For those that are local, you may have seen recently a lot of road blocks/bollards put in place for various residential streets around Lewisham.
https://lewishamcovidresidentialstreets.commonplace.is/about
It is a 3-month trial aimed at increasing walking/cycling routes and to assist with social distancing, with a view to making it permanent. You can leave feedback about these road closures below:
https://lewishamcovidresidentialstreets.commonplace.is/overview
I do cycle to work so it has somewhat benefitted me. I don't use all of the roads mentioned but I think Upwood Road definitely needed it, the amount of grid locks there was a joke. I felt bad for the people that lived there and couldn't even get out of their drive in the mornings.
Reading the comments, it appears the general consensus is that it was a good move. But once the amount of cars on the road resumes to normality, I'd expect the South Circular to be chaos.
Comments
Absolutely appallingly implemented.
I am all in favour of reduced car use, more pedestrians non intimidating abusive and aggressive road travelling rule following cyclists (are there any?).
However this particular scheme has been implemented appallingly, the effect has been to create a kind of gated community for the Lee Manor area and pushed pollution congestion and stress to the fringes of the community, which is now divided.
All traffic must now only use the surrounding roads of the South Circular, Burnt Ash Road, Hither Green Lane and Lee High Road.
Local residents inside that area who sometimes use vehicles are sneered at as rat runners cutting through the area they actually live in.
I cycle from time to time but now I am antipathetic to other cyclists of all ages, and if they come at me on the pavement I will stand my ground, use the pedestrian space and invite on a row, which I hope to film.
If you think I am over reacting ask one group of local people, care workers, who are obliged to drive from house to house often with equipment. See what they say
There is no room for compromise, and it looks to me like a posh persons anti pleb initiative.
I am one of those
But yes I agree, poorly implemented. South Circular is going to be insane once the school traffic comes back.
I did notice that somebody unbolted and removed the bollard on Ennersdale Road on the way to work last week. By the time I was coming home, the council had bolted it back.
It’s a good idea, and should work in time, but the implementation has been somewhat naive.
The firefighter used a pair of those pointed pliers and turned the thing.
The appliance then drove out to Manor Lane.
The fire fighter then had to use the pliers to restore the metal pole and lock down the metal plate.
It isn't there.
This is about sealing off the so called 'conservation area'.
People are also capable of taking direct action and accepting any consequences.
Yes I spoke to the firefighters. They were unimpressed that they hadn't been issued with a key.
It was this type of bollard.
You can see the 'lock' part.
This was very similar to the tool used by the firefighter as the lock bit was kind of triangular:
It’s a mind set thing. Let go of cars and it’s actually liberating.
It seems to me unarguable.
However cars, especially electric cars, are not automatically the enemy. The way the posh people describe local journeys as 'rat runs' (the true London term is 'back doubles') speaks to their prejudice and distain. The implementation in Lee, a supposed attempt to stop motorists travelling through the area, has been badly introduced and the price of discouraging through traffic has been to cause more pollution in some areas and to essentially imprison local people who sometimes need to use their cars not for through journeys but locally.
At the moment the weather is good, but these measures in howling gales and driving rain will imprison more of the less robust members of the community. It is also telling that decisions made regarding implementation of this initiative benefits the richer districts at the expense of the poorer ones.
In my local bit, the council call them 'cells' which is hugely ironic, the two most industrial/ light industrial parts are the Hither Green railway works and the Chiltonian industrial estate. These enterprises have been sealed off from the leafy Lee Manor area and the only way in and out is via the South Circular, no alternative whatsoever.
I just made a last minute dash to go up the shops to get a couple or crates of beer and meat for the bbq I'm having in a few hours. No chance would I be walking back with all of that or waiting for a bus/tube.
It was the minority had cars where i grew up.
Stand and deliver ......