There are a number of posts on this thread requesting/demanding that supporters of Melbourne Grove Traffic Action come forward and give their views. Most of the supporters that I have spoken to have said that they don?t want to get involved in ?debate? on this forum as the tone is frequently quite hostile. I live on Melbourne Grove and have had a number of horrible experiences that make me want the issue of traffic on MG to be looked at by the council so I signed the petition. The police data shows that 15,000 cars a week travel down Melbourne Grove. That is way beyond what a road of this type is designed to take. The way the road bends and the lack of effective speed bumps (or signage) means that people frequently speed (mostly in the straight runs between the bends so the speeding data probably hasn?t caught the worst of it). People are so used to speeding without interruption that I can?t get my kids strapped into the car without people screaming ?stupid bitch? at me for having my door open in the road for 20 seconds. If I pull in to park my car I am beeped at for the 20-30 seconds it takes me to park. The wing mirrors are knocked off repeatedly and I?ve had a number of near misses with people coming out of Chesterfield Grove on to Melbourne and driving really fast as they view it as a rat run rather than a road where lots of kids and elderly people live, walk and drive. I have a disability and kids with mobility problems and I therefore drive all over East Dulwich every single day. My experience and the police data on volume implies that this is a particular issue for Melbourne Grove. Having said that, there is no NIMBYism here. From the beginning, the residents of Melbourne Grove have said that they would like to find a solution that doesn?t push the problem elsewhere. A barrier was suggested (by a councillor) as one possible and affordable option. It is perfectly reasonable for a group of residents (and it is a group so the personal insults and attacks up thread should really cease) to ask other residents on their street if they share their views. Close to half of the residents on the electoral roll on the southern side MG signed the petition in support of the council looking into a barrier (and other measures). In terms of level of support, this is pretty good and reflects the views of the people most affected in the immediate area. This is obviously not a green light for a barrier, or for any measure for that matter. Some of the people in the group would like a barrier, some wouldn?t, some aren?t sure and some would like more information. The group contacted lots of other streets in the area as a courtesy before any feasibility study or consultation was undertaken. Many people on the surrounding streets have written emails and letters of support. Some have also said that they would like a barrier, some wouldn?t. The idea of the feasibility study is that it would look into what is feasible and obviously nothing would be done if it would have a detrimental impact on surrounding streets. There are people upthread speculating about what they ?reckon? would happen. Scaremongering comments about traffic being sent up Ashbourne instead etc. There isn?t any reason for this to happen at all. I actually believe it would reduce traffic on those streets but, rather than speculate, we thought it would be better for some experts to look into it. Hence the request for the study. Some people on this forum seem keen to turn this into an anti-barrier/pro-barrier war. I?m not clear on their motivations for doing so but I suspect it?s not the community-focused approach it?s being marketed as. A few residents have taken to this forum in anger that they haven?t been ?informed? earlier and are calling for ?barrier supporters? to come on to the thread to answer accusations of NIMBYism and manipulation. I wouldn?t hold your breath as it?s taken me a few weeks to brave the pitchforks. There was even a recent request for the people who dared to apply for a ?Southwark play streets permit? to out themselves on the forum. How dare they have 2 hours of children riding bikes and neighbours eating chocolate brownies together on a Saturday afternoon? Don?t they know there are van drivers trying to avoid lordship lane? (incidentally, if you?re reading, a big thanks to the driver who screamed abuse at the 3 year olds riding their scooters at the play streets event on Saturday). I support the feasibility study and will submit my views to any formal consultation. But probably not on this forum again.
