Wallworth Road

[sian]

Anyone know what on earth is going on with the traffic delays on the walworth road? My journey to work by bus is taking an extra 20 mins every morning. Today it took me 40 minutes on the 176 to get from one end of the Walworth Road to the other and I missed my hair appointment in Covent Garden. Not pleased. Sian

[Asset]

Have you not noticed the major roadworks that have been going on for the last six months or more on Wally Rd?

temporary traffic lights, road narrowing etc. All conspires to cause massive delays.

Part of the huge regeneration of the Elephant & Castle area.

Best to be avoided or two wheels good!

[fractionater]

its just as bad trying to get through there on 2 wheels also!...I dodge bullets through Peckham now

[jackangel]

Walworth Road, major road artery from the SE into London. Southwark have decided to widen the pavements for impending invasion of people to the crap shops in Walworth Road and to restrict/confound traffic flow long term. (Read the explanatory signs at the side of the road - they don't mention the crap shops though).

Grove Vale, major route for hospital vehicles. Southwark has narrowed the road.

Look out for Southwark's plans for the road between Goose Green and Dulwich Library! You think bus journeys are long now!

[SeanMacGabhann]

the road between Goose Green and Dulwich Library? Now what's that called again...

To be fair the roads will still be PLENTY wide for buses and ambulances-stroke-other emergency vehicles

it's those pesky lazy-arses who have to drive from The Corrib to Camberwell Green that cause the problem

;-)

[Huguenot]

Are they confirmed going to widen LL? Hurrah!

The only thing it will remove is the parked vehicles I suspect - no change to traffic speed unless it goes up.

[fractionater]

LL really doesn't need widening

[Asset]

Just cycled up Wally Road and was actually fairly quiet. Only prob for two wheels now is the lack of bus lanes which used to afford a modicum of security from the loony drivers.

[AnotherPaul]

Oh great, LL without parked cars. That will be fun for everyone who lives nearby, their roads are so car free right now it's a crime.

etc.

[Huguenot]

That'll be me.

I'm hoping they'll follow up with a CPZ and a 20mph limit then please God, people will stop driving 100 yards for a loaf of bread, or leaving the car outside my house for 3 days after they've driven to the pub.

LL will be easier to cross, LL and NC traders will grow as visitors are drawn to the area because it's pedestrian friendly. Restaurants and cafes will thrive as visitors make more committed visits rather than just hopping in and out of their cars. There will be more space for cafe seats on the pavement, making it a great place to hang out and further increasing trade.

Additional pavement space reduces push-chair aggravation, delivering happier locals.

Crime will drop as pedestrian levels increase and criminal 'anonymity' drops.

Locals will be less likely to buy second cars, increasing use of local shops rather than out-of-town malls, reinvigorating our sense of community.

Simultaneous drops in second and first-hand car purchase mean that ED is doing its bit for the environment, and increased public transport use contributes to growth in services and security.

We'll have lots of flowers everywhere, meaning Bumbalina's a much happier chicken.

Yep, widen the pavements and bring us a CPZ.

[Keef]

A virtual utopia ;-)

[Huguenot]

:))

I can dream....

[tiddles]

sorry, this is off the Wallworth road thread but a car free LL???? I usually cycle, but sometimes, I can't carry everything I want to on my bike or it is part of a longer journey - I think you would find the traders would lose out big time as it would just be easier to trog to sainsburies and get everything there.

[SeanMacGabhann]

You might be right Jan T re: businesses losing custom

But why does everything have to be EASY these days - honestly, how this country ever won a war is beyond me

If we left cars out of the equation FOR JUST A SECOND, can you imagine the community of SE22 enjoying a leisurely stroll around LL without dodging cars. It wouldn't matter a jot then that all of the bars are on one side of LL and ALL the freaking cashpoints are on the other ( I mean, what gives with that), children playing in the street as their parents selected fresh food from the fume free stalls. ANd the shops could easily be booming if only people weren't forced at gunpoint to get in their cars and drive away from this oasis down to megamart'r'us.

