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IainJ

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    East Dulwich
  1. Join us for a performance of Mozart's sublime Requiem and the revelatory 1774 Dixit Dominus by Marianna Martines in St. Barnabas Church, Calton Avenue, Dulwich SE21 7DG at 7.30 p.m., with orchestra and soloists. Tickets £20/£10 (under 16s) at the door or dulwichchoral.com
  2. A chance to see inside the Old Waiting Room at Peckham Rye Station on Saturday 4 November, where there will be exhibitions about its history and options for the future between 11 and 3, as well as short talks about the regeneration of the town centre, community action and other issues from 12.30 to 1 p.m.
  3. The last consultation on the CPZ in East Dulwich was exemplary of its kind - clear options were set out with plans and open ended questions inviting reasoned responses. The Council took these seriously, and by and large the end result was felt to be satisfactory. It seems this time there are no counter arguments being allowed. A CPZ in my street is needed no more than it was the last time the consultation was done. The only rationale is that the Council wants to take the power to charge residents for parking come what may, and rack up the costs year by year. Apart from anything else, it is profoundly inequitable as those residents, mostly the ones living in larger houses who have a drive or a garage will be able to avoid it while the rest of us have to pay for something which will be of very little benefit.
  4. If this is true, it is symptomatic of how relaxed Southwark seems to be about traffic gridlock caused by road works. Perhaps it's because it plays into their LTN agenda and it's likely to increase their revenue from drivers incurring fines trying to avoid it. But this will severely affect the users of four bus routes (185, 40, 176 and P13) who can't avoid it. When something similar was proposed years ago which would have affected Grove Vale, Harriet Harman intervened to organise a bridge over the works so that bus routes were not disrupted. This kind of solution is needed here to avoid such a lengthy gridlock.
  5. Last I heard it was Mrs Sida-Murray's dental surgery going in there, moving from East Dulwich Road as her lease was ending. She is going to be sharing with the dentist from Dulwich Village who is moving her practice across the road.
  6. I welcome the Council's decision to make the two way operation permanent and to recognise the need to make significant improvements to Rye Lane. The 61% support for the two way operation is significant and it is good news that the Council has recognised the strength of feeling about the issue. But the consultation was flawed. The Council report does not take any account of the importance of Peckham Rye Station as a strategic transport interchange and continues to treat this as an issue only about Rye Lane itself. The 25% response rate trumpeted in the report is presumably based on the number of returns divided by the number of persons leafleted and is a false statistic. The leaflets were only sent to those living in and around Rye Lane, and these were the people most likely to walk and not to use the buses. Also the Council chose to hold the consultation in the summer when people were away and less likely to be engaged. it was clear all along that the Council did not intend to consult those living in East Dulwich, Nunhead and Honor Oak in order to minimise the support for the two way option. There were a few Council posters in Rye Lane itself and we are told there was one leaflet distribution in Peckham Rye Station. Unless you were on the Council's email list you would not have heard about it directly. Many more people responded as a result of seeing these postings of EDF, from Southwark News - which highlighted the issue in two editions, alerted by Peckham Vision - the stall at Peckham Rye Fete and the posters on all the bus stops feeding into Rye Lane. So the headline response rate will be much lower. The report does not quote either the responses from Peckham Vision or Network Rail, nor give any indication that disability organisations were consulted. Despite all that we are pleased that the two way seems to have prevailed. Let us hope it is now secure. So thank you to all you EDFers who responded to the consultation.
  7. I attended the Dulwich Wards meeting last night and at one minute to the close was able to respond to Cllr Rose's presentation about the TfL bus cuts to say how unsatisfactory the Rye Lane process had been, particularly for people living on the bus routes feeding into Rye Lane, and how the very people that she claimed would be badly affected by the reductions in buses - the old, disabled etc - would be even more impacted by the one way option. She claimed there has been a very good response to the Rye Lane consultation and indeed that they had targeted Peckham Rye Station although there was nothing on the ground to indicate that. The Chair (Cllr Andy Simmonds) and the other Dulwich Councillors present then firmly endorsed the two way option. So Cllr Rose heard that and should have it in her mind when the report comes to Cabinet. So thank you to all you lovely EDFers who responded to the consultation and seem to have helped to swing it in favour of the two way option.
