Forest Hill Road/Colyton Road Roadworks

[spanglysteve]

Girl82 Wrote:

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> Argh - so we have to suffer this for over another

> week? PLEASE tell me there are no more works

> planned after March 15th. I and many other

> residents are at the end of our tether.

Dont worry, I'm sure this will be the last of the works. By the time they are finished it will be April so the Council will be past its annual "sh*t-its-March-and-we-have-not-spent-all-our-budget-so-lets-just-splurge-it-all-on-completely-unnecessary-expensive-projects-that-represent-no-value-for-money" mode.

[neilson99]

Thanks Renata.

It's a shame that FM Conway don't have the desire to come on to the forum of their own volition and explain this themselves rather than use you as a postbox for their empty explanations of their incompetence. It wouldnt have been difficult for them to do so.

Anyway, it appears that they sent some people some information and some people no information. No one received all the information, so their confidence in them being sure the works will complete next week is a little bit hollow.

It's beyond me how you can close off a road, dig it up, park your machinery outside people's houses through the night and have no thought that you might actually let the people who live there know. Even a simple door knocking exercise would've been good, and probably engendered some good will.

Renata, perhaps you could explain whether Southwark Council/TFL require it's contractors to communicate with those it effects during the course of the works? And if so, how? What guidelines are in place? It would be useful to understand what the no doubt highly paid Communications team at the Council actually do all day if they can't even get these absolute basics right.

I'd also echo spanglysteve's request for clarity on what penalties will be imposed on the contractor - and what will happen to the revenue that is received - perhaps allocated to the works at the actually quite dangerous top of FHR near Cabrini that TonyQuinn has highlighted.

Thanks

Renata Hamvas Wrote:

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> Hello all,

> I have received the letter (see below) which in

> summary says that unfortunately the works won't be

> completed by tomorrow but by next Friday, 15th.

>

> Following my complaint, I believe that letters

> were distributed to St Aidan's on Tuesday (Thanks

> to the St Aidan's Rd Residents who contacted me).

> The information on the planned distribution that I

> now have, indicates that letters were due to go to

> the part of St Aidan's Rd nearest to Forest Hill

> Rd in the initial distribution (and sections

> nearest to Forest Hill Road of all roads feeding

> into Forest Hill Road).

>

> Renata

>

>

>

> Dear Cllrs,

>

>

>

> Ref: Update on Forest Hill Rd/Colyton Rd junction

> Highways Improvement works

>

>

>

> We have noticed that there have been comments on

> East Dulwich forum (EDF) relating to works at

> Forest Hill/Colyton Rd junction

>

>

>

> I would like to update you on progress so far:

>

>

>

> ? Transport for London (TfL) signal

> installation contractor (PEEK) is currently on

> site installing the new traffic lights.

>

> ? TfL informs us that that new lights will

> be ready for commissioning next week, hopefully by

> Friday 15 March.

>

> ? We have noticed some concerns on EDF in

> relation to delay to our work programme. The

> letter sent to residents only showed programme for

> FM Conway works and mistakenly did not include

> duration of works for signal installation by TfL,

> which normally follows after Conway civil works.

> This lack of information on the notification

> letter may have caused the misunderstanding and we

> apologies for this. We are confident that the

> works will be completed next week as mentioned

> above.

[puzzled]

I note with gloom that my route to avoid the colyton mess has been blocked by another bunch of workmen digging up the lights at the end of homestall road and introducing the delights of four-way phasing. thanks southwark yet again for making life that little bit more miserable. couldn't you have waited until the colyton cock up was cleared?

[the-e-dealer]

Are there lights in homedtall to dig up"

[ED118Mike]

The whole exercise is a shambles. Last week they closed Dunstans Rd to traficc at the crossing with Forest Hill Rd and instead of putting the "RD Closed" notice at the crossing of Underhill Rd with Dunstans Rd, the contractors just didn't bother and the cars were coming all the way down Dunstans Rd and then had to do three point turnings! How silly can you be!!!

When I complained to the contractors the day after that, I only got half baked answers from them.

They were working during nights last week and making a tremendous amount of noise plus all the disruption as above.

Who is in charge of these works??? A jobsworth no doubt!! So many of those about ...

