Tag: norwood

Robson Road junction proposals

Cllr Ann Kingsbury wrote to the Head of Transportation at Lambeth Council to express her strong support for the views of the Norwood Forum and Norwood Action Group in response to traffic plans of the Norwood Road /Robson Road junction.

As you may well be aware, there has been extensive consultation on the junction and there seems to be widespread approval for Lambeth’s proposals – which also include a pedestrian crossing and better design for cyclists.

From the pedestrian point of view the introduction of staggered crossings is not an improvement in either safety or amenity, as its quiet possible that people will be tempted to cross the road in a straight line and will take risks in doing so.

The current Lambeth proposals should result in improved safety, but it would appear that the TfL modifications give pedestrians and cyclists safety and amenity a lower priority. It also appears that these modifications could lead to a loss of road space and force cyclists to compete for access.

In any case, banning a left turn at the junction with Robson Road will presumably force traffic to turn into Ernest Avenue or Hannen Road to join the northbound traffic on Knight’s Hill and then right into Robson Road. This will effectively create a new gyratory system and introduce the possibility of the junction being blocked by the 322 bus turning right. The plans do not seem to allow for a permitted left turn for buses, an it is difficult to see how this will improve journey times for passengers on the 322 in the Crystal Palace direction.

Furthermore, the route along Robson Road, turning left at West Norwood is the only direct route between West Norwood and West Dulwich. Although only a small proportion of West Norwood traffic takes this route, the amount is still sufficient. If redirected down other left turns off the Norwood Road an increase in traffic would be to the detriment to the centre.

Work starting soon to improve Norwood high street

A large part of the Mayor’s Outer London Fund money, which Lambeth bid for recently, will be used to improve the Norwood Road and the area around St Luke’s Church with the first phase of the works due to start this September. Norwood High Street and Knight’s Hill will be the first roads in line for improvement with new paving and widened pavements up as far as the railway line.

From January 2014, the improvement works will be extended to north of Chestnut Road. The remodelling of the dangerous junction at Robson Road and Norwood Road will be done after the other works and will complete this phase of improvements. The junction works are scheduled to start in February 2014. The following financial year Highways propose to extend these improvement works along the Norwood Road as far as Tulse Hill Station and to eventually include the Tulse Hill one way system as part of the overall scheme.

Trouble on the Tulse Hill Gyratory

Safety surrounding the Tulse Hill one-way system has been a concern to many resident in Thurlow Park ward and the Norwood community as a whole. The Labour Action Team, Anna, Fred and Max, and Cllr Ann Kingsbury have been working with members of the Tulse Hill Forum and Assembly Member Val Shawcross to press for changes. Safety concerns have become very severe recently; a car spun off the road in Hardel Rise and demolished the front of one of the houses, the fourth incident of its kind.

In response to a question from Val, TfL agreed to look at the junction to see what could be improved and were due to report later this year but this incident has convinced them that they need to look urgently at safety. It now seems that TfL would be willing to look at redesign of the junction and Lambeth will start talks with them to consider this. In the short term, Lambeth are looking to put in measures to protect residents of Hardel Rise.

Your Labour Action Team will be campaigning for the junction to be improved very soon; look out for our petition calling on the Mayor to take action. If you have concerns about the junction, we would like to hear from you. Please contact Ann at akingsbury@lambeth.gov.uk if you want to know more.

Nettlefold Library – update

The process of getting the Library cleaned up in preparation for rebuilding works has been slowed down by squatters. It is very disappointing that they were able to gain access and although they have gone, they made so much mess that the asbestos decontamination is now much more complicated. This will not only delay the planning application but increase the size of the works, which will now have to go out to competitive tender.

Nevertheless the negotiations are still going ahead, a lease is being drawn up between Lambeth and the cinema company and some precious archives have been removed from the basement. All the Norwood councillors continue to press for progress. The Steering Group meets again in September.