Painted bollards on Forest Hill road

[Nicholas]

messageRe: Painted bollards on Forest Hill road

Posted by: dbboy July 13, 01:48PM

They look hideous as does the "old" EDF sub station by the bus stop.

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"Hideous" in your opinion, but still a massive improvement as my business (Nichols Driving Academy) is directly opposite it. Personally, i'm not keen on the painted bollards but I think the pavements around the sub station could do with a smartening up. The only thing i'm worried about is graffitti. It would be a shame for all that time and effort to be wasted. The bins along the sub station are being painted too, which is a nice touch. I just wish that some people wouldn't dump their rubbish there. But hands up to the council, at least there trying.

[DulwichFox]

The Council could spend there money on better things.

Like fixing some of the Many Broken Paving-stones, which are a real Trip Hazard.

[alice]

still want to know...how much?

[Siduhe]

alice Wrote:

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> still want to know...how much?

A quick google shows the entire CGS funding was ?20,000 but there's no breakdown of the individual items:

We were delighted to learn at tonight's community council that ?20,000 'Cleaner , Greener, Safer' money has been allocated to tidy up and improve Forest Hill Road between St Aidans Road and Ryedale.

Victoria submitted an application for this scheme based on suggestions made by a number of local people. Thanks to all those people who added their names to the petition to improve Forest Hill Road - the strength of community feeling that was made so clear helped to secure this cash.

If you didn't read the earlier post about Victoria's bid, these are some of the highlights of the work which will now be carried out:-

- the street will be tidied and payments repaired

- the old rusty bollards will be replaced

- proper designated areas will be created for bins

- some planting

- And finally, if there's enough cash, the electrical sub-station between Dunstans Road and St Aidens's Road will be repainted and the bench repaired.

[neilson99]

"The bollard painting has been put on hold (rather than cancelled) because Forest Hill Road is going to be the subject of ?400K improvements over 2011/12 and 2012/13 (TfL money) and this might make other improvements to the pavement area outside the shops."

?400k improvements? What the heck are they going to do for that money? Is this what is meant by the saying that London's streets are paved with gold.

I hope, tho suspect not, that it will be more than just replacing the pavements - and widening them in the process. We get along just fine with the pavements as they are, really is there any need?

Wouldn't a better use of the money would be to cover the rent in the premises that are vacant and encourage some local entrepeneurs to set up there for 12 months or so, rent free? That would be some kind of sustainable long term benefit for the community, rather than just another round of pavement widening and road sign clutter.

[toast]

Neilson99, do you actually live by this area? It clearly needs work. Why on earth would people be against improving their area, it could become a really nice part of se22. These improvements would attract business surely.

[PeterVenkman]

Personally, I'm a big fan. I live on Ryedale and pass the bollards and catch the bus at the sub-station each day. The scheme is colourful and vibrant and has a naturistic theme. Prior to painting - the the sub-station was a cheap masonry paint rouge and the bollards were unfinished primer.

The artwork helps brings a welcome individuality to this short stretch. Let the Public Realm Officer loose with ?400k and 15-20% (?60k-?80k) will go on external 'professional fees and consultancy'. Happy with your tax being spent like that? It certainly puts the ?20k into perspective.

The Southwark Council Mural Project conveys a community-centric feel and I agree with a forumites who have suggested this is something that could be expanded to include the contributions of schools and business owners. (I would like to see a red and white striped bollard outside of the barbers!)

I would be interested to know how the businesses feel about it and it is encouraging to hear owners like Nicholas Driving Academy responding positively.

I don't know what the objectors would like to see but I can tell you that the majority of street furniture procured by Local Authorities and specifiers on a budget is lifeless, un-inspired and tends to come in a matt black or brushed stainless steel "for a modern and sleek" finish. Bollards are protection measures and not required to be high visibility. If they were, the finish would be LED illuminated and Scotch3M reflective bands - very nice.

Couple that with the poor choice of paving finishes, new parking restrictions, a Buck Rogers bus-stop and further highways alterations for good measure and I anticipate that there will be much regret over encouraging the demise of the twatty boho-chic contemporary street art. For the classicists, I expect there will be no victorian canopy revivals or ornate cast iron furniture - bolstered with vandal and theft resistant measures.

I have been in this area not for ages, but long enough to have witnessed a general uplift in the mood and feeling of the stretch that has been brought about by the businesses who have made an initial investment, worked hard to create success and have then further invested in the external appearance of their properties and business. This in my mind is what has created the most significant positive social and visual impact to the stretch and is probably the catalyst for attracting the attention of Southwark Council.

I'm cynical with regards to its motivation for stalling an endearing scheme of modest cost already well underway and superseding it with an external landscape architect and/or town planning consultants fee-earning wet dream.

[neilson99]

Hi toast yes i live on Colyton for 18 months and lived onm Ryedale for 23 years so know it well thanks. I'm not saying it doesn't need some investment, if there is 400K to be spent then great I just think that there must be a better, more imaginative and sustainable ways of improving the area than by putting in new pavements and painting some bollards and an old substation to make the place look like we've been invaded by left over props from the telly tubbies! (or twatty boho - chich!)

