Great news! Peckham Rye station to reclaim its public square by next year!

[Nigello]

No, let’s be realistic and base our predictions on ample evidence. 

[Sue]

4 hours ago, Nigello said:

No, let’s be realistic and base our predictions on ample evidence. 

So let's never do anything that might improve an area, because it will just be dragged down to the level of what's presently there?

Is that what you are saying?

I don't have the time or the inclination to do the research, but I'm pretty sure that I have read  that when people who had lived in a very run down area  were given  nice surroundings, they appreciated and looked after them.

[HeadNun]

I think there's a similar square-type thing around Queens Road Peckham, which has stayed in pretty good nick. It was certainly a vast improvement. 

Having said that, it would be terribly sad if small businesses suffer in the process. I love the fruit 'n' veg stalls & shops on Rye Lane, and the atmosphere in general atmosphere and very much hope that a new station square and the stalls aren't mutually exclusive. 

[IainJ]

Yes, the Council's scheme for Peckham Rye station square is going ahead and is welcomed. However, the major project for the rebuilding of the station itself to provide improved accessibility has not received government funding and is being 'paused'. There seems little prospect of that scheme now going ahead in the current Parliament. This is regrettable as it is one of the busiest stations on the network outside central London. 

[alice]

Perhaps now they can rethink the use of the lifts they actually have got, that do work and are not currently used for passengers.  

[Amika]

I know this ship has passed but I prefer the arcade. I like the Art Deco building, which matches a lot of buildings of a similar age and style all along Rye Lane. The big problem is that it's filthy. The TSB along one side has blank windows so that shop, although occupied is a dead zone and it's dirty and scruffy. Meanwhile the units on the other side are closed. If all the units had shops trading in them and everything was kept clean and shiny then the arcade would be nice. 

[CPR Dave]

When you look back at Rye Lane on streetview the oldest images date back to 2008 mostly and to 2012 in parts. 

 

There was no graffiti or closed down shops at all then. It looks like a pleasant, clean and thriving high street, and the arcade around the station looks much better. 

 

What has happened to it in the last 20 years?

 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/mfaUkdzG4qZVYxFMA

 

And the state of it most recently

https://maps.app.goo.gl/ecVHvh6UwsoBt1uu6

Edited July 17, 2025 by CPR Dave

[rollflick]

Yes, sad how Rye Lane has taken a dive, interesting to see those pics CPR Dave. It's shocking how the section between Choumert Road and the Nag's Head in particular has lost its vibrancy, meanwhile the next section to the top of Peckham Rye Common has gentrified. Wonder why such a distinction in fortunes?

Anyway the station square plans have fallen behind yet again, demolition won't now start this summer. The only "work" that will now take place this summer is surveying of the arcade, which they've had 10 years since planning permission to do. At least the replacement TSB branch has progressed but the Blenheim Grove corner building still looks unfinished, despite claims it "is now complete".

https://www.southwark.gov.uk/planning-environment-and-building-control/current-and-future-development/peckham-and-nunhead-2

[first mate]

The big difference, other than increasingly flaking paint, seems to be graffiti. The question is, will that/ can it be controlled?

[spider69]

Answer.  No

[Nigello]

Yes - remove shutters and put them behind the glass; apply resins or sprays that make it easier to remove paint; oblige landlords and shop owners to take action; patrol nightly, etc. There’s always a way. 

[CPR Dave]

Community service cleaning it up for those that are caught too. 

[rollflick]

Labour's latest Rye Lane Ward newsletter is now saying that demolition in the square will start this summer and that the wider station upgrade is expected to be signed off this year - as explained above, sadly wrong on both counts.

It describes the renovation of adjacent buildings on Blenheim Grove as "successful", despite having lain empty for a couple of years, longer than the actual renovation works, before saying "the Council is hopeful [it] will see its first new occupants move in to this year". Cue desperate attempt to get at least one in before end of financial year?

As for the other topic, in "November 2023, faced with a huge increase in graffiti across the borough, Labour-run Southwark council took action". Nice turn of phrase eh? Rather, after community pressure regarding years of inaction by said Labour-run council, it's finally started to do a little bit, a little late.

Surely there would be more chance of resolving issues if our council could for once be part of an honest, informed discussion?

[Nigello]

TBF, the council has tackled graffiti on Walworth, Old and New Kent Roads - you can see that many businesses there have been cleaned up en masse - but Rye Lane hasn’t. 

[midivydale]

On 29/04/2025 at 19:13, Nigello said:

Great! Can’t wait for the added embellishment à la spray can, to fit in with the general Rye Lane “ambience”. 

You don't like Peckham? Why do you live here then? It is bloody disrespectful and goady, and distasteful. There is an entire community in Peckham, who have lived here for generations, quite happily. Many of whom rely on the shops on the high street. 
 

I'd say Nigel, or John or whatever your name is that YOU and your type are harming the Peckham 'ambience' alot more than some spray paint. 

[Huggers]

When will something be done about safe access to platforms? The overcrowding on the stairs at rush hour is ridiculous with multi trains arriving simultaneously and an inadequate staircase. Yesterday at around 5.30pm there was only room for people to descend, congestion at the bottom from three available exit barriers and a lady fell down the concrete stairs. 

[Sue]

23 minutes ago, Huggers said:

a lady fell down the concrete stairs. 

Was she ok?

[Huggers]

She was helped to a seat and attended by staff- seemed v shocked. 

[rollflick]

On 30/10/2025 at 08:55, Huggers said:

When will something be done about safe access to platforms? The overcrowding on the stairs at rush hour is ridiculous with multi trains arriving simultaneously and an inadequate staircase. Yesterday at around 5.30pm there was only room for people to descend, congestion at the bottom from three available exit barriers and a lady fell down the concrete stairs. 

A new roadmap (surely railmap?!) for rail accessibility has been published:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/accessible-railways-roadmap

It says "approximately 56% of stations and around 66% of the 1.3 billion journeys that take place on the network have step-free access to platforms... 

"£373 million has been committed over the next 5 years to deliver Access for All projects, providing step-free access from station entrances to and between platforms, alongside other essential accessibility upgrades. These works, together, will increase the number of step-free stations across Great Britain from 56% to 58%.

"This improvement will make travel easier with step-free access available at stations covering an increased share of total rail journeys – from 66% up to 71%"

Don't know what that means for us here: upgrading Peckham Rye would cover a lot of rail journeys but the cost has no doubt increased from the £40m figure previously quoted. So that would eat into a lot of the funding.

[CPR Dave]

Do you believe this is actually going to happen?!

 

Demolition was supposed to start in the summer but the Labour government have pulled the plug. Even Labour councillors have had to begin petitioning the government to keep the project alive. https://www.southwarklabour.com/2025/10/03/labour-councillors-launch-petition-for-peckham-rye-station-upgrade/

It's dead in the water surely?

[rollflick]

On 01/05/2025 at 16:14, rollflick said:

Yes it could be a massive improvement and useful to hear that contracts have finally been awarded. I totally understand though why doubts are expressed about when the new square will open.

So work has still not started in the station square. After years of delays we were told it would begin in summer 2025, then October, then January and now just "soon" / "this year". That means the new square is not going to open this year. Pretty poor that Southwark is unwilling  to communicate any reasons for its continuing delays.

Meanwhile for the station itself, Network Rail is moving forward with a minor scheme to reduce the crush but still with no lifts: 

https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/peckham-rye-station-to-get-5m-makeover-while-waiting-for-step-free-rebuild-87172/

[sunbob]

Well at least there are now functioning bulbs in 2 of the hanging lights in the main passageway to the street. Very luxurious not having to walk through in the dark anymore!