Living on Barry Road

[fabrice7]

I am looking at buying a house on Barry Road and would appreciate any advice on what living on the road is like. Especially like to know what the level of traffic noise is like? thanks

[Nicholas]

I don't actually live on that road but as a local driving instructor I can certainly tell you about the volume of traffic. As the road is almost a mile long, it can be used as a race track at times, and there's a lot of bus routes that go down there, including the infamous bendy buses. If you go back a few threads, there was quite a bit of talk regarding several accidents at some of the junctions at Barry Road. In regards to the houses, they seem fine. Its just common sense that it's a busy road and probably fairly noisy! Any road in East Dulwich is fairly sought after though. Good luck. Hope thats been helpful.

[Vilmos]

We have lived on Barry Road for seventeen years now.

It has always been a busy thoroughfare for traffic, but not excessively so. I rarely have problems parking for instance. There are two bus routes that run along the road. The 197 starts from Peckham and terminates in Croydon, (or the other way around if you prefer) and the number 12 (a Bendy Bus due to be withdrawn and replaced by standard double deckers in November) starts from the top of Barry Road and terminates at Oxford Circus (and vice verca). I find both routes very useful and the buses are quite frequent.

From the top of the road you can catch a No 40 (East Dulwich Library to London Bridge) or a 185 (Lewisham to Victoria) or a 176 to (Penge to Oxford Circus). From the bottom of the road there is a 63 to Kings Cross and a 363 to the Elephant and Castle.

There are two parks you can choose from, both of them quite outstanding. Peckham Park is directly at the bottom of Barry Road and Dulwich Park is a short walk from the top of Barry Road.

The populace of the Road is very mixed. There are ultra wealthy and professional people living cheek by jowl with people who live in council or housing association properties and with people who live in buy to let properties. The road is relatively crime free when compared with other parts of London.

We know our immediate neighbours, but beyond that we know very few people on the road, they do tend to keep themselves to themselves. At our previous location (in London) we knew quite a lot of people along our road and had many friends, but not on Barry Road.

Do I like it here? It is OK because I have a large back garden, but I still miss the friendships I had at my previous location.

[computedshorty]

There were several very large bombs dropped on Barry Road, several near the junction of Barry Road & Etherow Street near the Plough, then more near Underhill Road and behind.

If your purchase is to be near there you might find old hidden damage.

[rbrtdngl]

I live on Barry Road and find the traffic not really to be a problem. If your property has double glazing then you really wont hear much (even better if your bedroom is at the rear). Most of the houses on Barry Road have lovely large gardens that get a great deal of sunshine, a the view to Peckham Rye and the church is very nice too.

[Otta]

I used to live in a flat about half way down (near Halliwell Court flats), and I was in a bedroom at the front. Traffic noise never bothered me at all.

That said, the houses at that part of the road do have big drives, so we were a fair way back from the road.

[hibbs]

Hi

I live on Barry Road and love the location, the road is rather busy but as previously mentioned if your bedroom is located at the rear of the property you wont hear any traffic noise at all.

[Pugwash]

I have lived on Barry Road since 1975 - car parking is a problem unless you have a drive like me. Noisy at times, my daughter who lives in Orpington slept over during the summer in the front bedroom and remarked on the night time noise of police/LAS sirens and flashing lights also night buses.

We know neighbours 3 doors down each side and over the back, plus several people in Barry Road within a 5 - 10 min, walk.

[PhilPhilPhil]

I've lived on Barry Road for 13 (I think) years now. Traffic noise is usually minimal and I think that's helped by a lot of the houses having been built quite a way back from the road. The 12 bus makes my house vibrate a little but it should be fine when it's replaced by a double decker in November. Like a lot of people in the area I've had subsidence so perhaps it's worth trying to find a property that has already been underpinned. It's a nice place to live and I've never regretted moving there. Well maybe a little bit when my subsidence happened and I could suddenly see daylight through a crack in the bedroom wall, but apart from that its been lovely!

[binary_star]

Have lived on Barry Rd for nearly two years, noise from the bus is annoying, especially as the 12 is a 24hr service but there is a stop literally outside our house so I'm sure it's quieter if you don't have one on your front door. Find the neighbours really friendly - talk to neighbours on both sides and know a few others on the street.

Will second the vibrations from buses. Not sure if it's this or subsidence, but we too have cracks in the walls, as do our neighbours.

[treehugger]

I've lived on Barry Road for seven years and really like it. We are within walking distance of Peckham Rye Park and Lordship Lane via North Cross rd. Bus links are great, although the 12 takes ages to get home on from the West End. We have Barry's and HomeMade over the road which is great and the back of the house and garden is very quiet. The front is a bit noisy, but we have double glazing in our bedroom. We do get vibrations from the 12, which is a bit worrying, but are hoping that will go when the new buses come in. We have found people are pretty friendly, although more from those in houses than in the flats, who tend to be a bit more transient.

Having said that in the time we have been here, there has been one murder and one "pretend" murder, which I believe was to scare a drug dealer, within 100 yards of our house...