LTN: Our Healthy Streets - Dulwich: Phase 3

[Earl Aelfheah]

I wish I could make traffic disappear, although I suspect there would be a lot of opposition to it.

[mockingbird]

Copied from Melbourne petition thread as relevant here:

I will sign but perhaps a mirror E-petition can also be replicated on Southwark's own petition site at

https://www.southwark.gov.uk/engagement-and-consultations/have-your-say/petition-scheme

Petition scheme

A petition is a statement about a local issue, supported by the signatures of local residents or those directly affected. A member of the public or a councillor can present a petition at a local community council meeting, the cabinet, to other council committees or council assembly.

All petitions sent or presented to the council will receive an acknowledgement from the council within 10 clear working days of receipt.

So what is within 10 days? The Southwark AGM! Need to get signatures going quickly over the weekend though

http://moderngov.southwark.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=132&MId=6772&Ver=4

[rjsmall]

I did like the line in Cllr McAsh's update where it said "Normally when the council alters the road layout it would first go through a lengthy consultation - like in the case of the controlled parking zone."

He unfortunately forgot to add the next step where the council ignores the consultation results and do what they had already decided to do.

[alice]

Right now

Photo fail but road blocked from lordship/edg to way back past the hospital.

[Metallic]

Well the Village and Burbage/Turney will be in unpolluted paradise every day, whilst friends of mine in Guernsey Grove and Hawarden Grove, and the folks on Croxted Road, will have traffic hell.

Not in my name! I am embarrassed at the selfishness of people who do not care if traffic turns up on another person's doorstep. They do have young children, schools and nurseries in that area too you know, not just the precious Village Infants and Dulwich Hamlet.

[Pugwash]

Came back from Sussex today and automatically turned into the Village and realised that I could not go up Carlton.

Joined a long queue turning right in EDG - after several traffic lights changed was able to do this. Spent the next 10 minutes waiting in traffic to get to the lights at Townley. Noticed many of schools appear to have gone back - large number of primary and secondary aged pupils on the streets. Turned into Townley and came to a standstill - there were 11 coaches parked both sides of road. Car in front of me could not proceed as car in front of them was wide and only managed to get through the parked coaches with inches to spare. Lorries were coming from LL end obviously thinking they could avoid the queues in EDG. In all from Village lights (Turney Road) to get to Dovercourt Road it took from 3.10 pm - 3.45 pm.

This scheme is completely mad - causing more pollution from idling engines and driver frustration which could easily turn into drivers taking risks.-

[Dulwichgirl82]

This is at 6.50Pm. It can be busy here but never this much and never at this time.

[Rockets]

heartblock Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Emergency first response paramedic car stuck in

> the gridlock... Only adding as it was blaring out

> it sirens for a good few minutes and I was trying

> to record a presentation. Gridlock continues both

> lanes now. Can Rahrahrah bring his magic wand to

> make it all disappear?

Heartblock - we all feel for you. Many of us have been asserting that for every one of the people dancing joyously in the Margy Square in Dulwich Village or those heralding how cyclists have reclaimed the streets from cars that there were many more being negatively impacted by the displacement from these closures and it looks like you are getting the brunt of it.

I would consider contacting Cllr McAsh - we give him a hard time on here but he will want to hear from people who are on the negative impact side of the closures.

We all need to assert pressure on the council to show that it is not all sunshine and flowers now they have closed these roads and that even though they present "survey" results that show how tremendously happy people are on the closed roads that there is a majority who are not.

[jane21]

Residents in Lambeth and Lewisham have put enough pressure on their councils to overturn closures at Loughborough Junction and New Cross; I don't understand why we can't overturn the closures and then I will be tea dancing in Margy Square.

[Trevor Moore]

heartblock Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Emergency first response paramedic car stuck in

> the gridlock... Only adding as it was blaring out

> it sirens for a good few minutes and I was trying

> to record a presentation. Gridlock continues both

> lanes now. Can Rahrahrah bring his magic wand to

> make it all disappear?

Everyone needs to realise that this kind of incident is absolutely nothing to do with the closure of the village junction. I know, because one of our councillors to whose attention your post was drawn has confirmed today that traffic would be just as bad if the measures were taken away! And we know that the Council's judgment has proved right before, with the dizzying success of the previous QW7 works.

So that's that sorted. Phew!

#denialism-rules-ok

[dougiefreeman]

I just submitted a petition to the southwark council website - will post here once approved

[Dulwichgirl82]

Goose green on a Saturday afternoon(3-4 pm).

[srisky]

It took me 20min to get from Lordship L. Dulwich library junction to the right turn onto Sydenham Hill today at 4pm - unfortunately, it was not a journey I could do by public transport or bike.

[Abe_froeman]

It's carnage! Lots of rat running down Zenoria street so expect that to blocked off soon too.

[Rockets]

Turning right at The Harvester from Lordship Lane onto the A205 is like a February Monday 7.45 morning school drop off time with traffic queuing from near Upland Road. And that was at about 3pm this afternoon.

The traffic on the A205 coming towards the Harvester was queuing beyond the lights at the college.

We were dropping one of our children for a play date with a family who live near the college and they were very supportive of the council's plans to restrict traffic but said that they, and other residents who had been personally canvassed by Margy Newens, now feel they are going too far with this second wave of closures and are particularly concerned about the DV timed closures and the fact that they are starting to feel a bit cutoff and are worried about the increase in traffic.

