below are links to some useful pages on their website:
- For a full list of the services provided by the Council, click here
- For Parking permits, to pay fines, register to pay for meters by phone and other information, click here
- For information on Rubbish Collection and Recycling, click here
- For Planning inquiries, including applications for permits for alterations to your property, click here
- To report Noise problems, click here
- To locate your nearest Library and search their catalogue, click here
- To find out what activities the Council puts on for Children, click here
- To identify services the Council provides for Senior and Disabled Citizens, click here
- To find information about local Schools, click here
Westminster Council’s website also has maps of everything you could possibly be curious about, from approved wedding venues to parking zones. Browse this esoteric treasure trove by clicking on the link here
Rubbish & recycling
Rubbish is collected on Monday and Thursday mornings for Warrington Crescent, and Tuesday morning for Randolph Avenue, Randolph Crescent and Clifton Gardens, and recycling is collected on Monday and Saturday mornings for Warrington Crescent and Tuesday and Saturday mornings for Randolph Avenue, Randolph Crescent and Clifton Gardens. You can order recycling bags and bins from the Council website by calling the Environmental Action Line on 020-76412000. To find out what can and can’t be recycled, click here.
The Council also runs a Garden Waste Collection Service. To get bags, call the Environmental Action Line on 020-76412000. To find out what they will and won’t collect click here
There are also recycling bins down outside Warwick Avenue tube station, as well as a charity bin in which you can deposit old clothes, and two large hoppers for general refuse. Please do not leave old furniture, lamps etc in the street.
Challenging Your Parking Fine
The area has extremely zealous parking inspectors – they are on the streets at 8.30 every morning to nab anyone who hasn’t got a permit and is parked in a residents’ parking bay, and woe bedite you if any part of your car is jutting over the line that demarks the bays. However, it is not unknown for them to overstep the mark and book someone who didn’t infringe the law. Things have improved markedly since the dark days two years ago when they would put up bay suspension signs and then immediately start booking and towing cars parked in the newly suspended zones, but if you feel that you have been unfairly fined, it is well worth challenging the ticket.
The Council will habitually reject your first appeal against your fine, so you need to have the persistence to appeal further, even though it may mean you risk doubling your fine. But before taking that step, it’s a good idea to make sure you have good grounds. The Parking Enforcement Code of Practice is a good place to start – it sets out the rules on when parking inspectors should and shouldn’t issue tickets. To see a copy click here.
London Motorist Action Group is a body set up to help vehicle owners fight unjust parking fines. The site has all the information you will need to put up a good fight. See their site by clicking here.
The Parking and Traffic Appeals Service is a government service set up to independently consider driver’s appeals that have not been satisfactorily resolved by councils. Visit the website to find out whether you qualify for an appeal, by clicking here.
Paddington Waterways & Maida Vale society
This is a society of local people dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of our area. It costs £10 a year to join, and they hold social functions as well as being a prominent voice to the Council for the interests of Maida Vale and Little Venice residents. You can visit their website by clicking here.
MAida Vale Mums
This is a voluntary group of mothers in the area with young children. They have weekly organised meet-ups and ad-hoc meetings in the parks, and arrange play groups, toy swaps and other activities. Well worth a look if you are a parent of a young child. Visit their website by clicking here.
Books on the Area
There are a number of publications outlining the history of the area, with some lovely old photos. They are available at numerous local retailers, including the newsagents in Formosa Street and Clifton Nurseries. Some of the better ones include:
“Dial M for Maida Vale” by Kevin O’Sullivan
Published by Westminster City Archives
10 St Ann’s Street, London, SW 1P 2XR
“Glimpses Into the Past – Paddington, Little Venice and Maida Vale Over the Years” published by the Paddington Waterways and Maida Vale Society Local History Group, Editor – Hans Norton. This book may be ordered from Hans Norton, 19a Randolph Road, London, W9 1AN. Email – hans@hansnorton.freeserve.co.uk