No. 42 bus route extension consultation

[minder]

As far as I can make out it's going to come down Sunray Avenue as normal, then turn on the mini roundabout and go back up Sunray Avenue (there's some signs on the roundabout) which seems a bit difficult but we shall see.

Drove about today to see where the P4 will be going as other half uses it. It will be going up Sunray Avenue then turning right onto Denmark Hill going down to the Nandos at Camberwell and turning left onto Coldharbour Lane completely cutting out the whole of Herne Hill Road.

[kiera]

The "consultation" ended on 6th, the notifications from Conway about starting work were put through the doors on the 10th and the work started on the 14th. They obviously didn't let a "consultation" get in the way of their plans.

[Magogley]

Some residents of Red Post Hill were asked by tree surgeons this morning if they would consent to having their kerbside trees cut back for free - presumably by council tree surgeons. The top end of Red Post Hill is largely closed at the moment for those works we were given one day's notice of, so it's easier for tree cutters to do their work.

We've been told by Southwark's cabinet member for environment that this round of tree cutting is down to TfL not the council. We were told earlier by Val Shawcross that she understood the road works in Red Post Hill this week were down to the council, not TfL, and that the council had jumped the gun on the 42 decision. Cutting down the leaning tree at the top of the street is down to the council though, it turns out.

A council tree person came to look at that condemned tree on Monday or yesterday, and reported to the cabinet member for environment that it's not dead or dying (which is what the notice attached to it says), but it's leaning excessively. It also has some rot that you can't see, we've been told. So it's still condemned.

And now it seems that in addition TfL want to cut back trees (in a conservation area) to make way for a one week diversion of the (double decker) 37 bus onto Red Post Hill next week when Half Moon Lane is due to be resurfaced.

So it's a case of cutting back trees in a conservation area, in private homes, against owners' wishes, to make room for a one week bus diversion. That makes sense.

It's pretty clear the council already knew about all of the tree work, even though we're now told it's down to TfL not the council. One of the Southwark tree people let slip there were plans to raise the tree crowns in an email about the leaning tree they've decided to cut down. No reply on that issue in response to several residents' immediate requests for clarification. Then today work started to cut back trees.

At least a couple of residents have refused to provide consent.

It all makes much more sense if, like many residents, you fear that it's just another way (like narrowing a pedestrian island this week, and cutting down the much-beloved crooked tree - also on very little notice) to clear the way for running the 42 as a double decker, even though no result has been announced from the TfL 'consultation'.

[Amaryllis]

Running double deckers down an unsuitable street which has a traffic jam twice a day is a terrible idea. there was another crash at the top of the road recently because it's not well designed.

Heavy loads should go on A roads and that's it really. Poor planning, really lacking comms, railroading through decisions made on a whim without evidence and then not listening to residents.

TFL and Southwark just seem to work to their own agenda.