Tag: west norwood

Recent Streetworks co-creation workshops at City Heights and the Salvation Army Hall focused on the Tulse Hill Gyratory and saw over 90 people attend.

As well as a general update on the project so far there was further information given about an initially popular co-design idea of the partial closure of the Norwood Road with access only for pedestrians, buses and cyclists as seen in the first image, while there was also the launch of the design competition for the new diagonal crossing as seen in the second image. 

StreetWorks is a community-led project to improve Norwood and Tulse Hill. The project is funded by Transport for London and supported by officers at Lambeth Council.

The Norwood Forum, the Tulse Hill Forum, local councillors and community groups are working together with residents, businesses, schools and road users to design a better space, remove the one-way system at Tulse Hill and provide training and support for future local projects.

If you’d like any further information or want to get involved in the Streetworks project please visit – http://www.streetworks.london/

Further emergency Thames Water works in the Tulse Hill area

We have been made aware of further urgent works commencing from Monday 13 February 2017. Due to the ongoing flooding issues in and around the Tulse Hill area Thames Water need to install a line stop and isolate a 21’’ main. This is to mitigate and prevent a future burst on this main.

The contraflow bus lane on Norwood Road will be closed and as a result there will be a bus and cycle diversion along Christchurch Road, Hardel Rise and Tulse Hill. 

Work will end on Thursday 23 February 2017 at 18:00. Traffic management systems will be put in place.

West Norwood Masterplan update

The West Norwood Masterplan refresh is in the final stage of consultation. Work on the masterplan began over a year ago and it’s purpose was to refresh the 2009 masterplan to acknowledge the new changes in the area, provide a detailed economic survey of the area and develop a Co-operative Local Investment Plan. 

The Masterplan has focused on four areas between West Norwood and Tulse Hill. These are the Tulse Hill station area, the central retail area, West Norwood Station and the Commercial and Industrial Area. There has been extensive consultation on priorities for the area and detailed engagement with stakeholders, such as the Norwood Forum. The Masterplan is designed to create a dynamic new series of opportunities for the area and is being used to attract new sources of private and public money to help improve the area.

You can see part of the final report here – https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/sites/default/files/pl-Public-Consultation-final-boards_0.pdf

Further Thames Water update

Thames Water are in the process of hand delivering letters to the immediate vicinity of recent water leaks, which will include Leigham Vale, Palace Road and the affected part of Norwood Road.

In regards to continued leaks in the local area Thames Water have carried out repairs at the following locations:

Half Moon Lane (small leak near Herne Hill) not on Norwood road although traffic may have been impacted. Now complete. 

Tulse Hill (leak on trunk main) single lane closure on Tulse Hill, again may have impacted traffic but no work on Norwood road.

Palace Road/Norwood road junction (leak on 7”) main. Have been working since Friday but have had some challenges repairing the leak. We have a team on site working to repair this and hope re-open the road as quickly as possible.

Traffic disruption as Thames Water fix a leak on Tulse Hill

Thames Water are investigating a leak on one of their pipes on Tulse Hill.

They have a number of teams currently working on contingency plans with regards to turning off the main and the repair. They are aiming to have these plans in place within the next 24 hours so that they can then begin the repair job.

Residents should not experience any interruption to their water supply.

In terms of customer disruption they have two-way traffic lights in place on the junction between Tulse Hill and S.Circular Road.

In order to carry out the full repair, they will need to close a road and will be working very closely with Lambeth council in order to ensure that causes as little disruption as possible.

They are keen to reassure residents that they are working hard to ensure the leak in the pipe does not get worse.

As part of development plans for the future of West Norwood construction work on Norwood Road began on the 09th January 2017.  The first phase of work will be an upgrade to the footway paving on the west side of Norwood Road only from York Hill to Waylett Place and this is expected to take a month.

While the work is carried out part of the footway will be open for pedestrians at all times and traffic management will be in place to provide safe movement for all types of vehicles.

This work will mean that one northbound lane on the approach to the York Hill/Lancaster Avenue junction will have to be restricted and the parking bays on the eastern side of Norwood Road between 467-475 will be suspended. Businesses in this area will be notified of the suspension of parking bays.

In addition, in order to reduce the impact on businesses, some of the footway upgrade work will be undertaken outside of normal hours (up to 11pm). Outside Homecare we expect this would be for a maximum of two weeks. For the access road to B&Q work will be undertaken on two Sundays late Jan/early Feb between 4pm and 11pm. We will be notifying residents of the late working and will endeavour to reduce any disturbance to them as much as possible.

Otherwise, the next phase of work will start on the 6th February 2017 from Waylett Place North to Landsowne Hill. This will also be a footway paving upgrade, and be expected to take up to six weeks.

If you have any questions please do get in touch.

Join our campaign against business rates hikes

Lambeth council and local businesses are working in partnership to campaign against the Government’s impending huge rise in rates. The business rate revaluation, which is due to come into force from 1 April next year, will see some businesses pay 45% more in rates.

This hike in rates could prove crippling to some businesses, especially those with 5 or fewer staff. West Norwood and Herne Hill, each with a high proportion of SME businesses, will be very hard hit.

Lambeth has written to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government asking for measures to be put in place to support businesses through any rates rise and a longer term review of the effectiveness of business rates as a method of taxation.

A London-wide campaign is also underway, supported by Lambeth council and backed by the capital’s Mayor Sadiq Khan along with London Councils, London First, London Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Small Businesses London and New West End Company, with 37 additional groups including 32 London BIDS

London businesses overall will pay an additional £855 million in business rates every year, while businesses in much of the rest of the country will see rates decrease in real terms.

