Earl Aelfheah

We had 3 months for Southwark to prepare the streets for the easing of lockdown. During this time, it would have been easy to extend pavements (as simply as cones and some signs), introduce temporary, segregated cycle lanes and put in some temporary road closures. The window of opportunity has been thoroughly missed. Traffic on Lordship Lane is, this week, back to pre-COVID levels. It is impossible to visit the shops on Lordship Lane and comply with social distancing rules. As a result businesses will suffer and potentially, peoples health will suffer. The slow action by Southwark, when compared Lambeth just next door, is shameful.

Lot of good things happening in Lambeth and Hackney in terms of low traffic neighbourhoods

I don't like CPZs because they just entrench the idea that public space should primarily be used for the purposes of driving and long term car storage. I would prefer that we low traffic neighbourhoods, segregated cycle routes, and a much greater proportion of public space given over to people rather than cars. If we're going to create healthy, happy and sustainable communities at some point we have to stop giving up to 80% of the available public / communal space to motor vehicles.

As we don't have tube stations, cycle superhighways, any of the other London wide dockless bike hire schemes.... as there are no extensions to pavements, or temporary segregated bike lanes... Perhaps we could just get some Santander bikes? I'm not sure whether TFL and Southwark are aware, but we do also pay taxes in the south of the borough.

How about fixing this glaring hole in the provision of Santander bikes?

I hoped that the council might take the opportunity to widen pavements, slow traffic and make Lordship Lane cleaner, safer and more attractive. Certainly if there is any hope of the local shops recovering as the lockdown is eased, then there needs to be room made for social distancing along the Lane. So far though, Southwark seem happy with narrow pavements, multiple pinch-points and speeding cars.

That's a real shame about Next Door

I think most people are happy to have a conversation about race, as long as it's respectful, open and honest... Not on social media of course, that's just a shouting match, but in real life people are pretty reasonable. It's our duty to discuss it imo, to recognise the hurt that many are feeling right now and not to ignore it, or pretend that there isn't an issue.

I am genuinely worried about how quickly we now seem to be moving to 'unlock'. If we relax the 2 m rule (which is largely being ignored already), then social distancing will effectively be over. I was listening to the medical / scientific adviser to the NZ government on the radio and his advice was, strict lock down, coupled with effective track and trace and quarantine for those entering the country for 6-8 weeks (I think - might have the time frame slightly wrong) and we could in his opinion, eradicate the virus. The half measures, partial tracing, kinda lockdown etc. is all a recipe for a second wave. Of course, this is what we ought to have been doing from the beginning, but we are where we are now. I understand that we need to get things moving again, but the oft cited 'public health vs economic damage' narrative represents a totally false dichotomy imo. A second wave will cause a much deeper and longer recession.

Could be young kids. Mine have been known to suddenly decide that they need to go RIGHT NOW!

People who litter should be put in the bin

Or even bring some of the cycle hire schemes to the south of the borough

If the council want to make it easier for people to social distance and support local shops as things start opening up again, then the single most pressing local challenge is along Lordship Lane. Then there is the need to quickly create space outside of schools (which they are taking some action on, but not everywhere). Lastly, they should be looking to create segregated cycle lanes into central London to enable people to get to work, whilst avoiding public transport or having to resort to cars. This could most obviously be done along the 'Southwark Spine' route (so down Crystal palace and Bellenden Road an on northwards). They need to be radical. All they have done so far is to bring forward a few discrete projects they had planned already. Lambeth on the other hand are creating new 'low traffic' neighbourhoods, widening pavements and creating previously unplanned cycle routes. They are acting with urgency. We need much bolder and strategic action.

Rockets Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Everyone knows that these measures have nothing to > do with social distancing, it is wanton > opportunism by the council to circumvent their own > consultation and due-diligence processes (which, > it has to be said, are usually implemented with > the same attitude to democracy, fairness and > balance as a directive from the politburo). > > Take a look at their long list of fast-tracked > programmes throughout the borough, all but a > handful are those that they had in the > consultation system already and have nothing to do > with Covid. > > If these changes cause the problems many suspect > then will have to ensure those who supported them > are held accountable for their actions - but, as > we see so many times with this version of the > Labour party no-one is ever responsible and it is > always someone else's fault. I agree with this. They have accelerated schemes they were planning already, instead of responding to the current crisis. As it happens, I'm not opposed to the former, but I am very disappointed at their failure in respect to the latter.

Lambeth have acting incredibly quickly to bring in new emergency schemes, aimed at enabling social distancing and active travel, in response to COVID-19. They have created several 'low traffic neighbourhoods' in just weeks, extended pavements and put in temporary cycle lanes and road closures. Southwark on the other hand have just accelerated a few schemes which they were pursuing anyway. Nothing new and very little in East Dulwich. It is impossible to shop on Lordship Lane and to keep 2 metres distance from other people - yet they have not widened the pavements, even at the worst pinch points. I don't have a problem with the Melbourne Grove barrier per se, but I do wish that the council would follow Lambeth's lead and take a wider view.

The parties have started already. Blaring music and lots of people in a garden near us. No social distancing going on, but lots of weed smoking. This is going to be a tedious weekend.

Lockdown is done. The government has lost all moral authority. People will hopefully use good judgement but beyond that? I think people will do what they think reasonable (as instructed by the Cabinet) and some will get be sensible and others will get it horribly wrong. But that's what happens when you sweep the rules away to protect one person.

I think the PM and his cabinet have behaved appallingly, but the 'boo for boris' idea is not helpful in my opinion.

Have there been any temporary road closures, pavement extensions or bike lanes put in anywhere in Dulwich to create space for social distancing? People are starting to return to work, the roads are getting busier and the window of opportunity to put in such measures is closing. It becomes much more difficult once traffic levels return to normal.

We really need to follow the example of other cities around the world and urgently reallocate road space to people-focused public space. It?s impossible to pass down Lordship Lane and maintain social distancing rules.

He is demonstrably untrustworthy. At a time of national emergency, you need people to have trust and confidence in the government and the advice it is giving, if they are going to effectively manage the crisis. I'm not sure what you mean by 'fit', but he's not the person I want in charge right now. Still, at least we don't have Trump I guess.

The reality is that this will be short lived. The PM has given out extremely mixed messages and trusted 'British common sense' (a very bad idea indeed). We'll be back in lockdown in just a few weeks time would be my guess.

Southwark need to accelerate pavement widening, road closures and temporary, segregated bike lanes. It's happened in cities all over the world and although it is finally starting in London, the pace is incredibly slow.

Yup, I've seen some outrageous driving, including not one, but two cars going straight through a zebra crossing that i was waiting at with my kids. They didn't even slow down.

The salts will go and the bricks will look fine.