gm99

Nothing - it's a Euro 6 diesel and has no issues with the actual ULEZ (ie we're not being charged in error by TFL). A neighbour with a brand new petrol car has had the same overcharging problem and is now trying to get a refund (he was unaware of the error until I alerted him to it).

Hi All, Just a quick one: if you have a parking permit, be aware when renewing that Southwark's parking account system is incorrectly identifying some ULEZ-compliant vehicles as non-compliant - the fees now differ between the two. I have a ULEZ compliant car and the online system would only give me the option to pay £300 for an annual permit for a non-compliant car, instead of £225. All sorted by doing the renewal by phone. I'm sure the hike in fees has been well discussed elsewhere. To my mind it goes against the principle that "[Southwark needs] to charge for parking permits to cover the operational costs of the zone", which was as described in the consultation of the zone I live in. The first I knew of the increase was when I went to renew. GM

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Thank you - though it's unclear to me if that definitely means a 240 entry size for Sept '22

Hello, Does anyone know when the Charter ED will be expanding to a 240 pupil intake? We're a year away from secondary applications and wondering about the distance criteria. Thank you.

One is currently parked outside our house - as of a few days ago. It was parked by two people who seemed to be working for Zipcar, who photographed the car then left on foot. My guess is they are changing their operating model to an app based approach that shows where the cars are parked, without the need for dedicated bays - at least where there is no CPZ in operation (I'd guess saving Zipcar money).

Catma, as a daily cyclist I find there are few things as stressful as hoping that a car approaching a side road junction (often at speed) is actually going to stop. The Choumert/Bellenden junction you mention is one where my experience is that cars often stick their nose out a foot so it's not ever really clear if they *are* stopping, and meanwhile I'll have an impatient car driver too close behind me hoping to complete a mad overtake before the traffic island outside the bike shop. I'm sure I've scowled on occasion. Incidentally, going the other way cars are even less tolerant, often resorting to a last gasp dash out of the Choumert junction, apparently ignoring the possibility that cyclists turning left off Bellenden may need to use the right lane to turn N (right) onto Lyndhurst Way.

Have I misunderstood - it looks like there is no right turn from Bellenden Road onto Chadwick Road, heading south? Must say I don't fancy the right turn from Holly Grove onto Bellenden heading south, with cars turning left across the cycle lane. Edited to add: I also wonder about having a bike lane between parked cars and the pavement on Lyndhurst Way. On the other hand, the extra zebra crossings are a distinct plus for pedestrians.

Having been in touch with Southwark Council, I thought others might be interested in the following: In relation to the bridge on Camberwell Grove: "With respect to a timescale for strengthening the bridge and re-opening to vehicular traffic, this is currently difficult to provide. We have to complete the design, obtain Network Rail approval for the design, secure the funding for the works from TfL, and then arrange the required rail closure with Network Rail to carry out the works. Being realistic, I can?t see this happening until April 2016 at the earliest which is the information provided to local residents. However, if there is any possibility of advancing this timescale, then the works will be carried out as soon as practicable." And in relation to the current closure outside Denmark Hill station/the Phoenix pub on Windsor Walk: "The closure on Windsor Walk is related although this scheme is further advanced than Camberwell Grove as the required design for the strengthening works is well underway. In an ideal world, we would hope to carry out the strengthening works to both bridges at the same time, and using the same track closure. However, we will not delay the works on one bridge if the other design has not been completed and received the required technical approvals."

Apologies if anyone has already posted about this - I couldn't see anything. The bridge on Camberwell Grove has been closed and will remain closed to all vehicle traffic for at least 6 months. The Council hopes to have it open for 2-way cycle traffic by Friday. The roadworks on Lyndhurst Way have been suspended as the combination of the bridge closure and roadworks have left the area around Lyndhurst Grove and Lyndhurst Way virtually gridlocked at times. Avoid the area if possible. GM99

From 2014 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/10693794/Unexpected-Chinook-helicopter-landing-blows-walkers-over.html

This has 'end of year underspend' written all over it. That said, I live in an area (edge of SE5) where double yellows were painted at all junctions (I think generally 7.5m) following the introduction of a nearby CPZ, and while there was a loss of parking they have also made for a rather safer environment for road users, pedestrians etc.

Consultation appendices here http://moderngov.southwark.gov.uk/documents/s59629/Appendices.pdf including all response comments (be warned - lots of shouting in BLOCK CAPITALS) Fwiw the consultation report claims a 19% response rate, either ignoring the fact that respondents like me don't live on one of the roads directly canvassed or discounting eg my response.

