Rockets

Yes and DKHB does have a certain pattern to their ahem "discussions". We may have to rename them DogKennelHillBully! ;-)

And, of course, the numbers quoted by TFL are London wide and as you get further out of London so the journeys, invariably, get longer due to the lack of proper public transport infrastructure the further you get from the centre. So I very much suspect in an area like Dulwich the skew is much further towards the longer journeys, especially given Dulwich's proximity to the A205. And of course TFL acknowledges that the more children you have (you might have noticed there are a lot of children in Dulwich - Nappy Valley and all that) the less the opportunity to cycle.

We are caught between the very worst ends of Labour: marxists on one side and champagne socialists on the other....;-)

rahrahrah Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > @rockets. > > So 67% of car trips under 3 miles. I would > describe that as 'significant'. But can they all be walked or cycled? A 6 mile roundtrip would be a significant distance for many would it not - especially given Dulwich is surrounded by significant hills on most sides? As I have said before I think you can make a dent in the 35% shorter than 2kms but that's about it. That leaves 60%+ that are most likely always going to be done in a car. And I would be very interested to know what TFL counts as a car journey and whether private hire and taxis are included with that.

rahrahrah Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > A significant number of car journeys in london are > only a couple of miles btw. Let's dive a little deeper into that because I know Cllr McAsh said in his blog that the majority of journeys in London can be walked or cycled. Here's TFLs data 35% of all car trips are shorter than 2km. 32% are between 2km and 5km. 30+% are over 5km. What I can't find from TFL is whether taxis and private hire vehicles are included in these stats - which would of course skew them massively in central London. People can make their own minds up now based on the actual data.

Wow, they come in force next Thursday I wonder if that means all the roads get closed then or whether it permits them to install them anytime between Thursday and when they expire. This will be the death knell for these plans as they will cause such chaos that the council will have no option but to remove them all. I wonder if Cllr McAsh sent his "we're listening" blog as he knows the closure of DV will improve EDG and move the problem off his ward and onto someone else's.....hmmmmmm.... Rahrahrah - feel free to lobby admin to remove this thread as you do every time you read something you don't like! ;-)

rahrahrah Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Rockets Wrote: > ----------- > > > So then, by default, you must recognise that > the > > closure (do stop using filtered - it's not > coffee > > and it makes you look a bit blinkered!!) of the > DV > > junction is having a major effect on other > roads > > due to the closure of the A205? > > The roads aren't closed though, they are filtered. > Every street can be driven on and to. Residents > can also use their cars, get deliveries etc., it?s > just not possible to drive straight through from > one main road to the next. There is no journey > which cannot be done by car as a result of the > LTNs (although routes may be less direct), so in > no sense are roads 'closed'. Some roads do get > closed / pedestrianised - but that's not what > we're talking about here. > > > > I had lunch on Lordship Lane today and the > traffic > > northbound was queuing all the way back to Mr > > Lui's from the Goose Green roundabout. > > So how what's the point you're making? This would > be helped by diverting traffic down court Lane, > through the village, down EDG to Lordship Lane and > then the Goose Green roundabout? Because I think > most people would probably just go straight down > Lordship Lane. Do you know anything about the road layout of Dulwich? Do you not think that some of the traffic coming down Lordship Lane today might be trying to go west but can't because the A205 is closed....surely by closing one of the only ways to get west from Lordship Lane that forces more traffic down towards the Goose Green roundabout and EDG - thus creating tailbacks along Lordship Lane.........

Dogkennelhillbilly Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > (do stop using filtered - it's not coffee > > and it makes you look a bit blinkered!!) > > The road is only closed at one end to through > motor traffic. It's open to motorised access and > open to through non-motorised traffic. Closed is > not the right word. Filtered is. Per Abe - they're closed. That's why the council labels them as such with big red signs that say ROAD CLOSED. And as you will know from your highway code a big red sign is a warning sign - so it is warning you the road is closed.....;-) You can call them what you like but per the council and the highway code the roads are closed.....

It will be interesting to see what happens in neighbouring Lewisham as it seems they are working more quickly to resolve some of the issues caused by the closures. I suspect many councils want to see what others do first.

rahrahrah Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Sparrowhawk Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Once again, it's hilariously obtuse to try, with > a > > straight face, to imply that Court Lane is a > 'cut > > through' or 'narrow residential street'. I've > > lived in Dulwich since the 1970s and that road, > > while residential, has always been a critical > part > > of the network for both local and through > traffic. > > It is wide, straight, perfectly capable of > > carrying a sensible amount of traffic...but is > > currently sitting almost empty. While other > roads > > sit in nose-to-tail traffic and pollution as a > > result. > > Court Lane is probably the exception, granted. > It's a relatively wide road (or at least one with > less on street parking than others). So then, by default, you must recognise that the closure (do stop using filtered - it's not coffee and it makes you look a bit blinkered!!) of the DV junction is having a major effect on other roads due to the closure of the A205? I had lunch on Lordship Lane today and the traffic northbound was queuing all the way back to Mr Lui's from the Goose Green roundabout.