  8. Pugwash, thanks for that notice. I fear it may be too late as the consultation will have closed by then, although elected members should hear that it has been so flawed , i.e., * held in the summer when people are away * no drawings or proposals yet Council is making final decisions * only residents living in and around Rye Lane informed by leaflet - nothing to affected bus users in East Dulwich, Honor Oak and Nunhead * very limited posters in Rye Lane itself * consultation events held at times and venues where bus users unlikely to be aware or attend * nothing in Peckham Rye Station to alert commuters as for the one way option itself, making everyone walk 600m from the station - * violates the principle of seamless bus/rail connectivity * actively discriminates against disabled people, those with heavy shopping, luggage or small children * potentially dangerous for women walking alone down Rye Lane at night * and very inconvenient for every other bus user If anyone has seen a Council consultation in the station in the last few days please let me know. Otherwise I will write to Councillors on these lines and hope that they might have some answers in time for the meeting.
  9. Yes, I intend to take this up with members. The consultation has been very clearly directed at residents in and around Rye Lane who have been leafleted by the Council. Unless you are on the Council's email list, very little has been done to ensure that residents in East Dulwich, Honor Oak, Nunhead or North Peckham (served by the 8 bus routes into Peckham Rye Station) are aware of the consultation yet they are very much affected. Whether this is at the behest of members or is a failure of the officer process I do not know. There are a few street posters in Rye Lane but these are easy to miss, and nothing in the station itself. Neither were the two consultative events well publicised. We had a stall at the Peckham Rye Fete and I have put up posters by all the bus stops encouraging local residents to respond to the consultation by 16 September. If you have not already done so, please reply now and encourage your neighbours to do the same.
  10. Southwark News has today published a leading article critical of the one way proposal for Rye Lane, showing how it would impact particularly on the elderly, vulnerable, disabled, women and local businesses; https://southwarknews.co.uk/comment/comment-tred-lightly-with-rye-lane-bus-changes/ and a main article about the consultation, following up one the previous week; https://southwarknews.co.uk/news/transport/network-rail-and-govia-thameslink-railway-concerned-by-one-way-rye-lane-proposal/ Network Rail (funding the station upgrade) has now said formally 'two way traffic is too important to lose', 'and Govia Thameslink also comments, ' it would be 'highly inconvenient for customers, especially people with restricted mobility, and could discourage sustainable travel'. These responses come from key stakeholders. The one way proposal would mean Southwark residents in East Dulwich, Honor Oak and Nunhead (and north Peckham) having to walk long distances, day and night, to catch a bus safely home. Southwark is requiring Network Rail to make the station full accessible yet is consulting on a proposal which would severely impact vulnerable users. If you have not done so already, please respond to the consultation and show your support for the existing two way option, by 16 September. https://consultations.southwark.gov.uk/environment-leisure/rye-lane-traffic/
  11. I agree, ed26, and judging by responses on here cyclists are happy to share Rye Lane with buses and pedestrians, and for some Copland Road would work. The alternative route through Bellenden Road is used by many cyclists and also links through to the Surrey Canal route northwards on quiet roads. But you are right, the main priority is to provide for people travelling to and from the station as well as other amenities in Rye Lane. Network Rail (bringing £40m funding to the station project) and the operators TfL and Govia Thameslink have all been consulted and we look forward to receiving their responses. As we know Southwark requires full accessibility in the station so it there should be seamless onward two way bus connectivity. I urge people to support the two way option.
