Traffic on Peckham Rye / Forest Hill Road (fatal accident 26th Jan)

[sniffy]

cate Wrote:

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> sniffy Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > shovel Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> > > I was at the scene with the little girl this

> > > morning. I am so sorry to hear she didn't

> make

> > it.

> > >

> > > My prayers are with her family and with the

> > > driver. This was truly a tragic accident.

> >

> > So what exactly happened, did you see?

>

>

> Rubbernecker.

Whatever....!??!

My reason for asking is that there's a lot of speculation blaming the current traffic/ roadworks situation.

When in fact it could quite possibly be as simples as kid running out into road mucking around at bus stop??!!

[sniffy]

This is from the Met:

Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward following the death of a 10 yr old girl in a road traffic collision in East Dulwich.

Police were called at approx 0800hrs to reports of a lorry in collision with a child on East Dulwich Road, jct with Peckham Rye, SE22.

Officers and LAS attended and discovered a girl, aged 10, suffering injuries. She was taken to Kings College Hospital where she was pronounced dead at 0844hrs.She has been identified as Latoya Smith aged 10 from SE27.

A formal identification has taken place and next of kin have been informed. A date for a post mortem examination is to be decided.

A man, aged 44, was arrested at the scene and has been taken to a south London police station. Enquiries continue.

Sergeant Simon Seeley, from the MPS Traffic Collision Investigation Unit said:?This incident happened at a busy time and lots of people will have witnessed this terrible tragedy. It is crucial that we establish the events that led up to this young child?s death and we appeal for anyone who saw this collision to get in touch. In particular, there were several people at a bus stop at the location, who kindly rushed to the assistance of the child before the ambulance arrived, we would very much like to speak to all of them.?

Anyone with information is to contact Collision Investigation Unit at Catford Traffic Garage on 020 8285 1574.

Very very sad news. RIP

[bonniebird]

Oh the poor little thing:( Sleep tight little one, my regards to her family, so sad :'(

[the-e-dealer]

Thats why I said it needs investigating - Its not the first accident there. I believe a full investigation is automatic for a fatality on a junction.

[northlondoner]

Terrible news. My thoughts are with the fanily.

[fatfightersforever]

Mine too. so so sorry to hear this. If the accident happened outside old Kings on the Rye at the junction then that is exactly the spot where another girl died a little while ago. (Can't remember the exact date but her school friends' ties are still hanging on the railings.) Where do we go to try and get something done about this awful spot?

[*Anna*]

Truly awful.

I have informed JBARBER - he already knew - who will I hope investigate potential solutions ASAP.

In the mean time I suggest we contact our local police and ask them to supervise the junction for both cars and pedestrians.

[TJK]

A real tragedy and my thoughts are with the family.

It was also only 3-4 months ago that someone else was very badly injured outside the Tesco, apparently by a car speeding through this junction. It's obviously an extremely dangerous junction: even without the roadworks, cars jump and speed through the red lights at practically every change - there should be cameras to try to reduce/stop this before there's yet another accident here.

[VikkiM]

Really sad and awful news.

I asked Barrie Hargrove (Labour transport spokesperson) to raise the roadworks with the council (which he has done) and I've contacted him about today's accident. I'll continue to press this as much as I can and it sounds that James Barber will too.

Obviously it's not yet clear whether today's accident is related to the recent works but either way the junction is busy and bad for pedestrians. The following plans, tragically, come too late but I understand that this junction should be the subject of improvements during 2010/11.

Council officers have proposed that the roads around the Rye are the subject of improvement using TfL funding. When they consulted on this last year they said: ?These busy streets carry significant amounts of through traffic and crossing them can be difficult for pedestrians. The junction with East Dulwich Road has a very high level of collisions... To address these issues a review of the timings of the junctions on East Dulwich Road could be carried out. Additional raised crossings could be provided on both branches of Peckham Rye.?

The last I heard was that funding should be confirmed by December (2009). I'll contact the council officer I had contact with and confirm what the latest is.

It's heartbreaking that such improvements may have prevented today's terrible events, though I appreciate that may well not be the case.

Victoria.

[BARA]

I had contacted James Barber and he already knew about this.

The accident you were referring to re another school child was the girl who was run over by a number 12 bus.

Coming down from Goose Green down ED Rd to turn right at the Rye has always been a nightmare, I now go down Nigel Road and go right (by Austins Court) so that I can go straight across ED Rd junction. It may take longer but it is at least safer.

