first mate

And this was utterly predictable but the cyclisterati, high on their Brooke's saddles, refuse to admit there are any potential problems with the bike and e-bike revolution they are intent on forcing through.

As you well know DKH those properties have only recently been built and up until building actually starts there is always room for plans to change or for council planning to intervene. A "pipsqueak" of a development, offering storage for twenty cars next to a "pipsqueak" of carless junction amendment, costing the council millions. Labelling the latter as a Marxist conspiracy is your phrase, not mine.

I'm interested in the reality of council spending priorities in our area in a cost of living crisis. I am interested in the fact that they can spend millions on non-mandated road works with the express purpose of reducing car use while simultaneously greenlighting a housing development with underground parking for 20 cars, right next door to those road works.

Trying to figure out how the allegedly cash-strapped council drummed up millions to spend on such a small space on some non-mandated roadworks. It is not a great look to impose Vanity Square which meant to deter local traffic and drive it onto boundary roads, meanwhile a brand new development of two car households springs up, literally right next to the square.

I think residents will keep them in their underground garages but given the recent imposition of the LTN and Dulwich Square plus Council and Dulwich Society transport sub committees apparent enthusiasm for making that area as car free as possible, it seems odd. I ask again, is it possible that developers helped in funding work to make Dulwich Square?

i wonder what if any say/input Dulwich Society Transport Committee had on all this? As we know the newish Chair of the subcommittee (installed during Covid if I have understood, when lots of new LTN sympathetic members also joined that sub committee and where sub committee meetings were allegedly well attended by a ward councillor ) is an award winning pro LTN activist. Allegedly the sub committee Chair was key to moves to get 'Vanity Square' underway. Given the proximity of the Square to the development offering storage to twenty cars it just seems strange. Could it be that site developers have helped fund the square?

there were two delis early on, the greek cypriot one run by Mr and Mrs Andreas and then over the road a deli opened run by two chinese guys, but cannot remember the name.

It seems a real lack of joined up thinking by Council, by planners etc.. With two cars each, that is an awful lot more vehicles right next to carless 'vanity square' and LTN. Still, the side roads will have to bear the brunt of that muddle. Still waiting to find out if part of the new pedestrianised area will be given over to bike, e-bike and scooter storage.

Thanks for acting true to form Mal and strengthening the points that Dave Hill makes, below. "It doesn’t help that cycling activists get touchy when this is pointed out. I recently published on social media a photograph of Lime bikes clustered by the entrance to my local Overground station at morning peak time, impeding people going in and out by foot and passers-by alike. It was an image which, I said, captured why so many people find London’s cycling culture alienating. The response was as large, indignant and predictable as usual – a days-long chorus of deflection, special pleading and denial: the Lime bike blockage was not, apparently, the fault of those who did the blocking but a forgivable consequence of failures by “corporate” Lime; there was the customary rush to change the subject to the sins of cars; the routine rule-breaking was dismissed as scarce or as something cyclists are “forced” to do by the cruel injustices they face; it was even contended that criticising cyclists is a form of “othering“, as if it were akin to racism. The latter case is made on behalf of a demographic dominated by affluent white males. Which is the greater, the narcissism or the solipsism?"

Don't know what others think but I find it perhaps a little odd that the brand spanking new (not to mention excruciatingly expensive) housing development on Gilkes, almost adjacent to the newly reconfigured junction, is advertising its properties with private underground parking for not just one but two cars. Private underground parking for 2 cars with access directly in to the houses and EV Charging Point

Does anyone know if there are plans for extensive bike, e-bike and scooter storage at the newly reconfigured Dulwich Junction?

Link to an article that provides a useful summary on reservations that some of us have https://www.onlondon.co.uk/dave-hill-leadership-is-required-to-combat-londons-selfish-cycling-culture/

I think you are right, since this is an important through route it could get very busy. Will this area have lots of storage for e-bikes, I wonder? Earl is now taking us off thread so suggest they do a new thread on the history of car access in Dulwich Park...this one is about LTNs. More pertinent is that DP is used as a through route for cycling commuters, including e-bikes.

Never a through route that I remember. People would park and visit, so really no different to now other than people pay to park. But it wasn't as though you ever had lots of people driving round the park or using it to get from A-Z. What has massively increased is cyclists using local parks as through routes and not all observe sensible speed limits. I have no issue with cyclists in the park other than when they use it as a velodrome. To get this back on thread; do we know if cyclists will have to dismount and wheel through the pedestrianised Dulwich junction?

Spot on.

I don't see those with serious reservations moving on at all. Momentum against some of these measures as well as dubious council behaviour seems to be building.

And yet here you are again, Earl, fixated on trying to persuade us that non-mandated junction re-configurations, with phase 3 only just released, costing millions of pounds, are a great idea.

Surely not. I mean words fail and there was me thinking my spoof conspiracy theory about LCC was far fetched.

There was 72 and also The Drum. Completely forgot about Black Cherry! The pubs all changed too. The Foresters?

There used to be loads of bric a brac and antique shops in ED. There was a guy called Rene who had one along from the station back in the early 80's. Quite a few on NX and then there was Austins towards Peckham. Does anyone remember Dave the greengrocer and his brother? The Junction Emporium was much more recent. I remember Target but never went in.

So why do you and a few others spend so much time on here trying to counter all and any anti local LTN and 'Vanity Square' sentiment? Why are you so seemingly pathologically obsessed with trying to close down what you say is a non issue, that you say is four years old and nobody cares about? You must admit it doesn't make sense?

I just thought I'd provide a counter conspiracy theory to the equally ludicrous stuff pedalled on here about closet Tories and the secretive and shadowy organisation that some think is directing them. Hahaha😂 Pots and Kettles Earl. Try all you like, go for every angle you can, as I said, there are enough locals now questioning these measures, this is not going away. If, as you keep protesting, this is a done deal with only a few voices against why are you so obsessed with trying your absolute best to shut it down. Why do you care? As you already know, many of us on here already cycle. Do try to get your facts straight. Another fact check ( goodness you are getting a bit Trumpian in your attempts to spin and derail) the suggestion is to have a referendum on this only, not on everything. That's because the Council were not mandated to waste millions on 'Vanity Square'.

But if such a tiny minority against, as you persist in telling us, why do you keep popping up to repeat this? Why bother? It seems a number of you are putting an awful lot of energy into trying to shut this tiny vocal minority down. It doesn't really add up, neither does the frequently parroted conspiracy theory that objectors are all closet Tories being directed by a shadowy organisation that has some as yet undefined political agenda. Another theory is that at least some pro LTN posters on here who are not local are LCC operatives with a political agenda of their own?

Blue Mountain was the first coffee shop on NX road and possibly ED. The Yellow door restaurant was in a house just along from what is now the Charter School. It was quite well thought of at the time. It had a yellow front door.

I think we are incredibly privileged to live in ED. I remember it when Blue Mountain and Grace and Favour opened- the latter the same day Blair and New Labour won for the first time. The Yellow Door was I think the only posh restaurant around . Prior to all that ED was a bit more ordinary but nice enough. The only time I remember anything close to rioting in ED was during the Brixton riots and the old Sainsbury's (now M&S) had a window smashed in.