speeding on east dulwich grove

[rgutsell]

Hallo all

I live on East Dulwich Grove, and would like to raise the issue of speeding traffic early in the morning and later in the evenings on the stretch of road between the hospital and the junction with Lordship Lane.

Its not a problem in the daytime rush hour periods because the traffic is too heavy, but it is a problem after. There is a downhill section leading onto a flat approach to Lordship Lane, and some people put their foot down.

Public service vehicles (Police and Ambulance) also speed. There are two Zebra crossings on that stretch,and I would like to propose that they are both "lifted" onto raised ramps.

Anyone else recognise this problem?

RN Gutsell

[EmilyE]

Yes. I agree. As a pedestrian it can often be pretty hairy crossing at those crossings. I'd support a raised crossing or similar.

[Jessie]

Cars rarely stop at the zebra crossing. It's really infuriating, and potentially dangerous. Down with these selfish drivers. Boo.

[kilmore]

Whilst I don't doubt that there is a need to consider some traffic measures in East Dulwich Grove, bear in mind it is a bus route and we need to be very wary of more proposals for speed humps affecting bus passengers. They have no voice in the consultation procedure, and it's time there was a recognition of that bus travel is becoming increasingly slow and uncomfortable as more and more humps are introduced. Some journeys into town from this area have to cross humps all along the route, and they are so often designed with steep slopes so that there a double jolt every time the bus traverses the hump. The effect on patients in ambulances must be similar. Residents living next to the humps will also have to suffer heavy vibrations and noise day and night as heavy vehicles cross. There needs to be a rethink of this whole approach to traffic calming. No other city in Europe adopts such crude measures, and they all must face similar issues.

[hellosailor]

I was going to post something very similar recently!

I would say that in my experience, cars only stop at either crossing on East Dulwich Grove about 20% of the time, and that includes when you are already severalsteps across, pushing a buggy ,holding a child's hand, whatever.

It has always really shocked me that this is the case on these 2 crossings, as I have never really encountered this before living on East Dulwich Grove!

Generally when you're crossing a zebra your assumption is that an oncoming car will stop - on East Dulwich Grove my assumption is always that they will sail past me at speed. The vast majority of the time this is true, I am actually surprised now if a car stops when I am either waiting or have started to cross, as it is rare.

What is is that is particular about EDG that means most drivers do this? as I used to live on a road as busy as EDG, and it never happened?

[Cora]

I too was going to find out what can be done to slow traffic down here and force cars to stop at the crossings. It is a daily route to school for us as well as many Charter School kids. They have an active flashing sign further up which flashes if you are doing more than 30. No one reacts to it and it just spends the day flashing!....I agree it must be frustrating having bumps put up all over the place but when car drivers consistently flout the rules at the risk of pedestrians what else are you meant to do. I would be happy to put a traffic light crossing there instead just to punish those daily floaters not mature enough to see that reacting to a zebra crossing is less inconvenient than having to stop at another red light!

[Scruffy Mummy]

I agree. It is dangerous the way cars speed along rarely stoping for pedestrians at the zebra crossing.

[GinaG3]

I've nearly been hit more than once crossing outside the hospital. Cars just speed right through the crossing even if your actually on it already. I have physically counted at one point, whilst waiting to cross 11 cars failing to stop. One car stopped on one side, then the other side no one stopped, the car that did stop got really angry at the other cars, beeping them etc for failing to stop at a paedestrian crossing. The whole road just really infuriates me. 3 crossing, none of which are safe to use. The speed of cars coming down there at night I also agree is ridiculous, although I don't live there anymore. But we have the same on dulwich common, regularly I hear cars doing what must be definitely in excess of 70mph. Side by side racing, very dangerous overtaking, wheelies on motorbikes. Give some road users a straight and clear road space, they will take it as a racetrack...

[spoiltdog]

Ideal Road for a Speed Camera,or any other measure to slow traffic and save lives, BUT not SPEED Bumps please as a car driver I know at first hand how much these speed Bumps can DAMAGE YOURE VEHICLES . My vote is no SPEED BUMPS Please

[3 little piggies]

On three occasions last week, whilst driving along EDG (keeping to the speed limit, I hasten to add!) I had drivers behind me speed towards me, then sit right on my tail because I wouldn't go faster. I find this really dangerous and intimidating behaviour (and I'm not easily intimidated and am a very confident and feisty motorist).

[James Barber]

Southen on Sea have inreoduced average speed camera to enforce 20mph zone.

Would this be preferable at about the same cost to raising these two crossing?

[ratty]

Can a speed camera be linked to a machine gun turret? That would be a solution.

As a driver I totally agree with the comments. For some reason this road seems to be a a magnet for a-hole drivers. Speed bumps are horrible and hopefully not the answer. My son when 2 so nearly got killed by a driver failing to stop when my wife was already on the crossing by Melbourne grove.

