Homstall Road - Humps

[safesurfer]

Not 'alf.

bore off Huguenot.

I've never known any different from the current situation, vis a vis the lights, and they seem fine to me & my children as we use them daily. So probably in favour of maintaining them. I think.

[The Nappy Lady]

Really useful thread, unfortunately taken way off topic by Huguenot, who I hope will now stay out of it.

I live in Nunhead (and have done for over 13 years and work in East Dulwich 3 days a week, my childminder is on Colyton Road, so I use this junction at least 6 times a week, often around school run time. Sometimes I drive, sometimes I'm on a bike, and I also often walk from the park over to the shops.

In general I found the junction fine as it was pre traffic lights whether driving or walking. It sometimes took a while to get out of Colyton Road at busy periods, but it was never too bad. Since the lights have gone in it is easier to turn right out of Colyton Road I admit, BUT when coming home from work I'm afraid I always end up having to use the back roads because the tailback from the lights goes right down past the new Harris Boys School, and I have to get back to Nunhead to collect my own daughter from school. This is my main issue with the lights. Personally I think the tail backs on Forest Hill Road are not acceptable, and are having a direct impact on the level of traffic on the residential roads around it.

Pedestrian wise I found the old Zebra crossing worked really well, and I find waiting for the green man much more frustrating.

In some earlier posts people also mentioned the traffic around Harris Girls - this is really AWFUL. I actually raised this with the council about 5 years ago, and someone came to see me we visited the road together so I could show them the problem. I was told that no parking 'passing points' would be put in to help with the flow of traffic but this never happened.

I then put in a 'Cleaner, Greener, Safer' bid for a pedestrian crossing from the school to the park about 2 years ago, and although it was unsuccessful I'm really pleased to see they are now in the process of putting a crossing in (if a counsellor reads this, please can you chase them up on getting it finished, I think it is only waiting on the flashing lights and it is needed as a matter of urgency).

Because of the bend in the top of Homestall Road by Harris Girls and the parking there, plus the downhill slope towards the bend, traffic heading towards East Dulwich pulls out around the parked cars without always seeing traffic coming from the other direction, and already part way along what is often effectively a single lane due to parked cars on both sides. Sooner or later there is going to be a nasty accident. At the very least they need to extend the no parking zone outside the school on the school side of the road to stop cars parking on the bend.

And finally.....despite staff and police being outside Harris Girls there often seem to be girls just 'wandering' across the road, in no hurry, and actually crossing when they can see a car coming right at them. They are either oblivious to the traffic, or at times I think simply assumption that the car will give way to them - which of course we all do.....but it is done in such a brazen way, does this wind anyone else up? If they are running for the bus I sort of understand it, it isn't that so much, it's when it is done almost as a 'challenge' to the car driver. I really worry that sooner or later a child is going to get knocked down at that junction. I keep meaning to telephone the school office to raise my concerns, but would be interested to know whether others share my concerns?

[VikkiM]

Very quickly (apologies as I'm on the way to bed...)

The Zebra crossing at Harris Girls is waiting for EDF (I think) to connect up the electrics. I've been told it should happen very soon. Actually paid for by Harris in the end I think. I will ask about what else could be done at start/end of school day.

Have read comments for and against on here and have also been sent a variety of comments sent through to council officers.

Victoria Mills

Labour Member for Peckham Rye Ward

victoria.mills@southwark.gov.uk

www.peckhamryelabour.blogspot.com

[The Nappy Lady]

Thanks Victoria.

[Jane Fletcher]

Good morning

Thanks for taking the time to set out the problems you are having with traffic on Homestall Road. Whilst we are really pleased to have the pedestrian crossing up and running finally, we do acknowledge that it does not solve all the issues relating to traffic/students crossing the road that have been highlighted. We are also aware that the building work we are having done on site has caused congestion further down the road and we do apologise for all the inconvenience that this has caused. The new build work completes at Christmas and Vinci then move out. However, we do then have a further period of refurbishment from January onwards which will undoubtedly cause some further issues.

We are very aware of the issues relating to people stopping where there are road markings, u-turns and also the lack of road awareness that some of our students demonstrate. We are working actively to improve these matters.

We do believe strongly that our contribution to our community should be a positive one and we seek to work with our neighbours whenever possible. We aren't complacent, we're willing to listen to your views and we really want to work in partnership with our local community - thanks again for your comments and we will continue to work to improve the impact that we have on the road outside the student gate.

Best wishes

Jane Fletcher

Principal

Harris Girls' Academy East Dulwich

[The Nappy Lady]

Jane,

Thank you - it is really good to know you are aware of the issues and I do hope the traffic situation can be improved in due course.