rahrahrah Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Before a few streets in Ed were filtered to > traffic, the closure of the South Circular in both > directions, wouldn't have even been noticed. The > roads moved freely and pollution barely existed. > Yesterday's traffic was almost certainly down to > lorries no longer being able to block EDG whilst > trying unsuccessfully to turn into Melbourne Grove > - that used to keep things moving. You ok rahrahrah - that's one hell of a U-turn you've just done! ;-)

I agree but it lacks any real substance or a definitive timeline for review and the fact Cllr McAsh suggests cheap fixes for Matham Grove etc suggests more may go in before they get to identify the source of the problem (which we all know they know what it is). It's a step in the right direction but the council needs to put the same energy into the review as they did the closures - they went in overnight so if they need to remove them they should come out overnight as well. The most telling part is the complete lack of coordination between the councillors in neighbouring wards which has led to the problems being caused by the closures - each focussed solely on trying to appease their constituents (ahem neighbours in some cases) and cared not one jot for the impact for others.

rahrahrah Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Because that is what is meant by ?there are fewer > roads for people to find their way around the > closure?. > > I for one am glad that the LTNs are in place to > stop this from happening. But don't you realise that by closing the junction of Dulwich Village that it amplifies the problems elsewhere in circumstances such as this? The A205 has been shut before but the gridlock has never been this bad and this is solely down to the fact certain roads have been closed. What you're saying is keep cars to A-roads. Only the most hardened pro-closure lobbyist (such as yourself) would categorise Court Lane as a "side road".

rahrahrah Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > There is a hole is the south circular and peoples > solution is to divert all the displaced traffic > down side streets? I thought you were terribly > worried about traffic from side streets being > displaced on to main roads? > > I would ah e thought that this is exactly the time > for ensuring people have safe alternatives to the > car! Oh dear you miss the point entirely.....rahrahrah do you not ever get the sense you're losing the argument?

Dogkennelhillbilly Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The situation was made worse when some dickhead > managed to push over the temporary plastic > barriers (installed on the pavement to replace the > permanent barrier some other dickhead knocked over > a couple of months ago) and an additional section > of permanent steel pedestrian railings...on the > corner of College Rd and the South Circular. The > steel barrier is now poking out into the roadway > and can't be moved. That happened right in rush > hour peak. > > > ...but probably that was also the fault of a > Stalinist planter outside a hairdressers... I'm sorry - what point are you trying to make here?

Of course traffic would have been bad with the A205 being shut but it is certainly made worse because of the LTN closures. That's commonsense as there are fewer roads for the traffic to try and find a way around the closure - especially east/west. If you think it is bad today imagine what it would have been like if the additional closures the council wants to put in place would have been in. It is, of course, an extraordinary situation but you have to acknowledge that having roads closed does create an impact and this is the second example in a week. The same happened after the motorcycle accident on the southern end of Lordship Lane this week. Police closed the road in both directions and traffic travelling southbound had no option but to go east and the areas around Upland, Goodrich, Dunstans became gridlocked as it was the only route around the closure due to the closure at DV. Of course, that was for a much shorter period of time but it does show the impact closing roads has. Interesting to see Cllr McAsh has been caught in the traffic chaos (one presumes on a bus or bike) and he responded to a post from the EDSTN lobby group as they got their defence in early (anybody else noticed that the pro-closure lobby groups are going into overdrive ever since Cllr McAsh's post on the LTNs).

Same thing happened after the nasty motorcycle accident on Lordship Lane earlier this week (an accident incidentally that queuing traffic contributed to) as when the police closed Lordship Lane near Overhill the traffic had no option but to go east and as a result all of the roads around Goodrich etc were gridlocked as they had no other option.

All, whilst many of us welcomed Cllr McAsh's comments yesterday upon closer inspection there is little substance in his post and some alarm bells are ringing for me. I posted on the Councillor thread but am pasting below some of the questions as I think a lot of the points raised by his post deserve some discussion and my concern is that there is not a definitive timeline for review being shared by the council (yet) and the displacement is now impacting all roads across the area (Underhill, Overhill, Crystal Palace Road, Upland Road, Wood Vale etc) as people try to work their way around the displacement. What we need right now is the same swift decisions the council made to implement these closures to review them and make the urgent changes to try and turn back the dial on the damage they are doing. - When will the council be reviewing the data - data collection went in some time after the closures so what is the timeline for the review? - We kept being told by the council that pollution monitoring was too expense so how are you able to do that now and what baseline will you be using? - Are we expected to live with the negative impact for the next 6 months whilst the council collects the data? - Will the next phases of the closures be put on hold or does the council still plan on implementing them? - Your comment regarding Matham Grove etc worries me as you seem to be focussed on putting measures in place to deal with the displacement rather than focussing on the source of the displacement. This would suggest to me that you think action to remedy the problem may not be forthcoming or a long way off. Is the council commitment to resolving the source of the problem? We do not need a sticking plaster approach to this. - Given your admission of not consulting with shopkeepers on Melbourne Grove (and your subsequent apology) will you be forced to remove those immediately as this is in direct contravention of the powers given to you by the government to put these in place?

