I visited the Council’s “public drop-in event” for the Lewisham “Healthy Neighbourhoods” scheme yesterday. It was so crowded that it was difficult to get a useful conversation with any council staff (I will be sending them some written questions instead), but I did talk to a few of the other attendees who were all opposed to the road closures and the lack of proper consultation.
There were a number of maps and panels on display, including one with a headline title of “Traffic Evaporation” – see above. If you read the detail of the panel it claims only 11% of traffic disappeared from such schemes, but most of it found alternative routes. In the case of Lee Green this will mean more traffic on other minor routes, effectively displacing the problem and affecting other residents. But there will be a lot more on major roads such as the A20, A205 and A2212 thus creating long traffic queues and more air pollution not less.
One amusing answer I overheard in response to a question about emergency vehicle access was that police cars should be able to just “barge through” the barriers. That sounds exceedingly unlikely. Also some emergency vehicles may be able to get through the camera-enforced “bus gate” on Manor Park but I don’t understand how they will get through the other road closures. Delays to ambulances, fire engines and other emergency service vehicles are a major risk to life – see our recent blog post here which covers that issue: https://tinyurl.com/whzxksr . It is simply wrong for Lewisham Council to put in a scheme that introduces such delays.
Roger Lawson
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I think they are scared of proper consolation as it will spoil their plans.
There are many more fuel emissions in the areas where the new road layouts are implemented because unfamiliar drivers to the area can’t easily see where to go when their SAT Nav’s direct them down roads designated as ‘No Entry’. Did any LBL officer ever tell the SAT Nav companies about these changes before they implemented them? If not, why not?
Did any LBL officer ever calculate the scientific success and otherwise of this new road layout which does in fact increase emissions – because people are driving round and round in circles trying to find their way out of, or through the chaotic new road scheme?
The road signage was most unclear and very confusing up to the end of April 2021. It’s still not very clear. We can say this because of the surveys and observations that we have taken in April and May 2021.
Drivers are still continuing to be fined by LBL; even when they were caught before these latest red signs were erected in May 2021 at Dermody Road/ Wisteria Rd. The new red signs warn people that they’ll be fined £130 for travelling down that road the wrong way; although its almost impossible to see the red signs from a drivers’ seat; or to read them unless you stop and park up; this is because the lettering is so small.
The ‘no entry’ floor signs that were originally painted on the road itself, continue to be illegible and worn away. LBL has not repainted these. So the ‘no entry’ message isn’t clear. It is as if LBL want drivers to become entrapped in order to make more money from fines.
The LBL have not listened to reason. LBL have acted unfairly and in a dishonest way towards drivers. The attitude is clearly to hurt drivers significantly and cause them to stop driving altogether. Sadly this attitude has been actively encouraged by senior TfL officials as demonstrated in documentaries where the aggressive attitudes towards drivers was revealed in no uncertain terms by many TfL senior officials. LBL seem to behaving in a similar manner. LUL say its for ‘safety’, ‘combating COVID’ and ‘making the environment cleaner & healthier’; but this is simply not happening in reality.
I should like to also organise a brief meeting at 10h at the junction of Wisteria and Dermody roads on Monday 9th May, to decide what action can be taken from here; albeit marches on the Town Hall; or listing a legal challenge against LBL; and if necessary TfL – who seem to have promoted this peicemeal and confusing way of dealing with improvements to the environment, by unfairly punishing drivers and seemingly stealing their money.
I’ll respond to your email on this subject.