[trinity]

I realise that this thread is headed 'Homestall Road - Humps' but it also contains a significant discussion on the merits or otherwise of the Colyton Road/ Forest Hill Road traffic lights.

Does anyone know whether the 'temporary lights' are to be removed or is the decision still pending.

I have also pm'd Vikkim who I think is a councillor for the ward in question.

[James Barber]

Hi trinity,

I met with council officers two weeks ago about something else and when this topic came up they told me it was still in the air.

[VikkiM]

Hi Trinity

Thanks for the PM about this - thought I would reply here.

Around the time that Nunhead and Peckham Rye Community Council were asked to make a decision about the removal/retention of these lights it became clear that the council was going to secure approx ?400K from TfL for improvements to Forest Hill Road. This money will be spent in 2011-12 but we asked officers to bring forward some of the spend to look at this junction in particular and also the impact on surrounding roads. This would have been looked at anyway but it seemed silly to potentially remove the lights only for the junction to be changed again in 2011-12. The officers have been in touch a couple of times in the last few weeks and I'm expecting some proposals any day. If the lights are removed Thames Water agreed to still honour the cost of their removal even though it has been delayed.

Victoria Mills.

Labour Member for Peckham Rye Ward

victoria.mills@southwark.gov.uk

www.peckhamryelabour.blogspot.com

[trinity]

Thanks for the update Vikki. I would be very interested in the proposed improvements to Forest Hill Road (and in particular the set of traffic lights by the Turkish supermarket parade of shops which seems to have more than its fair share of drivers running the red light) so please keep us updated.

[VikkiM]

Apologies Trinity - the proposals weren't 'any day' but I do have an update.

The big ?400K scheme for FHR has looked at the Colyton/FHR/Dunstans signals and it proposes retaining the signals but making some changes to the phasing to speed up the flow of traffic. The work suggests that this would improve the traffic flow and ensure traffic would move in one green light phase without queues building up. Removing the signals was looked at but the investigation suggests that this would disadvantage pedestrians and make it difficult for traffic to exit the side roads - particularly Colyton.

The FHR scheme will be the subject of public consultation in September and October and so this consultation will include the proposal to retain the signals but make phasing changes. If residents object to the retention of the lights (even with changes) then I suspect then there is a strong possibility that they will be removed. The investigation work does support their retention but it doesn't consider their removal hugely problematic - if that makes sense.

This FHR scheme is very likely to be discussed at a Community Council meeting - I'll post details of that and the consultation document when it's published.

Vikki.

Cllr Victoria Mills

Labour Councillor For Peckham Rye Ward

victoria.mills@southwark.gov.uk

www.peckhamryelabour.blogspot.com

[TheArtfulDogger]

Was there ever a decision on the lights or has it just been brushed under the carpet and forgotten ?

[Siduhe]

There was a decision - I think it was discussed on another thread a while back. The Community Council decided to keep the lights to assist with traffic management and pedestrian safety. The lights were also re-phased and generally operate better than they did IMO.

[TheArtfulDogger]

This thread ? http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,42813,page=4

It was being considered but I didnt see a decision

[Siduhe]

This thread I think - see Renata's post:

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,1170329,1171622#msg-1171622

[B&G]

I would be delighted if the crossings went back in - the road has become a race track for some drivers and buses heading towards Peckham aren't much better.

Gavin Edwards - I'm pleased, though surprised, to see you commenting on this and asking for feedback, since I emailed all our cllrs on this issue a few weeks ago and you were the only one not to respond at all....

If the crossings don't get reinstated, it'd be interesting to hear what other traffic calming measures will be used instead, given I understand that humps are not possible on roads that see lories and buses. It is a matter of time before someone is hurt, so I hope this is taken seriously by all our cllrs and MPs.

[kiera]

Could you give a link to the message from Gavin Edwards to which you refer, as I can't see a post from him, nor any request for feedback to councillors on this issue/thread. Thanks.

[B&G]

Kiera - Page one, a little way down:

"If I were a Lib Dem at the moment I wouldn?t bang too much on about broken promises prior to elections. . .

I too am going to keep an open mind. This is clearly a finely balanced issue and I?d like to listen to as wide a cross section of views as possible before making a decision.

People are very welcome to attend Community Council but getting in touch in advance of that will allow us more time to raise queries with officers.

Gavin Edwards

Tel: 07956624529

e-mail: gavin.edwards@southwark.gov.uk

www.peckhamryelabour.blogspot.com

Peckham Rye News Facebook Group"

[kiera]

Thanks for clarifying B&G. I thought you were saying that he wanted comments now, but that post was six years ago, in the run up to making the decision to keep the lights.

[B&G]

Ah, an old thread!