I have avoided this area for weeks now with the road works as chaotic.

I think we should compile a list of all the dangerous crossings in ED and start a campaign for improvements. Unfortunately some of the major roads come under Boris not Southwark Council. Difficult as with Government money to the majority of London Councils being cut back for the next financial year - any council will struggle to get improvements.

My list would cover

ED Grove/ Lordship Lane.

Lordship Lane/Dulwich Common Road ( funding supposed to have been given)

Upland /Barry Roads.

Court Lane/Carlton Ave/Dulwich Village - despite the give way markings in this area nobody takes any notice.

[123-lisap]

its taken the death of a young child for the not so concerned parties to get the work at the said junction underway!! the workers are now as i type doing what should have been done weeks ago.... traffic will soon be back to normal at the junction with peckham rye, but sadly that wont bring back the life of this dear young girl.... to little done and to bl--dy late....... god bless and rest in peace....................

[123-lisap]

the gas leaks are now meraculasly repaired and the traffic lights at the junction with peckham rye are back to normal...thanks!! to all parties concerned - drive carefuly....... kill your speed, its 30 mph for a reason!!!!!!!

[boosboss]

Very sad! My thoughts are with her family.

[Sue]

123-lisap Wrote:

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> its taken the death of a young child for the not

> so concerned parties to get the work at the said

> junction underway!! too

> little done and to bl--dy late.......

xxxxxx

Yeh bloody disgusting and I hope some heads will roll over this (6)

[ratty]

If it did take the life of a 10 year old to get these roadworks sorted then someone should fooking pay for this. This is so so sad.

When is 20mph going to be introduced?? I thought it was to be the whole of Southwark?? Cannot come soon enough!

RIP!

[Mark]

Someone did post last night that the roadworks seemed to be coming to an end, "the Tarmac is on, the road markings painted, even the old lights seem to be on..". This doesn't make me think that the roadworks were finished because of the accident.

[malleymoo]

Mark Wrote:

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> Someone did post last night that the roadworks

> seemed to be coming to an end, "the Tarmac is on,

> the road markings painted, even the old lights

> seem to be on..". This doesn't make me think that

> the roadworks were finished because of the

> accident.

The issue seems to be more about the time it has taken for the works to be completed. When I drove past at 3.30 this afternoon the temporary lights were still up and no-one was there to safely guide children on their way home from school. I know a number of people have been in contact with the council and contractors to demand action. What a shame that this action ie reinstating the lights is too little too late

[iaineasy]

very sad indeed! so Sorry.

hugs to all affected

[ratty]

Mark Wrote:

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> Someone did post last night that the roadworks

> seemed to be coming to an end, "the Tarmac is on,

> the road markings painted, even the old lights

> seem to be on..". This doesn't make me think that

> the roadworks were finished because of the

> accident.

Fair play, if this is the case then I would retract what I posted.

RIP!

[katie1997]

So so sorry to hear this sad news. I walked past that area this morning around 8ish and it was obvious there had been an accident on the road but I had no idea of this tragic outcome. Very shocked and saddened about this. xxxxxx

[Alabama]

What a terrible tragedy. So sorry to hear this news.

[Loz]

This is terrible. My thoughts go to the family.

But, can I ask a question? Is it standard practice for the driver in these incidents to be arrested? Surely the police only need to confirm name and address until they can ascertain the details (which, given they are asking for witnesses suggests that the full story has yet to be established).

I suspect the driver is going through a pretty rough time himself/herself. Playing a part in someone else's death, especially a child, must be awful, even if it was turns out to be an unavoidable accident. Adding the (possibly) needless trauma of being arrested only seems to be making a terrible time worse for no real reason.

(Of course, since the police have been actively DNA farming for a while, it's not a great surprise.)

[northlondoner]

Lox this neither the time nor the place for a wider discussion about police policy. Try the drawing room.

[the-e-dealer]

Can we be sure the roadworks caused this ? If so then the safety of such works needs a review. I have seen many 'cack-handed' attempts at temporary pedestrian facilities.

[Wallis68]

These roadworks and terrible temporary lights have caused disruption for weeks now, and I have never once seen anyone actually working there.

It got so bad that I saw countless drivers racing through red lights out of frustration as the phase on the temporary lights was so bad. I find it disgusting that it took this tragedy for someone to pull their finger out and get these works finished. If they could have been finished this quickly and so not creating a dangerous crossing for both pedestrians and drivers, then why weren't they? Surely questions need to be asked here?