As my wife so beautifully put it..."that's the problem with this council, they dangle the carrot, you take a bite and then they smack you round the back of your head with a suede".

[Spartacus]

Rockets Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> As my wife so beautifully put it..."that's the

> problem with this council, they dangle the carrot,

> you take a bite and then they smack you round the

> back of your head with a suede".

The real problem is that they dangle a tasty carrot on front of a minority to get them to bite and endorse the schemes whilst burying the rest of the population to make manure to grow the walloping suede

If there was a fair and just consultation first backed up with real world statistics I suspect people wouldn't vote the way the carrot munchers did. But we will never know as this council is so democratic (not)

[Metallic]

I was never brought up to say "I'm alright Jack". I have never felt that. However I suspect all over Area A and B, and C (coming soon) there are smug cyclists like those posting on twitter about how perfect it is to allow your kid to play in the street. Until a Man in Lycra zooms past. And the people in certain roads saying how the levels of traffic and their asthma has improved - you see, I'm alright Jack. Technically for the moment this is my life in the sense I am going to be protected and to a certain extent I already am because of Phase 1 closures, but really? Doesn't anyone else in Court Lane, Calton Ave, Woodwarde Road, Melbourne Grove and the three side road buddies have any sense of guilt?

[Serena2012]

Is it just me, or is anyone else concerned about the knock on impact these changes are likely to have on trade in the area?

I have friends elsewhere in South London who have already told me that after being caught up in a traffic jam in this neck of the woods, they?re in no hurry whatsoever to return. Sitting in traffic for 30+ minutes just to get to the shops on Lordship Lane simply doesn?t seem like an attractive prospect.

[rachp]

I accept there are people adversely affected by this, it's not black and white. I don't live on any of the roads with closures and I don't own a bike. But whilst having a cup of tea in Dulwich Square (I don't live there but just visiting), I felt a real sense of hope for the future as I saw scores of people out on their bikes (including family groups who might otherwise be in a car to make the same trip). So much so, it has inspired me to buy a bike. Is this not an upside of all this, more people inspired to cycle & walk, less cars on the road because it is safe and fun to ride, so those who have no option but to drive still can? This will take time to reach a tipping point but I am feeling hopeful.

[ab29]

I think that the only solution is fewer vehicles. I live on Lordship Lane and since the various roads closures started the traffic has been ten times worse. It's really been a nightmare with the constant honking, drivers and cyclists shouting at each other etc.

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

London congestion and pollution is not a road supply problem. The only solution is to reduce the usage of cars. There are too many of us living in London and too many people who want to drive for it to be any other way.

[Serena2012]

From today?s Telegraph: (their paywall is currently suspended) https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/09/05/grant-shapps-tells-councils-stop-abusing-250m-fund-meant-green/

I have added some quotes below for those who might not manage to read until the paywall has been reinstated.

?Mr Shapps announced the ?250 million scheme to promote ?a new era for cycling and walking? at the height of lockdown in May.

But today, Mr Shapps stresses how ?not everything has worked? and because they are trials and the height of the Covid emergency has now passed there is ample opportunity for councils to consult local residents, businesses and the disabled.

In a direct message to council leaders, he says: ?Where some councils have abused the cash, my message is clear: speak to local residents, get it fixed or no more cash.?...

?The Telegraph revealed in July how the minister had personally intervened in his own constituency after being dismayed with the way Hertfordshire County Council had set up a one-way system in the village of Welwyn which was said to have left the high street deserted.?

?The minister said that while many green activists claim the car should ?die?, he believes it should instead ?evolve? to help save the planet.

As an electric car driver himself he added how he was an ?electric head? rather than a petrol head, a description for those obsessed with fossil-fuelled motor vehicles.

He also said it was essential to ?keep the main arteries of our economy flowing? at this pivotal time as Britain emerges from lockdown and prepares for Brexit.

He adds: ?For those who say we shouldn?t be building roads, I say there?s nothing green about standing still in traffic, pumping out CO2 and pollution.??

Here?s hoping this helps Southwark see sense.

[mrwb]

Not for much longer, London going to depopulate (again, we only just passed the 1939 peak in 2015) quite significantly. Catalyst is covid 19, was already happening before that. Could see it from TFL numbers.

Crime, unemployment and associated economic crisis what we need to deal with. Car usage will naturally decline as people leave.

Dogkennelhillbilly Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> London congestion and pollution is not a road

> supply problem. The only solution is to reduce the

> usage of cars. There are too many of us living in

> London and too many people who want to drive for

> it to be any other way.

[Monkey]

I agree, ab29. The level of traffic is just crazy.

I just wanted to post as I was initially angry about the road closures. In the end, anticipating the gridlocks, I got on my bike (my husband?s actually). I had never cycled in London and was absolutely, completely and utterly petrified. Fast forward two months, my commute to the office has never been easier, shorter and more pleasant. 47mns to the north of Marylebone along the Q1, the Thames and Hyde Park. I?m much fitter and frankly happier. I never thought I could do it, let alone like it so much that i actually look forward to my rides.

This is not a smug cyclist post, just a post to encourage people (women especially) to give cycling a go. In my case it has actually solved a long-standing commuting problem which was expensive and getting me down.

[Roky Erickson]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/09/05/grant-shapps-tells-councils-stop-abusing-250m-fund-meant-green/

This is brilliant news. I?m sure the Dulwich changes are very eminent candidates for this sort of reversal, given the obvious problems caused