Looks like it's going ahead http://moderngov.southwark.gov.uk/documents/s59628/Bellenden%20Rd%20Holly%20Gr.%20Lynhurst%20way%20-%20walking%20and%20cycling%20improvements.pdf

Spider, it's advertised on the same Southwark consultation page as ed_pete posted at the top of this thread, which you joined on the 24/12. https://consultations.southwark.gov.uk/environment-leisure/cyclingandwalkingimprovements/consult_view Genuine Q: where/how in your opinion should the consultation have been advertised?

Reminder that there is a drop-in session about the proposals this evening from 5-8pm at St James RC Church 45 Elm Grove London SE15 5DD https://consultations.southwark.gov.uk/environment-leisure/cyclingandwalkingimprovements/events/bellenden-road-holly-grove-lyndhurst-way-cycling-2

For those claiming to live in the area affected but not to have known about the consultation: there's a large banner on the railings of Warwick Gardens opposite Holly Grove, which has been there since before Christmas.

I walk (school run) and cycle (from school to work) through this area daily, plus drive it fairly frequently. I am a confident cyclist. I would make the following observations, about the current road layout and the proposals, taking them roughly from north to south: - Both Lyndhurst Grove and especially Lyndhurst way (Holly Grove to Peckham Road) have dreadful road surfaces for cycling. - The junction between Lydhurst Grove and Lyndhurst Way is tight. Exiting LG there is poor visibility, especially for drivers (it can be hard to see cyclists who hug the curb heading N along LW). Turning into LG the junction/corner has very little room and drivers frequently cut the corner. As a cyclist exiting LG and turning right onto LW that can mean encountering cars driving at you in your lane. None of that will change - and frankly I can't see that there is any room to improve that situation. - The intersection between Bellenden Road and Holly Grove is a bit of a shambles for pedestrians, who are definitely lowest in the pecking order, and not brilliant for cyclists. As a cyclist heading towards the shops on Bellenden Road I have to be confident to hold the centre of the lane to avoid cars trying to undertake me - I don't find that a big problem, but can cycle fast enough to avoid drivers growing too impatient. My feeling is that the junction could probably be improved by being redesigned without the wholesale new plans. - The left turn from Bellenden Road onto Chadwick Road, heading north (away from the shops) is very tight and seems to be being made even tighter in the proposed plan, which shows the pavement being built out. That would be both a traffic pinch point and a real concern for all road users. As a pedestrian this junction can be hard to navigate safely because road traffic converges from three directions. In the proposed plans, I would like to see a pedestrian crossing across Chadwick road, between Bellenden Road and Lyndhurst Way. - The current gyratory suffers from two problems in my opinion: relatively high driving speeds and cyclists needing to use (including cross into) the right hand lane. The latter is problematic because of speed differentials between cyclists and drivers. The two-way layout may be one solution, but I wonder if there are alternatives that focus on reducing driving speeds? - The worst part of Bellenden Road from a traffic and road user point of view is the section past the shops, which these plans leave unaddressed. I wonder if there would be scope for moving the short stay park and shop bays into side streets, and making this stretch much less dominated by parking and traffic, improving visibility, reducing congestion - perhaps with a 10mph section? On balance I find myself coming down in favour of the proposed plans. That said, I would like to hear from the council why the gyratory was introduced in the first place, how the proposed plans won't reintroduce things that were wrong before, and what they intend to do about the section of Bellenden Road past the shops. GM

Credit to Southwark's school's admission team. E-mailed then earlier to find out about our waiting list position and got a reply in under 2 hours.

Just log on to the eadmissions site (where you applied) - your result will be there waiting for you.

The order in which you list schools matters for two reasons. (1) if you meet the entry requirements for more than one on your list you would be offered the one you ranked highest. (2) In the event that you get offered a place at a school that was not your #1 preference, you go on the waiting list for any schools listed above the one you get offered. So if you get offered your 4th preference you go on the waiting lists for the 3 that you ranked more highly.

Renata, just a thought, but the Southwark 'starting primary school' brochure could definitely be a bit clearer and more comprehensive on a number of points. Perhaps this is something you could feed back, with reference to the kinds of questions being raised here? E.g. from my perspective the brochure: - has nothing on how the waiting list system works for parents whose child is offered a school from their 'preference' list (that isn't their first choice) - the 'waiting list' section seems to refer only to the case that a place is not offered at any of the 'preferred' schools; - uses some confusing terms (see references to 'ranked lists' and 'ranked order' at the bottom of p.11 - referring, respectively, to lists of applicants to individual schools and the list of preferences indicated by parents on application forms); - there is nothing on having your name added to a waiting list for a school not included in the initial preferences (as you mentioned above) - only for out of borough schools; - it might usefully be illustrated with some examples.

Thanks Renata - that's really helpful and greatly appreciated.