Rye Lane closed Jan 2019 to Apr 2020

[rollflick]

Rye Lane needs to be closed to replace major gas mains along it and the latest estimate, since the Southwark News report below, is that this will take 60 weeks from January 2019 to April 2020. This will require major excavations and only a pavement for pedestrians past the works is expected to be kept open.

https://www.southwarknews.co.uk/news/rye-lane-gas-network-upgrade-set-to-bring-more-traffic-jams-to-peckham/

A diversion for buses will run via Copeland Road, which will become very congested, meaning more people are likely to drive off East Dulwich Road to cut through the Bellenden Road area. With the main redevelopment of Peckham Rye station starting in spring 2019 and due to continue to autumn 2021, hope somehow the most disruptive bits can happen at the same time. Otherwise there could be 3 years of disruption for buses, cycling and driving from East Dulwich.

[goosey-goosey]

And when will work start on the Southwark Spine, the new north-south cycle route that will run down to and through the Bellenden area? Gridlock beckons.

Thanks for the alert, rollflick.

[rollflick]

Good spot goosey-goosey, seems the council plans to dig up Bellenden, Lyndhurst and a whole host of other roads in 2019 for the Spine. So could not come at a worse time whether you travel by bike, bus or car.

Honestly can't see how the Spine can go ahead as planned now. The council has a legal duty to minimise disruption to the road network by not having multiple streets blocked by road works. Also opening its flagship cycle route at a time when the streets it runs along are gridlocked won't encourage more people to cycle and will damage both Southwark's and the Spine's reputation.

Apparently Transport for London has even refused to let Southwark use its cycle quietway branding for the route as the Spine(less) proposals simply failed to reduce motor traffic or safely separate people cycling. Unfortunately while the proposals were also rejected by a resounding 2/3 of people who responded, they were quietly rubber stamped days before the council shut down for the May elections. Maybe there is a silver lining if this all means the Spine gets a rethink.

[PeckhamRose]

Thanks for posting all this. Whilst it would appear the work does need to be done, I hope that Southwark will see sense and not have this and the station works happening at the same time, yet that does seem to happen a lot! But what came first: The station plans or the gas main improvement plans?

[nunhead_man]

The gas lot (sorry I think I mean something gas networks) have wanted to do this since 2011.

Apparently has now become urgent.

And the gas lot seem to want to send cyclists the same way they are sending all the other traffic possibly resulting in cyclists getting squashed as they make the turn under the bridge on Copeland Road - and that is apart from the right-hand or left-hand turn back onto the main drag to get back onto the canal path.

[PeckhamRose]

Oh come on, the gas company are not out to kill cyclists. They are out to improve a gas network.

[Mick Mac]

PeckhamRose Wrote:

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> Oh come on, the gas company are not out to kill

> cyclists. They are out to improve a gas network.

Well, it's a bit like the Tour de Peckham down Rye Lane at the moment during rush hour, so these cyclists will have to go somewhere and if that includes sharp turns amongst traffic i can see it being dangerous.

[rendelharris]

Before anyone gets too hysterical about this, shall we wait for some facts? The Southwark News report says that "residents fear it could take months" - where does the sixty weeks figure quoted above come from (I've looked all over and can't find any information)? Also the gas company says the work will be done in several phases so it's not as if Rye Lane will be fully closed for a year. It might be awful or it might be slightly inconvenient, but it's not helpful for everyone to create these apocalyptic scenarios (and start shoehorning their own agendas about blocking the Southwark Spine etc) before we have any idea of what the scope or nature of the works will be!

[jimbo1964]

As a cycle commuter I do anything to avoid Rye Lane anyway.

[alex_b]

rollflick Wrote:

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> Unfortunately while the proposals

> were also rejected by a resounding 2/3 of people

> who responded, they were quietly rubber stamped

> days before the council shut down for the May

> elections.

Has this been published somewhere? I thought that the consultation hadn't been responded to formally and no decision had been made?

[rollflick]

Sure, sources as follows:

On 60 week closure, below is an extract of email allegedly from Cllr Richard Livingstone obtained by Southwark Cyclists (SC), also confirmed by Southwark's Traffic Manager on site visit on 11 October 2018 that was attended by them:

"I understand that the closure will be for 60 weeks from January, as Southern Gas Network are having to replace the two gas mains under the street. The pavements will remain open to pedestrians and SGN will compensate businesses for any loss of earnings. SGN first approached the council about doing this in 2011. There has been discourse between the council and them since that time and it is clear that the council could not justify putting the work off for longer.

A diversion along Copeland Road to the east of Rye Lane has been identified and this will be signposted and advertised.

I have asked officers to put in place a second route for cyclists to the west of Rye Lane and for this to be signposted. Whilst I don?t mind cars having to take a longer route around Rye Lane, I think it would be unfair for cyclists travelling north-westwards to not have a quicker option.

Regards

Councillor Richard Livingstone"

alex_b, Spine route proposals consultation showing only 28% of respondents in favour can be found here: https://consultations.southwark.gov.uk/environment-leisure/eastdulwichtopeckham/

There is still the statutory stage of publishing traffic orders in 'late 2018' to go through but that's normally just a formality.

In terms of closure yes you're absolutely right Rendelharris that the whole of Rye Lane won't be closed, it will be a rolling closure but that still means larger vehicles in particular all the buses will need to go round via Copeland Road during the whole duration of works. The problem for cycling is that the streets to the west are some of the least intuitive to navigate in the borough due to the mix of one-ways and diagonals. Southwark Cyclists are proposing permeability improvements to make it easier for people cycling to skirt round the blocked bit of Rye Lane to the west. That would also reduce the pressure on Copeland, helping bus users & drivers. For what it's worth all cycling groups objected to the current plans for the Spine, preferring the previous plan to remove the Bellenden gyratory that by comparison received a majority of consultees in favour.

[Siduhe]

The rolling closures of Rye Lane when they did the water/sewer pipes a couple of years ago were awful, traffic regularly backed up, buses terminated after just a few stops travelled, and not helped by the fact that there are huge numbers of regular deliveries that need to take place to the front of the shops there (as there is no back access or place to deliver). This sounds like a bigger project. Not really looking forward to it.

[malumbu]

One of my favourite subjects. With all the current road works,the large amount of parking on double yellows (no enforcement) amd deliveries during normal day time will we notice? a favourite gripe of mine.

[Annasfield]

jimbo1964 Wrote:

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> As a cycle commuter I do anything to avoid Rye

> Lane anyway.

It?s not too bad if you?re there before 7.15. Although the amount of traffic lights at the moment are a bit ridiculous.

[Sally Eva]

Rye Lane closure: Exhibition and drop in at Rye Lane Chapel in Rye Lane (near Primark) on November 1st 4-7pm. Loads of detail of bus diversions etc. This is being organised by Southern Gas Networks. There will also be details of the rolling programme of works.

Full discussion at Peckham and Nunhead Community Council on Weds November 14th. Meeting at Harris Academy(112 Peckham Road SE15 5DZ) starts at 7pm

work to start Monday Jan 7th 2019 and last 13mths.

https://southwarkcyclists.org.uk/rye-lane-to-close-from-january-7th/

[JohnL]

We already seem to have works on Rye Lane at multiple places.