Earl Aelfheah

first mate Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > An unfair and snide response Rahrahrah. If you > cannot block off even more of the high street to > accommodate social distancing then surely the only > other option is to start to ?reclaim? parking on > side streets? It isn?t ?all about me and my car? > it is about finding a reasonable balance. For some > the car is a necessary ?evil?; unfortunately I > fall into that category. I?d love to be in a > position where that was not the case and it must > be wonderful for those (like you?) that can choose > to be car-less. I think we have to prioritise social distancing and saving local businesses right now, even if it means some loss of parking. I don't think this is a thread to talk about the gripes of some drivers, but as you have raised it - I am very much in favour of a 'reasonable balance' in terms of how public space is allocated. The current domination of motor vehicles over almost every public space is not balanced. TFL estimate that around 40% of adults in the borough, have household access to car. There are 3 million licensed vehicles in London with the average car spending 95% of it's time parked (around half of these are 'stored' on the street). A third of journeys are less than 2km. The amount of public space allocated just to cars left parked in the street is equivalent to around 10 Hyde Parks. We allocate very, very little dedicated space to pedestrians, cyclists etc. in comparison.

JohnL Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Oval have actually said who's allowed rather than > who's banned > > https://twitter.com/LambethCyclists/status/1288552 > 299908997123/photo/1 They've got these signs on the Dulwich planters now I believe.

I'm suggesting that the council should ensure that people can follow the social distancing rules when visiting businesses along Lordship Lane. But you know- it's probably all about you and your car.

The rules still state that you should only meet outdoors in a group of up to six people from different households (at least as I understand it).

TheArtfulDogger Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > mr.chicken Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Someone's cut the tubes on the pneumatic car > > counter on Calton avenue. It looks more like a > > deliberate disablement of it rather than kids > > vandalism. > > > > One dulwich supporter? > > Careful, this edges very close to slander Good luck whoever thinks they could bring that case exactly.

Also, this is quite interesting in terms of highlighting the general inefficiency of car use, and why we need to move away from 'hopping in the car' being the default for short journeys: [edited to correct link (although both are interesting imo): ]

Encouraging more people to cycle, walk, or use public transport by dedicating space to these alternative modes of transport should also make driving easier for those who need a car or van. Thought this graphic offers a good illustration of this point (the urban superposition):

@James: Here is a picture from Chesterfield Road of the M&S queue (I will take one of Lordship Lane if I remember, next time I'm there). It worse on LL because of the pavement barrier, but as you can see, even on Chesterfield it is hard to pass the queue maintaining a proper distance.

@James, The queue for M&S often stretches round the corner on to Chesterfield Grove. There is a pedestrian barrier which runs alongside LL, parallel to this queue. The queue is not always present, but at times when it is there is no way that one can pass whilst maintaining the required distance. I'll take some photos tomorrow and post them and you can explain how there is 'no problem'. More generally, why are the council not reclaiming parking / road space, to create room for seating outside cafes, pubs and restaurants, as in many other parts of the Capital? We have a couple of months of potential good weather, where you may be able to help these businesses out if you act quickly and show the same sense of urgency as many other boroughs have.

This explains the situation. https://www.southwarknews.co.uk/news/residents-want-answers-future-dulwichs-old-grove-tavern/ It will eventually be turned in to loads of cheaply built, extremely expensive flats I would imagine.

Barnard castle?

It's the usual developer tactic of buying a place which doesn't have planning permission for residential and then leaving it derelict until the council wave through a change of use application. What should happen, is that they should be made to maintain it or face compulsory purchase. Instead, the council crumble and give them what they want just so they don't have to live with an eye sore.

That is quite incredible. Who the hell keeps a cockerel in a residential area of London? Surely it must be driving the owners batty themselves?!

I was surprised at how many people weren't wearing masks at the Sainsbury's Local the other day. It's a shame as I suspect as time goes on and people see others not bothering, the numbers will increase. Appreciate that some people will have a valid reason, but out of only around 10 peeps in the store at the time, there were 3 or 4 without one.

It would be a shame if it was turned into more flats, rather than kept as a social club / community centre of some kind.

Signed. You've done a great job, it's appreciated.

That's a shame about Tart. I would have thought they could do a good lunch takeaway service with so many home worker, but obviously not. Does anyone know if Oliver Bonas is going to reopen?

Metallic Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > There has been plenty of complaints over the > pedestrian crossing at the base of Calton Avenue > and the danger to anyone using it, going back to > the day it was unveiled. And it cost over half a > million to make it so unusable we now have this > version. people have been injured there in > accidents, and who takes any notice? No one. I'm not defending the previous changes to that junction, they were poorly thought out and didn't help the situation. That said, it was pretty hard work to cross there before then. The new scheme adds a little time to people driving that way, but removes it for people walking (and also makes it much safer).

jane21 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hello Rahrahrah, it took 20 minutes for me to > travel from pickwick to Woodwarde road with > ladders; I am a local business and it is making > life difficult. It will be far worse in early > september. That does seem like a long time. Waze suggests that it should be less than 10 minutes to do that journey, even in rush hour. Perhaps you were unlucky.

The point is that if someone really needs to use their car, this isn't going to stop them. If they're making a short local journey (the type that in many cases could be done by foot or by bike and of which there are a lot), then a few extra minutes may discourage them from hopping in the car.

Rockets Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > And please, do not give me the "it's only a few > minutes extra travel time" as that totally > undermines your stated premise that these closures > are to reduce pollution - what you are saying is > utterly counter-intuitive. It takes cars a little longer and discourages them from cutting through Court Lane or Calton Avenue, whilst making it a little easier, quicker and safer for people walking / cycling to navigate what was previously a challenging junction. The intention is to encourage walking and cycling. The fact that it adds a few minutes to local car journeys also encourages people to think about whether they might walk instead, where it's relatively easy to do so (not for every journey, all the time). How many extra minutes do you think it's added to an average car journey, from Townley Road to Dulwich Village, or Court Lane to the South Circular?

What's more, 'One Dulwich' are arguing to keep restrictions in place during busy times anyway, so it's really only the shorter delays at quiet times that they're objecting to. Less than a few minutes?

How much longer do people honestly think the changes add to an average journey? According to Waze, the longest it takes to get from Townley Road to Dulwich Village (at 17:30), is 5 minutes. In total. it would have taken a few using Calton Avenue previously. Is this really what people are getting upset about? An additional 2 minutes?

A bit of a reality check here. The only change is that from Court Lane or Calton avenue, you have to go round. It's a few more minutes. South circular is often snarled up, that's nothing to do with these changes.

Court lane to dulwich village takes around 6 mins in the car (according to google), yet people denying that the diversion only adds a few minutes at most. How quick was the journey before? The changes are not stopping anyone making essential journeys. Previously it could take several minutes to negotiate the junction as a pedestrian trying to get across from calton avenue, especially if you had mobility issues, or were with young children. Why was no one worrying about the impact on elderly people travelling on foot? The reality is that people don't like having a few minutes added to local car journeys, to make it easier for people to get about by foot or by bike, whilst claiming that they're in favour of reducing car usage.