Rockets

Are you saying that holding cyclists to account is the nuclear option and we presume you dont support this move by the government? And are you really suggesting that cyclists should not be policed but that time should be taken to "understand" why they cycle like that? Is there any other example where an approach of "understanding" is applied in a similar circumstance or do you just want cyclists to be excluded from any sort of regulation? To be fair it's this type of cycle-myopic approach which means I suspect there will be more stringent policing of cyclists - way too many think they sit outside of the law and the rules of the road do not apply to them. I do wonder whether the contagin effect is at play here - the red light jumper research I found suggested that was a big risk and there does seem to be a big problem now with it - bad cycling is contagious but at least when this law gets passed then bad cycling will be punished accordingly. Given the fact that the existing law was drawn-up in the late 1800s for horse-drawn carriages it is about time it was grought into the modern era.

Therein lies the point. If you now dont stop at a red light and do seriously harm someone in the process you will face serious consequences for your actions something you would not have done previously. Oh I do, whilst others are seemingly struggling with the notion of accountability, which is actually the point here. Ride or drive dangerously and kill or injure someone in the process then expect to have the full weight of the law thrown at you. As much as you might fight and scream against it if this is passed then it is a step in the right direction to making the roads and pavements safer for everyone and I very much suspect the beginning of tighter enforcement and policing of cyclists. Dangerous cycling is clearly a growing problem that the government and local authorities will have to deal with.

Mal, your use of the cow analogy really demonstrates the problem here. Cows dont make conscious decisions to behave in a way that might endanger humans and no cow has ever been charged with an offence against a human. Other humans on bikes can make concious decisions that can harm other humans. And this is what this is about: holding cyclists accountable for their actions. You cite your experience of Hyde Park yet in Regent's Park a pedestrian was killed by a cyclist doing a speed over 25mph yet his defence was "I cannot be held responsible because the speed limit does not apply to cyclists". And he got off because of exactly that. Now he wouldn't be able to play that hand and anyone who has any modicum of interest in road saftey would agree that holding cyclists accountable for their actions is as important as holding every other road user accountable for theirs. You may not agree with it but this is incredibly important as those who are injured, maimed or killed by cyclists cycling dangerously will be able to get some form of justice and it may just make some cyclists think twice about cycling irresponsibly. And i suspect this will be the tip of the iceberg and we will, finally, see authorities taking bad cycling seriously. Not before time.

Malumbu, nudge tactics are talked about quite openly amongst the council and active travel lobby as a tool in their armoury. This thread is not now about victimised motorists but about the massive increases in congestion and pollution being caused by ill thought out and badly planned non-essential works taking place over incredibly long periods all at the same time. As someone so concerned about pollution surely you can acknowledge that what is going on across Dulwich (and beyond) at the moment with regular queues of traffic trying to negotiate these roadworks is not a good thing.

The new system is a joke and the irony is you have to get on the system you have to fill out a form so you can be triaged by someone before they call you back. It's almost impossible to get an appointment there now.

Ex- you know as well as I do that wasn't the point I was making. Dulwich is basically ring-fenced by awful congestion caused by non-essential works being carried out by the council and TFL. There appears to have been not one jot of forward planning or co-ordination and it is causing significant delays to journey times for everyone whether they are in a vehicle or on public transport. The issues being caused by the Grove Tavern works are utterly unacceptable and no-one from the council seems to care and there's still another 6 weeks of them left. Goodness only knows what the council is waiting for to finish the Red Post Hill works because it has been in the current state for weeks - again, utterly unnecessary and causing increases in congestion and pollution. I honestly think that certain councils, like Southwark, are keen to create congestion and drag out works for as long as possible as part of this bizarre "nudge" approach to get people out of cars. At least 13 weeks does seem like an inordinately long time for the A205/Grove Tavern works for be completely - one wonders if anyone is measuring the massive increase in pollution being caused by it.

No, plenty on here (some of whom seem to have a Bat phone to council HQ on many items) claimed to have seen or know where the original consultation document is yet no-one has yet shared it...... BTW you seem to be ignoring the council caused congestion issue with the right-hand turn. Do you think a more pragmatic approach than stoically sticking to the need to have wands to protect the bike lane might have created less pollution and cost a lot less tax-payers money than the huge expense they have now gone to to "fix" the problem they caused? Those wands went in after covid and since then that junction has been a nightmare with huge congestion and pollution in front of the Hamlets school - surely even the most ardent council fan can see that the council created this problem.

I am not. I was saying that councils seem happy to create traffic nightmares by allowing multiple works to take place at the same time as part of the "nudge" tactics to get people out of cars, that deliberately stopping free-flowing traffic and making journeys a nightmare is part of their plans to get people out of cars. Not one of the works on the A205, East Dulwich Grove or around Melbourne Grove are essential works yet all three are allowed to take place (ahem, at the end of the council budget year) without any consideration to the impact it would have on traffic across the area. Seems short-sighted at best, deliberately negligent at worst. The impact is not just cars as buses have been hampered by the works on the A205 and local schools are concerned about the impact it may have on pupils during the forthcoming exam season.

Seemingly Labour are going to try to address dangerous cycling.....it will be interesting to watch the reaction of those who said this was all political and anti-cyclist when the Tories suggested it.... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn0w8g18x9no Interesting quote from someone whose wife was killed by a cyclist: He added that it was "incomprehensible" cycling was "literally lawless" under "old-fashioned" measures not designed for modern road usage. And he praised the transport secretary for going up against the cycle lobby: Mr Briggs said Alexander had shown "enormous personal kindness" over the years, and "courage and commitment" in going up against a "strong" cycling lobby to push for the change. Speaking of which: Duncan Dollimore, head of campaigns at Cycling UK said while the charity supports "a proportionate and evidence-based approach" to updating the law, "it's crucial that any legislative changes do not discourage people from cycling, particularly at a time when promoting active and sustainable travel is vital for our health, environment, and economy". Looks like the law is finally catching up. Not before time.

