Junction works at Peckham Road/Lyndhurst Way - confusion

[katanita]

I often return to East Dulwich on my cycle home via Peckham Road, turning right into Lyndhurst Way. There have been roadworks here for a few weeks which have made the right turn a confusing process, but I assumed that was temporary. Now they seem to be mostly done and it's no better.

It seems people turning right have no lane of their own, and so when the right turn light is red (but straight on is green) they either have to sit in the outer lane blocking the traffic trying to go straight, or pull right forward which appears to be effectively running the red and feels like you are sitting in the middle of the road. I can't work out where I'm meant to position myself. Added to that there is no longer an Advanced Stop Line or any other provision for cyclists. It's pretty horrible.

Or am I missing something? Lots of ED dwellers must use this route, am I just being dense? About to write to the councillor responsible (guessing it's Renata Hamvas) or contact the council but just thought I'd check if it was only me, or if others have figured it out.

[david_carnell]

As a cyclist who makes the same right turn on a daily basis this new layout, without a filter lane, feels horribly dangerous. And I don't understand where the space has gone either. The opposite direction is still two lanes as before and there is still a pedestrian island. Utterly bizarre.

[katanita]

Not just me then. I really can't understand what the aim of this work has been. Will try and find someone at the council to ask about this.

[jimmah]

I'm glad I'm not the only one to wonder about this.

I figured that I would go forward with the two lanes of traffic (which is green) and then pull into the right to turn, and then wait at the light...there's only space for about two cars in that bay though so I don't know what happens if more want to filter.

[katanita]

I've PMed Renata Hamvas. Maybe is better to email her directly, will try that as well.

The problem with pulling forward to wait to go right is that you are blocking anyone coming out of Lyndhurst way and going across to turn right. The light phasing means that they go after the right turn light from Peckham Road has been green, but could still mean that people are in the way depending on how heavy traffic is. Could even lead to a nasty crash if someone pulls into that space on a red unaware that people might be coming through it.

[DulwichFox]

Yes. It is confusing..

Found myself in 'Limbo Land' not knowing whether to pull forwards.

No doubt Southwark Council would of positioned a Spy Camera there to catch motorists out.

Just have to wait for the Fines to roll in.

DulwichFox

[jimmyraj]

Agree about the junction as both a cyclist and a driver who uses it and lives nearby. It's not Renata you need to contact though. The junction lies between The Lanes ward and Peckham, neither of which is Renata (she is up towards the Rye I think) so best probably trying them. Having said that, it's a TFL red route so probably comes under their jurisdiction so maybe best to contact them?

[jimmah]

By the way they changed the lights now so it makes more sense.

There's no longer the red right turn like there was before. So now both lanes go green and you can pull forward and when there is space in the oncoming traffic just turn right.

There's no danger of colliding with people leaving Lyndhurst Way because they will be on red when you are on green

[Burbage]

This is an 'improvement' aimed at paving the way for the Cycle Superhighway. In other words, if you think it's bad now, wait till you find it painted blue and routed via Deptford.

The rest of the staggeringly inept proposal is currently held up because even TfL couldn't defend some of the gibbering insanities they dreamt up for Vauxhall Cross and, being unaccountably short of anyone able to think anything through, are having to farm it out to a damp-eared planmonger, presumably in the hope that it'll take so long and cost so much that it'll be beyond the scope of criticism. As a result, we're getting piecemeal changes in the meantime that don't make much sense at present, but are at least more comprehensible and marginally less lethal now than they're slated to become.

The plan, or at least a description of the changes that TfL plan to make and a diagram that doesn't show them is here . As usual, TfL have blithely assumed that no cyclist ever has to turn right, and still plans to encourage cyclists to 'undertake' on the left at junctions, just as if literacy never happened.

[david_carnell]

This is now very strange.

What was a three lane junction heading east has now become two, removing a filter lane for turning right.

Yet in the other direction, heading west, it remains two lanes as before.

There seems to be absolutely no benefit to anyone for this change and a lot of time and money spent doing so.

[katanita]

Have now been through it since they have changed the lights phasing and road marking clearer, which helps. But still no cyclist provision. Not sure why the ASL would have been removed. It's hard enough along here, mostly because when I move right and take the lane to make the right turn, I've been subjected to abuse etc from passing cars, wherever I position myself (ie, far left of the lane to be technically correct, far right to allow cars to undertake etc). It would have been so helpful to have a clearer cycle lane for right turns that could avoid that.

In the meantime, I've heard back from Renata. She wasn't the right person to contact, as Jimmyraj above said, but has very kindly passed on my message to the person who is. It was a PM but hopefully she won't mind me sharing that the council officer said they weren't aware of the works, which apparently means they aren't Southwark or TFL works, but likely emergency utility works. She said she'd keep me posted.

[katanita]

Ah OK, I think maybe the ASL just hasn't been painted yet, I probably couldn't see it yesterday because cards were stopped on it. Seemed today like the phasing had changed yet again so there was no right turn filter light!