Stay safe this fireworks night

Transport

Please note that there is no public parking available around Southwark Park but plenty of public transport to the area.

Nearest tube: Bermondsey, Canada Water or Surrey Quays
Nearest bus routes: 1, 47, 188, 381, C10, P12
Nearest train: South Bermondsey

Conditions of entry to the Southwark fireworks display

• No fireworks
• No dogs
• No bikes
• No weapons

Sparklers are allowed under supervision of a responsible adult. Please place used sparklers carefully in the bins provided.

Stay safe this fireworks night

Whilst it will be a fun evening, the council is reminding residents to stay safe and keep on the right side of the law when celebrating bonfire night.

Backing the call is Carmen Zapatero, a Southwark Council community warden who had a firework aimed at her face in Camberwell in October last year. The attacker is currently serving an 18 month prison sentence.

Carmen Zapatero said: "I was badly affected by the attack last year, and still have occasional problems with my eye, so I know first hand the damage fireworks can cause. I'd like to remind the public that it's not acceptable to aim fireworks at anyone, and would encourage everyone to use them responsibly."

The council and police have warned residents they will use the full extent of anti-social behaviour powers to make sure those who cause damage, alarm, harassment or distress are dealt with. Anyone caught behaving anti-socially will be automatically asked to sign a three-month acceptable behaviour contract (ABC).

Meanwhile the council is making sure residents have a safe fireworks night, including lessons on firework safety in schools, removing fire hazards on streets and estates, mystery shopper exercises to check fireworks are not being sold to under 18s and writing to every tenant with firework safety information.

Councillor John Friary, cabinet member for community safety at Southwark Council, said: "With the possibility of a London Fire Brigade strike on 5 November it is doubly important that we are all careful, responsible and vigilant. We're doing everything we can to ensure our event is a safe one.

"Every year our event makes it easier for residents to join in the fun in a safer and more responsible way, and it has a real impact on reducing the amount of irresponsible behaviour elsewhere. I do want to remind people that we take seriously the safety aspects to bonfire night. We will come down hard on any business caught selling fireworks to young people, and will not tolerate any misuse of fireworks in the run up to the day and following the event."

Firework safety advice

Council officers and the police will also be cracking down on firework safety enforcement throughout the borough.

They will focus on rules around selling fireworks to under 18s, inspecting all premises registered to hold fireworks to ensure they comply with safety requirements, and checking for premises which may sell fireworks but are not registered.

If you know of anybody letting off fireworks dangerously, damaging your area to build bonfires or selling fireworks to youths under the age of 18, please call us on 020 7525 2000.

Please remember:

• only buy fireworks marked BS 7114
• don't drink alcohol if you are going to be setting off fireworks
• keep fireworks in a closed box
• follow the instructions on each firework
• light them at arm's length, using a taper
• stand well back
• keep pets indoors
• never go near a firework that has been lit even if it hasn't gone off - it could still explode
• never put fireworks in your pocket or throw them
• always supervise children when they are around fireworks
• light sparklers one at a time, wear gloves and never give them to a child younger than five.

Safer Southwark Partnership

The Safer Southwark Partnership is nationally recognised for its joint work at this time of year. Some examples of the activities taking place include:

• Trading standards officers are working closely with retailers to make sure they comply with the law around fireworks
• Community wardens are delivering workshops and assemblies in schools across the borough. Last year wardens engaged with 11,000 young people
• The council's arson reduction officer is coordinating Halloween and bonfire nights' operational work. This includes a round-the-clock operations room with police, our antisocial behaviour unit, and other council teams monitoring very closely any reports of ASB and dealing with it immediately to minimize the risk of arson
• Street cleaning, wardens, anti-social behaviour officers, and police are proactively patrolling known hotspots to minimize the potential for firework related anti-social behaviourWardens are speaking to local retailers about the sales of eggs and flour.