Please Renata or whoever, do something about it, we pay council tax!!

[edhistory]

miguel Wrote:

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>

> Who is in charge of these works??? A jobsworth no

> doubt!! So many of those about ...

>

Possibly:

http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/paul-cerexhe/34/172/2bb

If not, he will know who is.

John K

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi all,

I agree that communication over these works has had a lot to be desired! (I think I'm not council officers favourite person at the moment as I have been raising all your complaints about these works). Currently, TFL contracted works are going on. In theory all works at this junction are scheduled to be completed by the end of this week. They were actually timetabled to be finished by the end of this week, but the literature was inaccurate, stating that works would be completed by the end of last week; it was the resurfacing part that was due to be completed by the end of last week.

I can't retrospectively sort out the communication issues that occurred in relation to these works. However, for future works, Councillors will be notified where letters are due to go out to, so that we can say if we are happy with this (or not) and also be able to check if this occurs in practice.

Renata

[James Barber]

They promised that when my lot ran the council as well - after a debacle on Melbourne Grove.

[the-e-dealer]

Lets see if they take 'this lot' seriously.

[puzzled]

this afternoon I drove to the end of colyton road. the lovely new lights were all in darkness, useless, out of order. amazingly all the traffic managed to negotiate the junction without any problems. waste of out money

[the-e-dealer]

They need to be wired in by TFL's Traffic Light team alas it has always been so.

As long as the silly 4 way working has gone in BOTH places I will be happy.

[puzzled]

they have been wired in by tfl's eager beaver team but one of them told me there was a fault. but it all worked swimmingly for traffic without their assistance.

[spanglysteve]

Does this mean the bus stop is now open?

[neilson99]

Wooh! When is the grand offcial opening? I'm hoping for at least Boris, Mr Conway himself and the Green Cross code man. And hopefully some black armbands will be handed out to mark the passing of the dutiful but under performing and deadly old temporary beasts - how on earth did we ever manage with them, not to mention the shiny new Tarmac. Worth every penny I'm sure.

Anyone take a bet on how long it'll be until the next FHR works?

[spanglysteve]

Renata,

Today when using this junction, I noticed that while the north/south traffic goes at the same time, the est/west traffic continues to be separated.

I thought the East/west phase was only split as part of the "temporary" phasing.

So it would appear that after all this disruption, and who knows how much money we have been left with essentially exactly the same as what we had before. Yet more indication that the only point of these works was to spend surplus budget before the year end.

This entire incident has been farce from start to end with blame equally shared between the council and the contractors. I look forward to not voting for you in 2014.

[the-e-dealer]

Yes the East west separate phases was for the big water lorrys.

[neilson99]

But spangly, that would enable allow two lanes of traffic to move forwards at the same time, thereby improving the flow of traffic and reducing journey times(by bike, car and bus) which one must assume is contra to Southwark/TFL transport policy

spanglysteve Wrote:

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> Renata,

>

> Today when using this junction, I noticed that

> while the north/south traffic goes at the same

> time, the est/west traffic continues to be

> separated.

>

> I thought the East/west phase was only split as

> part of the "temporary" phasing.

>

> So it would appear that after all this disruption,

> and who knows how much money we have been left

> with essentially exactly the same as what we had

> before. Yet more indication that the only point

> of these works was to spend surplus budget before

> the year end.

>

> This entire incident has been farce from start to

> end with blame equally shared between the council

> and the contractors. I look forward to not voting

> for you in 2014.

[the-e-dealer]

Cockup!

[sunnysideup]

Dear Whoever is responsible for this work.

What a complete balls up!

A little feedback from a pedestrians point of view:

1. The "green man" is on for approx 3 seconds. Nowhere near enough time for a grown adult to cross the road, let alone the elderly or young. Completely idiotic.

2. No audible bleep to indicate that it's safe to cross. A basic requirement of any new system surely???

3. Green man signal confusing/hard to detect from some vantage points. At most crossings, the Green Man is ahead of, and above one's eyeline, here they are at waist level so nobody notices it.

4. It seems like two sets of North/South traffic is allowed to flow between each pedestrian request. WHY?

In short, the situation is miles worse than before they started.