This road and Peckham rye lights are deadly.

[kford]

James, average speed cameras won't stop motorists from driving through the zebra crossing. It would probably make it worse. The souuthend camera set-up covers the sea front road, not an urban road with many turn offs. And I still believe these big brother like devices are more likely to cause distraction - a bigger cause of accidents than speed - by forcing drivers to keep looking at their speedo rather than the road.

A couple of table top crossings is the solution, like the new one on LL.

[KalamityKel]

But perhaps less steep on the decline. The Lordship Lane bump has a ridiculously big drop when coming up LL from the green which really jars backs and knees when preparing for get off a bus. I'm still in my young years and find it painful I wonder how those in older years fare!

EDG has always been an problem with speeding resulting with, on the odd occasion, unpleasant accidents, especially on the bend by the hospital, I not sure bumps are the solution but certainly other traffic calming/control measures need to be considered sooner rather than later. It's been like this for too long already!

[Cora]

I am more worried about the non-stopping at zebras than the speed itself so don't think the speed cameras will help.

[Loz]

Cora Wrote:

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> They have an active flashing sign further up which flashes if you are doing more than 30. No one reacts to it

> and it just spends the day flashing!....

That thing is broken and has been for some time. It usually flashes at you no matter what speed you are doing.

[Otto]

Yes. I'd be overjoyed if something were done. My son has a friend across the street on that stretch, and, due to the crazy traffic, I cannot allow him to cross there on his own, though he is old enough...

[Jessie]

Once when my son and I were waiting to cross the Melbourne G crossing and the usual x amount of cars blatantly ignored us, there was a police car lurking, and pulled some of the cars over for a ticking off. Needless to say we soon got across the road once the other drivers twigged they were being observed by the police. But of course in today's world of cuts, cuts, cuts, this was more a coincidence than a road-crossing strategy by the Met!! Still, food for thought.

[rgutsell]

Hiya all

Loads of responses...thanks!

If not raised zebra crossings then those square raised bumps that force drivers to line up their cars to reduce the bump. Buses drive right over them and straddle the bump with no effect. If they were not too far from the crossings, the slower cars would be more likely to stop for pedestrians.

How to take this forward?

Yours,

R N Gutsell

[Loz]

rgutsell Wrote:

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> If not raised zebra crossings then those square raised bumps that force drivers to line up their

> cars to reduce the bump. Buses drive right over them and straddle the bump with no effect. If they

> were not too far from the crossings, the slower cars would be more likely to stop for

> pedestrians.

They (Southwark Council) don't do those anymore. They have been replaced with the sinusoidal speed bump. I think on the basis that white vans have the same wide wheel base and passed through unaffected as well.

[wellington]

The number of times I have almost been hit on these crossings is absolutely astounding (3 times in the last 2 days :(). I have not had a similar experience anywhere in London. I completely agree that action needs to be taken but fear that an accident is required for measures to be considered. After my experiences and after reading this thread I will be now writing to the Council to complain.

They did put 2 additional crossings/traffic lights in on Lordship Lane recently where the traffic is slower and where vehicles previously had the right of way so I would think it is possible here as well.

[Townleygreen]

Why not make the crossings controlled by lights? That would avoid the pains of buses going over road humps, and force drivers to stop when people want to cross?

[Cora]

Yep, if drivers can't be grown up enough to stop at zebra crossings maybe lights are the only safe option....

[minder]

This thread has brought me back to something that I witnessed last Saturday on the zebra crossing at Goose Green.

I was driving down from Peckham Rye with the leisure centre on my left towards the crossing at the Goose Green roundabout.

It was busy as usual and I was about 4 cars back from the crossing, driving slowly. Looking ahead I saw a man around 30 carrying some shopping bags stepping forward onto the crossing. As he carried on the car on the crossing started off, beebing at him, edging forward and the poor guy had to swerve as the car touched him I think. This man was so shocked that he just carried on crossing to the other side looking back at the car driver who just sped off with no idea that he was on a zebra crossing!

I tried to catch the reg number of the car but wasn't quick enough.

[3 little piggies]

Another stretch of road where motorists ignore signs is the lead up from East Dulwich station to the entrance to Sainsburys.

The stretch of Dog Kennel Hill from St Francis Road to Edgar Kail way is a 24/7 bus lane which is mostly ignored by cars heading to Sainsburys (the majority also seem to ignore the right of way at the mini roundabout in Edgar Kail Way). I live in the little estate next to the football club, so use this entrance daily and on most days the bus lane is ignored by motorists, making it difficult for anyone observing the restriction to turn in safely.

I think this part of the bus lane needs to either be enforced (camera?) or made into a bus/turn left only lane. And to everyone out there, please keep in mind that not all cars leaving Sainsburys turn left, so please don't just automatically sail around the roundabout thinking about your shopping list and latte, but slow down and check for the odd car that turns right. Cheers.