[Renata Hamvas]

Hello everyone,

the next big project on Forest Hill Rd is looking at the road between the junction with Colyton Rd and the border with Lewisham just over the top of the hill (I think this is the 400k mentioned above!). This road has issues with crossing points, junctions, parking, bottle necks and stretches with speeding. This is why no decision was taken about the traffic lights at the Forest Hill Rd/Colyton Rd junction as it's within the stretch that will be rejigged. As well as differing opinions on those lights and issues with rat-running to circumvent them, there are issues with the Brenchley Gardens and Wood Vale junctions and at the top of the hill by St Francesca Cabrini Primary School.

Renata

[Medley]

Bollards and sub-station - totally agree with poster above saying they're an improvement. Ideal? No. Better? Yes.

400k - I've been told FHR will get some kind of speed control. That's long overdue in my view. Presumably Cllr. Hamvas' post shows this is part of this 400k, which sounds promising - just so long as it's not wasted on rubbish like the Shortest Cycle Lane In The World, to be observed by the Academy on Peckham Rye....

[Renata Hamvas]

Yes Medley! There will be consultation on this and when I know more I will post.

Renata:)

[dbboy]

FHR already has three sets of traffic lights between the Woodvale and Colyton Road junctions, anymore traffic slowing measures will bring traffic to a total standstill on that stretch road. The temporary traffic lights at the junction of Colyton road since they were installed slowed traffic reduced traffic flows going North in the morning and south in the evening to a crawl, meaning travellers have had to allow more time to compensate for the delays caused. The amount of passengers time being wasted by this set of lights is ridiculous. The SOONER these are removed and the original zebra crossing is re-instated the better. Traffic can then start moving more freely AGAIN.

[Medley]

FHR already has three sets of traffic lights between the Woodvale and Colyton Road junctions, anymore traffic slowing measures will bring traffic to a total standstill on that stretch road

As someone who lives on the corner of Mundania and FHR, let me tell you this is complete rubbish. Traffic reaches quite insane speeds north and southbound on FHR, particularly outside rush hour.

[henryb]

I agree with that. I regularly see cars travelling at what I would guess to be getting close to 50. Crossing the road is very dangerous as it is hard to predict how much distance you need. A young adult can run the gauntlet but if you have kids in toe it is very difficult.

Love the bollards and substation they cheer up the area no end. More local art groups improving the area is very welcome.

[fleur]

I agree completely with dboy. The traffic has slowed greatly since the "temporary lights" were installed at Colyton Road.

Cars try to speed down from the dangerous Woodvale Junction,one that I crossed daily,onfoot, to and from Fairlawn School for many years.This area at the top of Forest Hill Road really needs looking at.

I think the area along by the Co op will never be tidied up until the problems with the old two trees site and the corner shop are sorted out.

[trizza]

It is a quick road (particulary downhill...) outside of peak hours, but traffic slows substantially as you approach the parade of shops. Southwark simply love speed humps (http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23808783-southwark-council-pays-pound-1000-for-speed-hump-in-cul-de-sac.do) so will probably want to riddle FH road with them - TFL may have something to say about that given the number of buses that use the road.

Can't see the need for more traffic lights... maybe a couple of 30mph speed cameras?

[dbboy]

Southwark Council installed two unnecessary "large" speed humps earlier this year adjacent to the Peckham Rye and Barry Road junction, these again reduce traffic speeds. It seems Southwark Council would much prefer horse drawn carrage speeds which in these modern times due to the amount of cars on the road are no longer relevant.

[Medley]

Average traffic speeds in both inner and outer London are scarcely above that of the horse drawn carriage - being 8mph and 12mph respectively, I think.

That's how I'm quicker on a pushbike to work than I ever would be in a car.

No amount of making roads which are unsuitable for high speed traffic more conducive to fast driving will change those averages - London just does not have the infrastructure for this and never will have.

dbboy Wrote:

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> Southwark Council installed two unnecessary

> "large" speed humps earlier this year adjacent to

> the Peckham Rye and Barry Road junction, these

> again reduce traffic speeds. It seems Southwark

> Council would much prefer horse drawn carrage

> speeds which in these modern times due to the

> amount of cars on the road are no longer relevant.

[duffy10]

Just wondering how the designs for the sub station and bollards were selected and by whom.

[jctg]

duffy10 Wrote:

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> Just wondering how the designs for the sub station

> and bollards were selected and by whom.

Members of the council and other interested parties gathered one evening and after taking a few tabs of acid and listening to some Ozric Tentacles albums decided on the current designs.

[kabekay]

Ooh, will the 400K TFL project take into account any possibility of extending the 63 route up the hill? I dream daily of it going as far as the overground station at Honor Oak. What with the bus saying Honor Oak on the front of it and all...

[dbboy]

Funny you should say that, as it seems the 172 has been doing tests on the route from Brockley Rise up and over the hill into town, so keep your eyes peeled

[neilson99]

Great idea! Not only would it improve public transport, but a double decker crawling up and down the hill each way would slow down traffic as well! Two birds with one stone!

[neilson99]

Just another thought...if some one went along in the night and painted the substation with red masonary paint, would they get done for graffiti????

[Medley]

But the 63 does go to Honor Oak. It just doesn't go to Honor Oak PARK.

Honor Oak station used to be just a few yards from the 63's final stop.

kabekay Wrote:

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> Ooh, will the 400K TFL project take into account

> any possibility of extending the 63 route up the

> hill? I dream daily of it going as far as the

> overground station at Honor Oak. What with the bus

> saying Honor Oak on the front of it and all...