Cox's Walk

[AllisonAdler]

Is locked at the bottom. Since work can't begin on the bridge until sometime after 10 January, this seems rather ill-advised. People are being forced to walk along the most polluted road in all of London. Cox's Walk is also the only lighted, safe, wooded area to walk on dark winter afternoons, so shutting it is very unfortunate indeed, especially in these times.

[Sue]

AllisonAdler Wrote:

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> Is locked at the bottom. Since work can't begin on

> the bridge until sometime after 10 January, this

> seems rather ill-advised. People are being forced

> to walk along the most polluted road in all of

> London. Cox's Walk is also the only lighted, safe,

> wooded area to walk on dark winter afternoons, so

> shutting it is very unfortunate indeed, especially

> i these times.

I don't disagree with your main point, but "the most polluted road in all of London"? Even if it was (do you have evidence?) there is a lot less traffic about at the moment, for obvious reasons.

And surely people have to walk along the main road in order to get to or from the bottom of Cox's Walk anyway?

[AllisonAdler]

The Mayor's Office has decided to extend the ULEZ Zone because the South Circular is so polluted (lots of studies around and about online talking about that), and the same road has been found to be so polluted that it contributed to a young girl's death:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-55352247

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/16/girls-death-contributed-to-by-air-pollution-coroner-rules-in-landmark-case

You only have to cross it briefly for most of the routes I would normally take, but with the bridge closure, I've been spending quite a lot of time everyday on it, and will have to spend even more now with the closure at the bottom. There is slightly less traffic, but really only slightly less. I can say with certainty that the pollution levels are still so high that it's actually quite uncomfortable to take in the air along it (goodness knows what it's doing to one's lungs).

[chickenteeka]

If anyone finds out when they will open Cox

S Walk again I would really appreciate knowing thank you.

[malumbu]

Please stop using pollution to justify every thing. Air quality has been improving since the 1950s. Extension of the ULEZ is to address pollution in the inner London boroughs, by reducing the number of older vehicles which have less of the pollution reducing technology and is not specific to the South Circular. Oxford Street (where Westminster long since held out against making these vehicle free) and Marylebone Road/Euston Road have long been known as some of the most polluted roads. It's as if pollution and congestion have only existed since 2020.

The question of when is Cox's walk going to be open is a good one, stick to that.

[AllisonAdler]

I find it baffling that people take issue with my saying that those of us who normally walk through Cox's Walk to avoid the South Circular will be exposed to quite a bit more to pollution while it is closed off.

[decca]

Yes ditto. Can someone confirm that access to Sydenham Hill Woods is blocked ?

Would seem like a remarkably dumb thing to do and surely must be some form of wind-up

If so why and by who?s authority. It?s a public footpath leading to extremely important local resource I.e the woods

I was there yesterday and it was open as usual and as it has been for the whole of last year.

[Turfite]

Yes the gate at the entrance to Cox's Walk, opposite the ex-Grove Tavern, was certainly locked earlier this morning when I tried to go that way. There was a hefty padlock on the gate itself and some high metal barriers behind the gate. Also a new notice to say that the walk was closed, but no explanation for this action. What is going on?

[malumbu]

It's not that you wish to avoid emissions from cars. This is a sensible thing. It is about that many of you have only been banging on about pollution in the last few months. I've been reducing my carbon footprint and emissions for decades, but don't feel the need to bang on about it, despite being the hero I am yet never getting a civil award. Nor am I a NIMBY or hypocrite like some, that is not an accusation against the original poster, on this thread. Funnily enough I've also worked on consumer protection, the environment and the like for the majority of my career. Not for a local authority before I get accused of that. In fact perhaps others could start a petition for said civil honour that I have missed out on.

[Abe_froeman]

This thread is about Cox's walk, not about how virtuous you consider yourself.

[AnotherPaul]

A good but unlikely reason to lock gates would be that it?s a reaction to NYE revellers setting a fire, munching edibles and leaving behind their rubbish including Cider cans and tofu packaging. Tofu packaging!!!

Dulwich, 2020.

[KidKruger]

Fair point, people have been taking the piss in the woods - there are fairly regular get-together in them woods.

[AnotherPaul]

Abe_froeman Wrote:

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> This thread is about Cox's walk, not about how

> virtuous you consider yourself.

Maybe it?s about both?

Although reducing ones ?Carbon footprint for decades? is a phrase both up itself and a anachronistic - BP invented carbon footprints in the mid 90s to make us feel like climate change is our fault when clearly it?s theirs.

[decca]

Presumably this is linked to the application to cut down the oaks trees further up and the campaign to stop this happening. I can remember Helen Hayes MP and one of the councillors saying on social media that this had all been sorted. Is there any reasonably competent council official that can advise and better still help resolve ?. If a padlock can?t be sorted out then haven?t got much faith with regards bigger issues like health, jobs, schools etc. Find it insulting/incompetent that someone (presumably paid by our council tax)would block access without any justification/communication. Things like access to public open spaces always important but particularly so in middle of lockdown where options limited. End of rant but just to say a big thank you to the campaigners (not paid by our council tax)who have been a much better source of information with obvious objective of preventing trees being cut down.

[alice]

If there?s no sign to say otherwise perhaps this locked gate is not council work. It?s blocking public access to public route. Who?s got bolt cutters?

[Sue]

Is it only this entrance to the woods which is locked?

[chickenteeka]

Must be in preparation for felling the trees, Dulwich Estate might have the answer.

[alice]

No

[Sue]

alice Wrote:

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> No

Not sure what this is in answer to.

If to my post above, are other/all entrances to the woods locked?

If so, AnotherPaul may be right?

[chickenteeka]

I didn?t see any evidence

On NYD day of this

[alice]

It is more than a locked gate there?s barriers and info. Council action.

Ps Sue yes it was a reply to your post. People still coming down and there?s a squeezable exit.

[Jules-and-Boo]

We saw the bridge completely shut off but you could get to the woods over to Dulwich side by the gate at the bottom of cox?s path

[AllisonAdler]

I really don't think it's the Council--apparently the Wood Crescent gate has also been padlocked, which has nothing to do with the current Council plans. It also wouldn't have anything to do with NYE revellers as it was all locked on the morning of 2 January, not before (I'm there everyday). I think it's rogue action as we had at the kissing gate in March, so, anyone with lock cutters might want to sally forth and help us all out (or in).

[Sue]

There is a contact number and email address at the bottom of this website:

https://www.wildlondon.org.uk/nature-reserves/sydenham-hill-wood-and-coxs-walk

I don't think people should be taking matters into their own hands.

There is a very dedicated team associated with the woods. I recently "went" to a Zoom talk by one of them about the history of the woods.

[NewWave]

AllisonAdler Wrote:

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> I really don't think it's the Council--apparently

> the Wood Crescent gate has also been padlocked,

> which has nothing to do with the current Council

> plans. It also wouldn't have anything to do with

> NYE revellers as it was all locked on the morning

> of 2 January, not before (I'm there everyday). I

> think it's rogue action as we had at the kissing

> gate in March, so, anyone with lock cutters might

> want to sally forth and help us all out (or in).

does this mean that all entrances and exits to the woods are closed?

They're where I go to recharge and decompress on my days off work-because I've been working I haven't been since wednesday.

I'll be heartbroken if they've been closed to the public-please advise and let me if theres somewhere I can protest against this.