Dangerous junction ( Peckham Rye and East Dulwich Road)

[el-torcho]

Does anyone else have a problem with the junction of Peckham Rye and East Dulwich Road? Nearly everytime I try to turn right onto Peckham Rye from East Dulwich Road, someone goes through the red light. There is barely enough time for 2 cars to make the right turn before the lights change as there is very little delay and no filter light. Then you're prevented from turning by the inevitable light jumper. There was a fatality on that junction quite recently and it needs looking at.

[DJKillaQueen]

It is being looked at. The junction is part of the rolling two year tfl funding programme for road improvements and consultation started a year ago.

[Gidget]

Yes. I go out of my way to avoid. Never turn right there anymore. It is heart in the mouth time and I found it unbearable. So glad it is being looked at.

[TheWinglessBird]

I very rarely have a reason to use this crossing, but last month I used it alot & had a different problem; Every time I crossed, a car would stop, smack in the middle of the crossing, at the green light!! The drivers looked oblivious, as if they hadn't a clue. It was such a silly sight, & I had to walk around it to get to the other side. lol.

[PeckhamRose]

This has been a problem since the lights were put in years ago. We begged for filter lights at least or small roundabout. I organised a big presentation with signatures years ago and was ignored.

[Reuben]

Yes it's a loathsome junction, quite the worst I've ever had to use regularly. Am not sure how a simple crossroads with half the turns forbidden manages to be so bad.

Hadn't heard about any recent accidents there but I often think it's a miracle there's not more.

[James Barber]

Hi Reuben,

They havent enttered 2011 data yet as problably still not released but have a look via www.crashmap.co.uk at this junction.

Really shows that this junction needs some major improvements in crash rates.

[DJKillaQueen]

And you know as well as I James that the council have recognised the junction needs improvements and as a reuslt it IS part of the TFL roadscheme funding for the current session.

[poppy]

There seem to be regular threads about this junction, and every time we are told that the council/TfL are aware that it is dangerous and that it is being "looked at". Can anyone (maybe James Barber or DJKillaQueen) cast any light on when they will stop looking at it and start actually doing something?? It sounds as though improving this junction has been in the pipeline for years.

[DJKillaQueen]

TFL fund road improvement schemes on a two year rolling basis. So that basically means the council comes up with a selection of schemes it can apply for funding for every two years. This junction is definitely part of the current bid, along with other junctions around the park. I know this from meetings I attended last year.

Some road improvements that were also part of the current bid have already started work but I don't know if they are being funded by tfl or not. It is very easy though to email southwark's Principal Transport Planner, Simon Philips if you want to know anything Poppy. He'll be able to give an update on any planned works.

[James Barber]

hi DJKillaQueen,

I know which is why I've also stated that. I thought it was illuminating to see quite how many crashes there compared to eslewhere.

Hi Poppy,

Next financial year starting 1 April.

[DJKillaQueen]

Yes the accident data is pretty compelling.

Here are the minutes of the CC meeting in 2010 where the planned schemes were introduced.....

CC Minutes

[fleur]

I can't understand why there isn't a filter to turn right from East Dulwich road up Peckham Rye.What's the reason ? It is crazy how people accelerate at the change of lights to get across. Sometimes,when not in the mood, I go a different way to avoid turning there.

[DJKillaQueen]

I think it will be part of the new plan. The problem with this junction is the weight of traffic and pedestrians using it. The addition of filtering will mean all drivers and pedestrians will wait longer to get through/accross the junction but it should help traffic turning right to do so safely.

The junction has had many changes over the years. Removing the ability to turn right apart from travelling east for example is one change. The addition of bus lanes is another. Much poor driving through the junction emanates from drivers impatience and unwillingness to follow the rules of the junction and no amount of tinkering I think will stop that. I personally think that at peak hours this jucntion has over reached capacity and solutions are limited.

[ontheRye]

Major problem is tailgating drivers travelling west on E Dulwich rd - put a junction camera in?

East bound filter is a must and like many others I don't understand why it's not been actioned before now

Like Fleur above, I avoid now at busy times

[Fenton]

It might be a busy junction but there are far busier junctions around with less space that work well enough.

A bit of traffic light re-phasing and a turn right filter arrow is all that is needed. Failing that a roundabout

would fix the problem, obviously at a higher cost.

[nunhead_man]

I use this junction to turn right.

Experience shows that if there are more than two cars or one 484 already across the line turning right then the right thing to do is to stop at the stop line (not in the bike advance stop box!!) and wait for the next green light.

However I wish more people did this!

[poppy]

Thanks DJKillaQueen and James! Good to know that something is being planned.

[PeckhamRose]

nunhead_man it is dangerous to wait sometimes because i have seen where a car correctly waited when the light turned red and got bumped by the impatient driver of the car behind. There is so much traffic coming from the Nunhead side specially since the roads got closed off at Waveney Road and Forresters Road (so-called rat runs) they are all forced to stay on that main road to turn left up Peckham Rye SE15 side.

[el-torcho]

Another danger arises from buses turning right onto Peckham Rye from the Nunhead side. They block your view of the oncoming traffic so you don't know whether the cars have stopped at the light or not. By the time the bus has turned and you can see properly, the traffic starts to advance from the side and you're trapped in the middle of the junction. Unfortunately, a filter light alone won't stop cars jumping the lights, it would probably take a camera to do that.

[PeckhamRose]

Yay more cameras!

[pablogrande]

I don't think there needs to be a filter. If the timings were altered to change to red for traffic from nunhead to ED and stayed green for traffic travelling in the other direction ten seconds or so a couple of cars could turn right I don't see why that couldn't be done straight away

A big problem is also people swapping lanes at last minute when they realise that the bus in front is turning right which is usually because the buses don't indicate early enough

[Me'mate'Dave]

Agreed, it's almost as if the lights stay green for 3 or 4 seconds longer for traffic coming from Nunhead, surely not all the time, every driver coming from that direction jumps the lights? Does anyone know if this isn't the case?

My hearts in my mouth everytime I need to turn right onto Peckham Rye from East Dulwich Road

Absolute NIGHTMARE junction

[Big D]

Turning right out of barry Rd is difficult too and with Upland Rd closed off Forest hill will soon be a no-go area from ED

[trizza]

I use this junction daily. My experiences are:

- Traffic from East Dulwich Road (both from Nunhead and ED) routinely jump the lights (whether turning right or otherwise). Even buses do this.

- When busy it's impossible to turn right onto Peckham Rye from East Dulwich Road without either: a) being at the front of the lights and engaging "sport mode"; or b) jumping the lights.

The junction is so busy that i'm not sure a roundabout (without lights) would really work.

I think the only option is a right filter and installation of traffic light cameras - I am anti speed cameras, but think this is really the only way of preventing people jumping the lights.