But that's what the original consultation document said....but, funnily enough, no-one can find the original consultation document now. You know what caused the insufficient space at the DV junction don't you that the council refers to? And you know the council have been wrestling with the problem they caused for the last 4 or 5 years. Studies of the area and the current layout of the junction, show that there is insufficient space and time for northbound vehicles turning right at this junction, from Dulwich Village. This causes a ‘bottleneck’ effect and major traffic queues have been experienced, which is a cause of delays to bus journeys throughout the Dulwich Village area. You know what caused all of this - those four or five cycle wands they put in to protect the cycle lane at the DV junction. All of this investment, and the money they spent on the right lane filter, could all have been resolved with a far-more pragmatic solution that didn't need to cost the earth but the council chose to keep spending tax payers money doubling down on a problem they caused....

There seems to be zero interest in trying to maintain free-flowing traffic anywhere in the area right now. The A205 side of Dulwich was diabolical today - it's almost as if the council and other planning authorities are happy to cause chaos - one of their famous "nudge" techniques so many on the pro-cycle lobby love to tout.

Still not the original consultation document - which is what referred to having to remove the pedestrian refuges to accommodate the advanced cycle stops. Interesting though that in the document you shared it did call out this (and we all know which council intervention was the cause for that don't we): Studies of the area and the current layout of the junction, show that there is insufficient space and time for northbound vehicles turning right at this junction, from Dulwich Village. This causes a ‘bottleneck’ effect and major traffic queues have been experienced, which is a cause of delays to bus journeys throughout the Dulwich Village area.

I do hope the pedestrian green light phasing of the temporary lights at the DV/Red Post Hill junction is not indicative of the phasing to be used when the new lights are added. It takes an age for the pedestrian green light to go on and I have already seen people rushing across the junction but now have no refuge halfway across due to the resdesign to accommodate the advanced cycle box.

I do wonder if there is a correlation between the bad-temperedness of posters and how many holidays they take. It seems those who go quietest during school hols are the angriest posters on here....so perhaps jetting off on holidays does nothing for their stress levels whilst those of us who get to enjoy a quiet Dulwich find new levels of calm! 😉 Right, I am off to do some yogic flying around Dulwich Park before the angry masses return - anyone care to join me! 😉

And Easter hols and October half-term....probably difficult to post when you're in a different time zone half a world away - bit of a giveaway! 😉 I just love how quiet Dulwich Park and Lordship Lane are, especially the first week of the private school holidays.

And don't the Veolia collection teams wear uniforms with Southwark Council logo on them...this might explain why the councillors were so keen to point out the lorry wasn't operated by the council because if you saw a load of people clambering out of the cab of a lorry one that just rolled wearing clothing emblazoned with the council logo you might think it was being operated by the council. The Helen Hayes reference is weird as well it was almost as if the councillor post was: this is awful, nothing to do with us, speak to Helen.

..during the Easter holidays when it all goes a bit 28 Days Later as the second home owners, skiers and Easter sun worshippers depart on their Easter jaunts. Blissfully quiet.

Local accident investigators Dulwich Roads are claiming it was a Veolia bin lorry... https://x.com/DulwichRoads/status/1910711493273788469?t=TcPz_3Wvvv5gAk6PQg1rBA&s=19

Good grief that could have been awful and lets hope no-one in the vehicle was injured either. Interesting use of "not operated by the council" in the councillor post. The council outsources collection doesn't it so doesn't actually operate any bin lorries any more?

To be fair I think some are critical in the cases where the removal of "street clutter" a.k.a "pedestrian refuges" has been stated as part of the council's plan to facilitate cycle infrastructure. BTW did the mooted street market on Melbourne Grove ever materialise?

Yeah but I suppose the issue is that Brexit/Truss moment destabilised our economy and Trump's Truss moment is destabilising every economy globally and rocking the very foundation of global trading. Our stupid moments were just our stupid moments - Trump's stupid moment is everyone's stupid moment. The fact that people have been getting out of gold as well as stocks speaks volumes - gold is normally the safe-haven investors head for but lots are just cashing out completely.

The real worry is that Trump will never admit he got anything wrong and, as he did today with more threats to China, will keep doubling-down. Those tactics might work in real estate in the US but this is not real estate. I do wonder whether other governments will be forced to absorb the short-term pain in the view that they need to let him crash things to such a point that Americans go...what are you doing. Although he seems to be trying to mitigate dissent within his own party by turning on them quickly - like all good dictators do. It just seems ludicrous to think this puts the US in a stronger short-term position - I saw analysis that a Boeing 787 bill of materials now costs $20m more with the tariffs due to them only being assembled in the US and the parts manufactured all over the world. Just who is this supposed to be benefiting. American 401ks are linked to the stock market so American pensions are going downhill fast.

Isn't a collection of Teslas now known as a (Nuremberg) Car Rallie? I saw a great sticker on a Tesla bumper recently that read: Anti-Elon Tesla Owners Club

Never let it be said that Southwark Council have ever taken a blind bit of notice of what local residents think. Never let public opinion stand in the way of their grand plan....#comrade! They are charlatans.

I love it when you get a “we tried to deliver, you weren’t in” message and not a single post person has been anywhere near the house…it seems they sometimes don’t even bother to try to deliver and then claim you weren’t in…