Support Lambeth’s businesses – sign our petition.

Streetworks update

Below is an update recently communicated to residents about the Streetworks consultation and programme of works. The results as set out below came out the series of co-production workshops that looked at the proposed changes to Norwood Road.

The full results and comments can be downloaded here http://www.streetworks.london/documents

Widen foot ways from Chestnut Road to Leigham Vale, resurface pavements, raised crossings: 82% either agreed or strongly agreed
Works have begun and will continue we have also looked to provide a footway that is more acceptable to cyclists following further discussions with cycling groups. Taking businesses into consideration we have included a loading bay. We are also identified a number of areas where extra bays could be located due to the removal of those on Norwood Road which are currently undergoing a road safety audit.

Diagonal Crossing junction Norwood Road/Lancaster Avenue/York Hill: 86% either agreed or strongly agreed
After analysing the crossing it has been confirmed that this improvement would not strongly affect vehicle capacity at the junction but that there would be a significant improvement for pedestrians.  

Station Rise future works: 88% either agreed or strongly agreed
Works will be taken forwards

Potential Market in Station Rise: 90% agreed it they would like to see and ongoing market
Whilst this may be out of scope for the project itself, we will look to see how we can support a market in the future

Harpenden Road Zebra Crossing: 82% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with this idea
The majority of those who responded to these questions preferred a zebra crossing in this location rather than traffic signals. Whilst there was strong support for the zebra as originally proposed, we have revisited the design of the zebra crossing in order to improve safety and to address specific issues raised by residents. The zebra crossing is now proposed to be moved closer to the Harpenden Road junction and Harpenden Road made exit only onto Norwood Road and for left turns only. As this new proposal impacts the traffic arrangements for those living in Harpenden Road, Ullswater Road, Ulverston Road  and Penrith Place we are seeking views locally on the revised arrangements.  We are aiming to provide a link for cyclists so they can still turn and exit and enter the Harpenden Road junction as at present.

We went out on 27th October 2016 to speak to residents and door knocked on Harpenden Road and adjacent streets and the general feedback was positive regarding the designs.

Harpenden Road Zebra Crossing:
82% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with this idea.

The majority of those who responded to these questions preferred a zebra crossing in this location rather than traffic signals.  Whilst there was strong support for the zebra as originally proposed, we have revisited the design of the zebra crossing in order to improve safety and to address specific issues raised by residents.  The zebra crossing is now proposed to be moved closer to the Harpenden Road junction and Harpenden Road made exit only onto Norwood Road and for left turns only. As this new proposal impacts the traffic arrangements for those living in Harpenden Road, Ullswater Road, Ulverston Road  and Penrith Place we are seeking views locally on the revised arrangements.  We are aiming to provide a link for cyclists so they can still turn and exit and enter the Harpenden Road junction as at present.

Cllr Birley and Streetworks colleagues went out on 27th October 2016 to speak to residents and door knocked on Harpenden Road and adjacent streets and the general feedback was positive regarding the designs.

In order to install a zebra crossing, the junction of Harpenden Road and Norwood Road would need to be changed to make enough space for the crossing to be safe. It was originally proposed that Harpenden Road would become entry only from Norwood Road. However, after considering comments from residents and the road safety audit, this proposal has changed. It is now proposed that Harpenden become exit only, left hand turn only. Harpenden Road would remain two way – only the junction would have no entry for vehicles but the ability to exit Harpenden Road by turning left only. One tree would still need to be removed in Norwood Road, however other planting is being considered. See the design drawing overleaf (subject to further change following statutory consultation and road safety audit).

We are working on the designs so that cyclists will continue to have access into and out of Harpenden Road. There may also be a slight alteration to parking provision near Penrith Place to allow access but this will result in no net parking loss in this area.

Timeline going forwards:
DEC 16 – Leigham Vale to opp Elmcourt Road AND Waylett Place footways

JAN 17- West Side of Norwood Road York Hill to opposite Chatsworth Way (Approx 1 month construction)

FEB 17- West side of Norwood Road from Opposite Chatsworth Way to Lansdowne Hill (including Waylett Raised Tables at Road entrances) (Approx 3-4 weeks construction)

MAR 17- West side of Norwood Road from York Hill to Harpenden including Ullswater Road raised table at Road entrances. (Approx 3 -4 weeks construction)

West Norwood businesses say YES

We are delighted to share that yesterday the businesses in West Norwood and Tulse Hill voted to form a Business Improvement District (BID). The vote was 76% in favour of the Station to Station project which encompasses over 300 businesses.

A BID is a not-for-profit collective of local businesses, enabling business to come together and collectively lobby for improvements, contribute to and spend a shared fund as well as take the lead in shaping the community to allow local businesses to thrive.

There are currently over 47 BIDs in London and in Lambeth there are BIDs in Vauxhall, Brixton, Streatham and Clapham. Improving the business community is a priority for us as your local Labour councillors. We campaigned for investment in local businesses and for the development of a BID as candidates in 2014 and have been working hard on delivering it since.

Cllr Fred Cowell as the West Norwood Neighbourhood Lead has been working really hard with local businesses and the Means consultancy, along with many other hard working volunteers from the business community, to make this happen. It has been hugely valuable to have a local neighbourhood lead councillor to drive this forward and ensure momentum. For example, in April the BID steering group were able to launch a fashion show in at the Portico Gallery, showcasing designs made in Norwood.

We are looking forward to working with the BID when it starts in work in September and hope to see many more successes in the future.