How do I report repeated one-way violations near a primary school?

[sidmeister]

I live on Choumert Road just off Bellenden Primary, and lately, I've begun to notice that multiple cyclists (and on one occassion a car) ignore the no-entry sign next to the Le Petitou Cafe. A lot of these cyclists ride past fairly quickly, and in the last few weeks, I have almost been knocked off by one when a pedestrian and run the risk of a crash when in my car.

IMO, This is dangerous (not to mention illegal) behaviour as it puts a number of small children (not to mention adults) crossing the road and not expecting fast moving cyclists coming the wrong way. In fact, quite often, the cyclists tend to cycle by on the right-hand side of the one way street.

The infractions happen mostly during rush hour in the morning. Might anybody have any suggestions as to how I could get the police over for at least a few days to somehow stop this menace before it hurts somebody?

[Penguin68]

A number of one way roads (for cars) now allow cycles to travel against the car flow. Cyclists are beginning to act as if this applies to all local one-way roads. On occasions cars turn following cyclists, not realising that the rules are different for different types of road user. (And cyclists anyway - some of them - rather feel that rules don't really apply to them). I am not surprised that these changes are encouraging local confusion. And yes, it isn't safe.

[DulwichFox]

http://www.pompeybug.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/no-entry-except-cycles.jpg

Not only is it unsafe .. it is encouraged.. It's crazy..

DulwichFox

[mikeb]

DF but not at this junction ...

[sidmeister]

Not at this junction, DulwichFox. And for good reason, because it is near a primary school, and a very complicated T-junction with two way roads and one one-way road.

The reason we do not have a contraflow lane is because it's too narrow for a car and a cyclist to pass safely at all times (and certainly not during rush hour).

[Penguin68]

is because it's too narrow for a car and a cyclist to pass safely at all times

Sadly that is also true on the roads where it is allowed - such as Melford Road, particularly when there is a bus using it!

[sidmeister]

Penguin68, sadly, the way cycle lanes are designed by TFL bears a lot of similarity to how borders in Africa were drawn in the 19th century ? some bloke drawing cycle lanes at random on a map and saying, "Oooh look, we've improved cycling provision in London".

[TheArtfulDogger]

Couple of things to do regarding this situation

Firstly report it to your local safer neighbourhood police team, via their email or non emergency number, Also attend the next ward panel meeting to raise it as a concern and ask for patrols to target the junction at rush hour to try and resolve the issue (it won't stop it entirely but it will make cyclists aware of the situation)

Second thing is to also contact the council on their central switchboard number to report it to them (they will advise who needs to know about it)

Hope this helps

[nxjen]

Perhaps as a first port of call maybe call 101 to express your concerns, or the safer neighbourhood team? I would have thought they would at least be able to point you in the right direction of who to call. Sounds horrendous.

[sidmeister]

Thanks for the tips, all. The Safer Neighbourhoods team are going to send a policeman over tomorrow morning to monitor the situation. Hopefully, with any luck, they'll be able to spot and stop a few of them, though I have a bad feeling they'll all stick to the law after seeing a police presence.:-)

[ED - NAGAIUTB]

O/T At Farringdon/Clerkenwell Road there are Police manning the junctions once or twice a month, as the problem has got so bad with cyclists jumping the lights and ignoring rules of the road. Hopefully if you get a Policeman pulling people over that ignore the No Entry signs and fining them, they'll start to take notice.

[bawdy-nan]

As I recall there used to be a cycle sign painted on the road at the entrance (wrong way down the one way) to that road. I am pretty sure that it wasn't an "official" indication that cycles were allowed but it seemed to indicate that it was "allowed". It hasn't been there for a long while, so I'm not suggesting that its an excuse. I think the reason cyclists use it is because it is a very long wiggle round otherwise but I can see that it is dangerous for pedestrians who rightly expect to be navigating a one way

*** Sorry, just checked the map - the bit I mean is the section of Bellenden that is one way ****

[sidmeister]

Admittedly, it's a long wiggle around Reedham Street, Sandison Street, and Maxted Road otherwise. But in my opinion, if you're not willing to take the extra effort, then don't bike.