James, Some follow-up questions from your post. Whilst it was good on words, there seems to be less on actions and it all seems a little open ended with little in the way of solid commitment to do anything other than review the data. So: - When will the council be reviewing the data - data collection went in some time after the closures so what is the timeline for the review? - We kept being told by the council that pollution monitoring was too expense so how are you able to do that now and what baseline will you be using? - Are we expected to live with the negative impact for the next 6 months whilst the council collects the data? - Will the next phases of the closures be put on hold or does the council still plan on implementing them? - Your comment regarding Matham Grove etc worries me as you seem to be focussed on putting measures in place to deal with the displacement rather than focussing on the source of the displacement. This would suggest to me that you think action to remedy the problem may not be forthcoming or a long way off. Is the council commitment to resolving the source of the problem? We do not need a sticking plaster approach to this. - Given your admission of not consulting with shopkeepers on Melbourne Grove (and your subsequent apology) will you be forced to remove those immediately as this is in direct contravention of the powers given to you by the government to put these in place?

James - Well done, you have listened and reacted and we all appreciate that. Your post is clear and I am glad to see that the council is taking an area-wide view of the challenge now. We all want to see the pollution issue tackled and I am hopeful that the council can bring all those from all sides of the argument into the discussion to come up with equitable solutions to tackle the problem.

Ex- you need a disclaimer: These views are personal and not at all reflective of the distain in which "impartial" modellers and planners hold for cars and their drivers!!! ;-) In all seriousness you pull up Alleyns on their open days or Founder's Day in that case would you also advocate closing roads near churches due to the parking issues caused when they hold weddings, funerals or baptisms? Why attack Alleyn's? We all know there is a big anti-private school sentiment held within many of our councillors so should we presume that the Townley Road closures are prejudicial and aimed at them solely due to those prejudices? Schools (be it state or private) cause problems as lots of teachers park their cars in the surrounding streets and a lot of parents who drive to drop their children off (granted it is particularly bad at private schools as the catchment areas are much larger).

Therein lies the problem for those who say "well all these journeys can be done by foot or bike". They can't - it's not binary - there are nuances - just because a journey is below 2km doesn't mean it can magically but done out of a car (BTW why does TFL use KMs?). Granted some of them can but I have seen zero evidence to suggest that enough people are able to make the switch to not cause terrible displacement issues elsewhere.

People are fighting back against the one-sided view of the world being projected by the pro-closure lobby. Everything is not as rosy as they would like the world to believe........ I am seeing more and more people responding to their tweets exposing what is really happening...it seems they have a policy of only responding and engaging with their supporters though....

So let's look at this pragmatically. 35% of all car trips are shorter than 2km. - You can certainly eliminate some of these but you can't eliminate them all. 32% are between 2km and 5km. - Much harder to eliminate these 30+% are over 5km. - Much much harder to eliminate these So the rational discussion you have to have is can you eliminate enough of the car journeys so that the remainder do not cause more problems finding other routes? Even if you managed to eliminate 30% of all car journeys (and I don't think anyone from the pro-lobby can show any closures that have done anything close to this) you are still left with a significant displacement problem. Every LTN causes a displacement tsunami - that much is clear - the question is 1) can you eliminate enough cars to prevent a massively negatively impact or 2) can the surrounding roads absorb the displacement? On both counts in Dulwich the current evidence suggests overwhelmingly the answer is no.

cwjlawrence Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > @dougiefreeman thank you so much for your > thoughtful and detailed post. I suspect that > we're actually very well aligned and after exactly > the same outcome which is a cleaner less polluted > East Dulwich in which we can all live. > > I don't think that there is anything in your post > that I disagree with, apart from the fact that I > think we all need to be affected very > significantly. Please excuse the turn of phrase, > but the journey of travel over the last 30 years > has been towards greater of car journeys and > therefore the infrastructure of the city has > adapted to the use of cars which will be difficult > to unwind. Despite what some of the pro-closure lobby would like to try and lead people to believe the two camps on here are not too far apart. Per Dougie and you Chris, we all agree that something has to be done but just that the council is making a complete mess of their ham-fisted attempts to find a solution. It is clear that the most damaging closure has been that of the DV junction and I would suggest that the council needs to address that one immediately (and address it does not mean make the problem even worse by closing DV to through traffic or closing Townley Road as is their current suggested solution). I think the problem is that each of the councillors is pursuing their own personal agenda and giving scant regard to the impact further down the road (pardon the pun!). Perhaps if the council had had the guts to actually have dialogue their constituents instead of hiding behind Covid as a reason for zero communication then they probably wouldn't find themselves in this mess.