rceb

quieter? for who? not those on surrounding roads. i agree the layout is ridiculous but was the only 'safe option' considering half the bridge is still structurally unsound. i understand it to be temporary before they (Network Rail) replace it entirely in about 1 million years time. the irony is they could have replaced it in the 2 years it took to get it re-opened.

After over 2 years of closure the bridge was re-opened yesterday.

After over 2 years of closure the bridge was re-opening yesterday.

agreed, lets stick to the issues rather than decend into a bout of half jokes and vindictiveness. lets get things straight, this was never about if the road should be re-opened, it was when and how to do it safety. Its a god damn road and has been for centuries and it was only because it was damaged was it shut. If NR had fixed it the day after it would never have come to these arguments. Its got absolutely nothing to do with who lives on the road. I don't live on GC but use it daily as a pedestrian and agree that having it used as a rat run is in nobody's interest. However this is a completely separate matter to the temporary closure and needs to be considered in an area wide study. After this, along with other measures, it may be shown that the community is better served with closing the road. As mentioned above, I suggest we concentrate our efforts on getting Southwark and NR to carry out a traffic strategy and replace the bridge.

nobody thinks that traffic lights are a fantastic solution. Unforetunately it is the only safe solution. This was spelt out at the meeting. It safely caters for pedestrians, cyclists, drivers and the residents of the surrounding diversion route streets. In the words of the traffic officer, the partial aim of lights and width restriction is to slow down traffic thereby discouraging non-local drivers. and its only for the medium term whilst Network Rail get around to replacing the bridge. and "posh bashing", "political or moral significance". you're missing the facts - ITS A ROAD.

It was fairly clear from the meeting that there was never any chance the road would get permanently shut so i'm not sure why Southwark didn't stamp out the idea earlier in the year. And, apart from total re-build, there is only one safe option for re-opening it, traffic lights with single lane width restriction. So why they waited to make a final decision after the meeting escapes me. To me, the meeting was there to communicate the proposal and so locals could vent their frustration. What we now need to do is keep up the pressure on Southwark and Network Rail to develop a re-build solution, so the traffic lights can be removed. The key to all of this is NR booking a weekend possession of the track to demolish the old and lift in a new bridge. These possessions can take many months/years to arrange and only happen on a few periods during the year so early planning could shave years off the construction. It can be done at the same time as the overdue traffic strategy for Camberwell and Peckham which the residents/councillors were demanding.

what has famous people living on CG got to do with the bridge closure? if you want to continue this highly interesting topic then open your own thread.

What an interesting and highly charged meeting that was. In short, the bridge will be opened with traffic lights around March 2008.

The facts are that just because someone lives on a road which they'd like closed doesn't give them any legal right to have it closed. Sure it has a cost benefit to themselves but it is not in the public interest to have the road closed. To have a road closed requires a long process such as notice periods / stopping up orders / objections / public enquiry and if necessary it has to go to the secretary of state. And just to remind everyone, the road was closed under emergency powers and its only because Network Rail and Southwark Council are insanely slow that it hasn't been re-opened. I still haven't read a single factual reason, with evidence, of why the bridge shouldn't be re-opened. Maybe i'll hear something tonight. I doubt it though.