Alternately, get off your bike and push it for a 100 yards. My problem is, if we start to selectively ignore the rules of the road, we might as well not have any at all.

[Nigello]

This is also allowed on Etherow St, on which a busy primary school is situated, so don't think that using that as a reason for it to be better policed will help, I am afraid.

[bawdy-nan]

I think the point is about whether it is allowed or not ... if it is allowed (and the signage is good) then pedestrians can anticipate two-way traffic but if cyclists disobey the rule then it can be very dangerous for pedestrians who expect the traffic to be one way only, especially when bikes can be quick and quiet.

Nigello Wrote:

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

> This is also allowed on Etherow St, on which a

> busy primary school is situated, so don't think

> that using that as a reason for it to be better

> policed will help, I am afraid.

[mikeb]

Many cyclists head south down Bellenden Road against the one-way flow from Highshore Road to Holly Grove. Even as a cyclist, I can't defend such stupid behaviour

[sidmeister]

Nigello, like bawdy-nan says, it's nothing to do with whether contra-flow cycling is a good idea down Choumert Road (I think it isn't, but I'm not a traffic planner). But as it stands, there are no contraflow cycle lanes on Choumert Road, and as long as there aren't any, people should not be driving through No Entry signs.

[catfood]

and while you're at it, why don't you ask plod to have a crack at arresting some of the drivers who use their phones whilst tearing around south london in speeding hunks of metal glass and plastic. you know, the sorts of people that account for in excess of 2000 deaths annually in the UK.

[sidmeister]

catfood, I'm sorry, but I call whataboutery! Just because I'm complaining about cyclists does not imply that I think car drivers can do no harm. Additionally, thanks to license plates and ANPR, it's much easier to catch a car driver than a cyclist.

[nunhead_man]

Hi MikeB

This used to be a contraflow route until it was taken out - something about a route for the police to get to riots in central Peckam

Remember those riots? - I met police in body armour on that route on this day .....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14452770

mikeb Wrote:

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

> Many cyclists head south down Bellenden Road

> against the one-way flow from Highshore Road to

> Holly Grove. Even as a cyclist, I can't defend

> such stupid behaviour

[ED - NAGAIUTB]

catfood Wrote:

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

> and while you're at it, why don't you ask plod to

> have a crack at arresting some of the drivers who

> use their phones whilst tearing around south

> london in speeding hunks of metal glass and

> plastic. you know, the sorts of people that

> account for in excess of 2000 deaths annually in

> the UK.

And herein lies the problem.

[mikeb]

Hi Nunheadman

I've been cycling this route for 10 years and I don't ever remember it being officially a contraflow, despite it being used as such through this time.

This is Streetmap from 2008 which doesn't seem to have any indication that cyclists are allowed against the flow of traffic

There is a contraflow heading against the flow of cars on Highshore Road.

Mikeb

PS The night of the riots was unforgettable. I don't think Londis has fixed its door properly yet

[Penguin68]

the sorts of people that account for in excess of 2000 deaths annually in the UK. Actually, the last year (to June 2105) that is being reported shows 1700 road accident deaths (any are bad, but not 'in excess of 2000') - excess speed is seen as a contributory factor in about a quarter, as I read the figures, although these do come from RoSPA. Most of these deaths are not, as implied, of course in South London, nor are (many) linked to misuse of mobile phones, at speed. Hyperbole, in general, does not make good cases.

[Beulah]

Weren't no plod there around 8 this morning - guess it's not really a biggie is it - especially as there's no evidence of anyone actually having been hurt there by an evil cyclist.

I would suggest more of a safety issue on that section of road is drivers turning left from Bellenden Rd onto Choumert Rd and not indicating. Doubt plod will do owt about that either.

[Blah Blah]

It isn't a huge wiggle round to avoid the Choumert one way. Sand street is less than 20 metres away and is the correct way round. It adds maybe only 50 metres to the Journey max. Cyclists are just being lazy.