Utter RUBBISH.

Please ask council to re-configure the timings asap.

[Burbage]

sunnysideup Wrote:

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> 1. The "green man" is on for approx 3 seconds.

> Nowhere near enough time for a grown adult to

> cross the road, let alone the elderly or young.

> Completely idiotic.

To be fair, this is what they mean by making them compliant with guidelines.

> 2. No audible bleep to indicate that it's safe to

> cross. A basic requirement of any new system

> surely???

This means that they never have to stop all the motor traffic at once, meaning that, to cross to adjacent corners, for example, pedestrians have to wait twice. It's contemptible, disrepectful, abusive and dangerous, but it smooths motoro traffic flows.

> 3. Green man signal confusing/hard to detect from

> some vantage points. At most crossings, the Green

> Man is ahead of, and above one's eyeline, here

> they are at waist level so nobody notices it.

They're cheaper, though.

> 4. It seems like two sets of North/South traffic

> is allowed to flow between each pedestrian

> request. WHY?

In general, pedestrians are a very second-class form of life (see the 20mph thread for exactly what the motoring minority, which are worth real money to TfL, councils and the DfT, think of us). Just be thankful you're allowed to cross at all without a 200 yard detour to a 'staggered' facility (as at the LL/Dulwich Common junction).

> In short, the situation is miles worse than before

> they started.

> Utter RUBBISH.

Only for pedestrians.

> Please ask council to re-configure the timings

> asap.

It's part of the TfL empire now, so you're stuffed. Despite two mayoral plans (Livingstone had a five year plan, which Johnson restarted with a six year plan) to put proper pedestrian phases at all major junctions, nothing ever happened, and it now looks as if the DfT guidelines have been 'modified' to stop any mimsy pandering to blind people in particular and pedestrians in general. Given that, not even voting will make any difference, thus neatly ruling out any interest that councillors or GLA reps might have had.

[sunbob]

sunnysideup Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Dear Whoever is responsible for this work.

>

> What a complete balls up!

>

> A little feedback from a pedestrians point of

> view:

>

> 1. The "green man" is on for approx 3 seconds.

> Nowhere near enough time for a grown adult to

> cross the road, let alone the elderly or young.

> Completely idiotic.

>

> 2. No audible bleep to indicate that it's safe to

> cross. A basic requirement of any new system

> surely???

>

> 3. Green man signal confusing/hard to detect from

> some vantage points. At most crossings, the Green

> Man is ahead of, and above one's eyeline, here

> they are at waist level so nobody notices it.

>

> 4. It seems like two sets of North/South traffic

> is allowed to flow between each pedestrian

> request. WHY?

>

>

> In short, the situation is miles worse than before

> they started.

>

> Utter RUBBISH.

>

> Please ask council to re-configure the timings

> asap.

I cross several times a day pushing buggy with one hand and holding toddler's hand with the other and every time the man has actually gone red by the time I get off the kerb. I feel really angry and saddened that my 4 year old daughter; who has excellent road crossing discipline, which I have taught her from day one, mainly at this junction with its formerly nice big clear, long enough, green/red man; is now being told 'oh don't worry that its gone red we will just rush across anyway. As for what my younger one is picking up from this I dread to think.

Another problem is the sensers that check pedestrians are there before turning the man green. Obviously, with small children I don't want to be waiting really close to the road so will press the button then step back. If we are the only ones waiting to cross it won't change unless I go closer to the road for the senser to pick us up.

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi all,

I will report the problems with the lights and ask that TFL sort them out.

Renata

[ontheRye]

Renata,

Can you also report that the light on Colyton rd sticks on red for several sequences, with the result that frustrated motorists give up and take their chances when the FHR lights are red

I would also support the comments re the 'green man' timing,it is ridiculously short

Thanks

[neilson99]

In further news, Southwark Council to consult with local community on arrangements for a day trip to local micro brewery in attempt to organise piss up, pays through the nose for a consultant to "optioneer" and ends up deciding to demolish the "temporary" Herne Tavern replacing it with the a pallet and a few cans.

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi all, I reported the issues with these lights to council officers who notified TFL. I'm hoping this has now been resolved or will be soon. Keep me posted on the situation.

Thanks

Renata