Bus stop outside Picture House - when will it return?

[march46]

Not sure why it should be linked to the other side of the road. There used to be parked cars there - the space for moving traffic is no narrower than it was before.

[northernmonkey]

Exactly this - if you look at something like google streetview on historic images you can see that the opposite side has always been fully parked up. The barriers aren't as wide as the cars were so it doesn't seem a reason to leave the bus stop closed.

[Abe_froeman]

The barriers on the other side of the road need to go too, no later than 19th July. There is no need for either of these measures any more.

[northernmonkey]

I think that the question as to whether the barriers on the other side go will be dependent on when social distancing is officially ended - but lets not wrap the two up together. There is no logical reason to keep the bus stop closed and it should be reopened. Separately there is a question as to whether the pavement widening needs to be retained, but I'd avoid joining the points together as can see that could delay the bus stop reopening.

[KalamityKel]

Out of interest, has anyone been in touch with TFL/Southwark/councillors etc on this matter?

Would be interesting to know their thoughts/reasoning or indeed if its just a stop that has been forgotten about...

[Abe_froeman]

The two are wrapped up together though. They both do absolutely nothing to stop the spread of Covid. There wasn't even any logic to putting the barriers there where shops have large forecourts and wide pavements as opposed to those with no such space and an actually narrow pavement, like the cheese block, smbs etc.

But entirely coincidentally both these measures free up traffic in the same stretch of Lordship Lane and hasten bus journey times, which are beneficial to anyone hoping to collect data that shows low impact of nearby LTNs.

[northernmonkey]

I'm not disagreeing with this - but I'm pointing out that in terms of covid the council needs to take actions - it has, and so that might take longer to fix (eg ending social distancing). Whereas the bus stop should just be opened regardless of whether the barriers are removed.

[Pugwash]

The pavements outsides shops/businesses opposite closed bus stop have increased numbers of pavement tables and chairs.

If you remove some of these - there would be sufficient space for pedestrians and no need for the barriers. There was discussion recently by a health person on TV stating social distancing is being taken too literally by some people - the few seconds it takes to pass people in the street is unlikely to pass on covid. However, if people stop and talk or queue for shops etc then social distancing is essential. People were lining up for Roses' butchers along LL and down past the Picture House. This caused a bottleneck at the bus stop with those waiting for buses, those just walking past and the shopping queue. If they took the bus shelter way this would free up a little extra space.But we would of course lose the seats etc.

Having visited the Picture House last week for the first time since lockdown, I struggled with my arthritis to walk from the Post Office stop. Have spoken to several people who have membership at the picture House who have stated that the walk (and dodgy pavements)from Post Office had but them off seeing films. (These are mainly older folk and some with disabilities).

[alice]

Perhaps then the bus stop could be moved temporarily to the picture house. There?s a bay there to wait.

[James Barber]

I would anticipate it being reopened after 19 July the date the UK govt has decided the country will use the herd immunity idea to live with COVID.

[Penguin68]

after 19 July the date the UK govt has decided the country will use the herd immunity idea to live with COVID.

Oh, come on - herd immunity? - Yes perhaps for the young (under 18s), where the chances of serious illness are very limited - but the vast majority of those older/ at risk are double vaccinated, and even more single vaccinated and on track for double. And they (the UK Govt via its agencies and advisors) are seriously considering the balance of risk in reducing vaccination age to 12. We will have to live with Covid like we live with flu. Southwark is surprisingly unvaccinated, of course, and you should be worrying whether it is mind-sets like yours (when you were a local influencer) which have discouraged vaccine take-up here.

Or do you want an Australian style permanent lock-down in the UK?

[Earl Aelfheah]

I really hope they make the pavement widening permanent. That stretch is always busy with shoppers at weekends. No reason the bus stop couldn?t be reopened and the Eder pavement are permanent

[kiera]

Thank you James - I do hope you're right. It's my nearest bus stop on Lordship Lane but I have quite a long walk to get to it, without the additional walk to the Post Office when I get there. I can't see how it helps with social distancing to have us additional bus passengers waiting outside the busy post office.

[bels123]

Suggest people email local councillors, it would be great to have this stop open again.