I'm sure traders would worry if cars were restricted (I remember a heavy sticker campaign in all the shops a few years back) - but we could allay their fears by still going anyway. Anyone who has ever seen me get to the top of LL with 5 or 6 heavy bags of goodies, puffing like a trooper will know I don't just talk the walk

[Huguenot]

No Jan, I don't think you're right - but I do think this is relevant to the Walworth Road theme: the question is whether the roadworks / pavement widening is worthwhile...?

I wasn't recommending car-free, I was recommending parking-free

LL is already low volume items: whether it's high price boutique stuff, or low price 'quick loaf of bread' stuff(or social events). They'll always fit on your bike.

In my eight years I've never seen anyone come out of SMBS with more than 2 bags. That kind of volume is still done with the Sainsbo run. We'd be trying to organise our neighborhood for a minority market.

It may hurt Somerfield, but I reckon that getting rid of them would do all kind of good for local traders, so no harm done. Put an inside market there with traders renting individual plots.

Walworth Road recognises that the arterial road has destroyed the community and contributed to social collapse in the area.

All praise goes to them for delivering the greater good rather than short term thinking. Let's be smarter in ED and move now when we can still make a difference.

[Nikster]

Hi Sian,

I work for Southwark education and my office is based on the Walworth road and the roadworks are in operation as they are currently widening the pavements all along the Walworth road. They are removing the bus lanes and they are regenertaing it as a precursor to the Elephant and Castle regeneration plan. All in all it will be much better for pedestrians and local businesses who rely on passers by but I agree the joureny time is painfully slow.

I've taken to catching the 63/363/343 from Peckham Rye to avoid Walworth road altogther and the journey is much quicker.

Hope that helps,

Nikster

[Muttley]

Anyone know what Southwark/TfL think that the consequences will be for traffic flow once the roadworks are completed? It seems to me that a road that is reduced to two lanes can only mean slower road journeys to Elephant and Castle for everyone. On the face of it, that would negate all the work done before the Congestion charge that was intended to speed up bus journeys. But I'd like to think that the planners have worked all this out and reckon that buses will flow just as fast as they ever did once the works finish. Probably wishful thinking...

[redrouge]

But does anyone know WHEN the Walworth Road roadworks will end? I feel like the one-lane trafficlight business has been going on FOREVER.

And when these LL roadworks begin?... I live on LL and don't really give a damn about widening the footpaths. It's fine how it is! And I don't drive or cycle. I walk and get the bus and am fed up of most of the route (any route!) into the West End being distrupted by roadworks!

[Huguenot]

Good Q Muttley - I'd be interested in seeing the overall plans too!

I'm aware the sometimes these things are counter intuitive: like the 50mph limits on the M25 which lift 'average' speed from 30mph to 40mph. Something to do with overcrowding at exits causing ghost traffic jams through over-compensation when braking at higher speeds.

I'm not clear if they're losing 1 or 2 lanes from widening? Anyone know?

[Keef]

Maybe they're just taking ages on purpose so everyone will forget what it used to be like, and think it's really quick when it's finally done :-S Oh, and Sean, sorry to be picky, but feel I should point out the Woolwich cash machine... Although Woolwich is closing, so we'll probably lose that soon :(

[georgia]

There was a sign up when the roadworks started saying there would be delays for 48 weeks - so a way to go yet..oh joy

[SeanMacGabhann]

Nice one Keef - that is both picky and correct. Blast you man!

Re the road works - my impression is that the situation has improved greatly in the last couple of weeks. Bith getting to and from work, the tailback by the temp lights don't take anywhere near as long. Whereas the delays mean I didn't get to E&C until 8:15 + I now find I'm getting there about 7:55 (that sounds like I keep a log of every day.. I don't really)

[TillieTrotter]

At what hundred hours did you brush your teeth today MacGabhann?

[SeanMacGabhann]

07:05 Tillie, thanks for asking

I am pretty laid back about most things but being punctual is a REAL thing of mine so I do always know the time

Sad maybe but I never keep anyone waiting

[Asset]

punctuality is the courtesy of kings