  12. I agree, ed26, and judging by responses on here cyclists are happy to share Rye Lane with buses and pedestrians, and for some Copeland Road would work. The alternative route through Bellenden Road is used by many cyclists and also links through to the Surrey Canal route northwards on quiet roads. But you are right, the main priority is to provide for people travelling to and from the station as well as other amenities in Rye Lane. Network Rail has now given a very clear response to the Southwark proposal as follows: 'Given the significance of bus train interchange at Rye Lane, we believe that two-way bus movement should be maintained on Rye Lane to minimise the interchange time between bus and rail for users, particularly those with reduced mobility, to maximise the attractiveness of these low carbon public transport options'. (their underlining) This is a very positive statement from the body bringing the major £40m funding to the station project. We hope for similar support from TfL and Govia Thameslink. Southwark News has also picked up the story in this week's edition: https://southwarknews.co.uk/featured/one-way-rye-lane-plans-spark-fears-for-the-disabled/ SO VOTE FOR THE TWO WAY OPTION BY 16 SEPTEMBER
  13. I have now had it confirmed by Network Rail that Rye Lane does NOT have to be closed for the rebuilding of Peckham Rye Station. They are aware of public sensitivity on this issue given the long interruptions there have been in recent years, e.g., the gas works and the covid lockdown, and want to avoid further closures. Southwark is setting strict planning requirements for access to the rebuilt station (and rightly so). So it is all the more surprising they are consulting on the one way option which would have a severely detrimental impact on people with disabilities once they leave the station, making them walk 600m for a bus safely home. I have asked Southwark whether the rebuilding of the station square (their part of the project) will require temporary closure of Rye Lane and await their reply, which I will post. Southwark has not yet put up any posters in Peckham Rye station nor on any of the bus routes serving Rye Lane south of Nigel Road to alert local residents. If you want to see the two way option retained, please respond to the consultation by 16 September.
  14. The ideas for improving the wider spaces such as the roads turning off Rye Lane and the area in front of the cinema are of course welcome. Seats, greenery, lighting and above all maintenance and removal of graffiti so that people feel not only comfortable but safe. But the suggestion that buses 'whizzing along' is somehow a bad thing is astonishing. People use buses because they want to make a journey and the quicker the better. It is a sad fact that pedestrians need to look out for moving traffic, and when Rye Lane was cycle only they would walk out in front of you without looking. They don't tend to do that with buses present. The present two way arrangements seem to work reasonably well and there are plenty of cyclists who are comfortable with sharing the space with buses. The success is evidenced by the numbers of people using the buses to get to and from the station, bars, restaurants and cinema. The rubbish and clutter of street furniture are a bigger problem impeding the pavements. It would be completely unacceptable to have a further delay and a reversion to long walks to the station while the square is being rebuilt. The Council should make every effort to ensure that there is easy access to the station from the 8 bus routes serving it. It may need some ingenuity but so often we who live outside Peckham and depend on the buses feel the Council is ready to close Rye Lane at the drop of hat for the slightest of reasons and not make any effort to provide for bus users, just to make the point. This consultation is clearly directed at Peckham and very few people outside the area will be even aware of it, but will be severely impacted if one way working goes ahead. Hence this post. The idea of reverting to the Copland Road working as a serious long term proposal is a nonsense. If the Council or TfL had wanted to put a bus stop there during the long covid closure they would have done so. There were constant delays and discomfort to passengers with buses having to negotiate the speed humps and traffic queues outside the car wash premises, and there is only room for one bus to turn left through the railway bridge, impeding the oncoming traffic. The residents of these houses had to suffer the noise and vibration of the buses without any access to them. One house on the corner experienced structural problems which may have been linked. And while one way working southbound only may help bus users living in East Dulwich, Nunhead and Honor Oak coming home at night it doesn't help those who live north of the station, who would under that plan still have to walk just as far to the Library to catch a bus up Peckham Park Road - Peckham Rye is still their nearest station. East Dulwich etc users would still have a long walk from Copland Road to the station, not in line of sight and therefore hardly a meaningful bus/train connection for a major station. The one way proposal is untenable for users with disabilities, those with heavy shopping, luggage or small children. There have been a number of articles in the press recently documenting how difficult it remains for disabled users to access public transport. Southwark would be in the dock on this one, guilty as charged.
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