Road morning rush hour chaos

[Dun]

Travelling by bus into center of town seems worse then normal. Camberwell New Road has works around the Oval causing a nighmare and major delays. Walworth Road has temporary lights near Albany Road so also has huge delays. Does anyone know how much longer this will last? And does work then start on E&C so that those buses will be delayed for the next 18 months? Denmark Hill is packed in the mornings and Overground doesn't work for where I need to go. Have attached a photo taken yesterday morning of the buses backed up on Walworth Road, just after Camberwell Green headed towards Elephant & Castle. There are 15 buses in a row with another 4 behind that I couldn't fit into the photo!!!!

[Sue]

That's a LOT of buses!

What a nightmare!

[ED209]

Looks like an Evel Knieval set up!

[PhilPhilPhil]

I get the 12 from Dulwich all the way to Piccadilly every day and it is especially bad at the moment. There seem to be a lot more roadworks cropping up everywhere and I wonder if its anything to do with the end of the financial year. I heard that if the relevant offices don't spend whatever they have left from their budget at the end of the financial year then they can't carry the money over so there is always a roadworks splurge around March. That could just be a myth, of course. I thought the Walworth Road works were a 4 week project and if so we're almost halfway through it now. Hopefully I didn't just make that up. This morning it wasn't helped by a dustbin van making regular stops in the bus lane in the run up to the lights. Obviously those bins need emptying but maybe not in the rush hour, eh.

[worldwiser]

Just might be the incentive to get people cycling and running to work. Going to give it a try..

[keekybreeks]

Im starting cycling in again next month

*coughs*

*faints*

[Salsaboy]

Get rid of all those pesky buses and viola! less traffic.

[Parkdrive]

worldwiser Wrote:

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> Just might be the incentive to get people cycling

> and running to work. Going to give it a try..

With all those buses, lorries and cars chucking out fumes? Think I'll stick with the trains.

[Ladygooner]

I think the roadworks still have another 2 weeks to go. There is a 4 way system of traffic lights which is very slow. I have started to take the train again on the way in and have been pleasantly surprised by how empty it is and have not yet experience any delays in the morning. Won't risk it in the evenings though and get the bus home

[Earl Aelfheah]

I've said it before I know, but public transport in SE London is truly awful.

You could always try the 363 which runs parallel to Walworth Road. Otherwise it's bike or shanks pony.

[Earl Aelfheah]

This is what we need:

Ken bikes so we can more easilly access alternative train stations and the tube at Brixton.

Reopen Camberwell Station on the Thameslink line

More buses running between ED and Brixton

An extension of the Bakerloo line beyond zone 1

London Bridge to sort it's life out and more frequent train services from ED

Extension to the Victoria line beyond zone 2

This is what we'll get:

[Siduhe]

The 363 isn't a great option at the moment as it's the first casualty of any tailbacks (because the 63 runs part of the same route). I've been on 3 this week that have been terminated without warning. When I complained to TFL they basically said "it's the least worst bus for us to cancel, get the 63 instead".

Agree the buses are badly affected at the moment - largely due to the amount of roadworks being started to get in this year's roadworks budget as far as I can see.

[Tinky Winky]

Ladygooner Wrote:

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> I have started to take the

> train again on the way in and have been pleasantly

> surprised by how empty it is and have not yet

> experience any delays in the morning. Won't risk

> it in the evenings though and get the bus home

Are you talking about London Bridge here?

[Dun]

I second all of rahrahrah's proposed improvements!

[mancity68]

343 super grim too. Tried it this morning as alternative to Walworth Road - took even longer....

[Applespider]

What strikes me about that photo is how few passengers there appear to be - or have they all given up and started walking?

And when traffic gets that heavy, you have to be a very confident cyclist to filter through it safely (I.e down the right side of the outer lane)

It does feel like there has been lots of light rephasing lately that might also be contributing - there are a few that I rarely got stopped at that now seem to change to red just as the first wave of bikes/cars get there from the set before.

[Ladygooner]

Tinky Winky Wrote:

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

> Ladygooner Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > I have started to take the

> > train again on the way in and have been

> pleasantly

> > surprised by how empty it is and have not yet

> > experience any delays in the morning. Won't

> risk

> > it in the evenings though and get the bus home

>

> Are you talking about London Bridge here?

Yes London bridge!

[JohnL]

rahrahrah Wrote:

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

> I've said it before I know, but public transport

> in SE London is truly awful.

>

> You could always try the 363 which runs parallel

> to Walworth Road. Otherwise it's bike or shanks

> pony.

That bus queue happened to me too a few months back.

I got off, walked to Camberwell Green, Had a pint in the Tiger (quickish)

then caught the bus as it caught up :)

[Dun]

lol JohnL, that works on the way home but not such a good idea on the way into work! hummm..... on the other hand...

[Rhinestone Cowboy]

Just got sent this re Elephant & Castle works

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/improvements-and-projects/elephant-and-castle?cid=elephant

Work is expected to start on 9 April 2015 and finish in summer 2016. nice

95% of the time I scooter in and agree that traffic has become a lot worse over past 3weeks

Kennington/Oval is not fun and now they are working on E & C

expect to counter lots of angry people

[hpsaucey]

Dun Wrote:

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

> Travelling by bus into center of town seems worse

> then normal. Camberwell New Road has works around

> the Oval causing a nighmare and major delays.

> Walworth Road has temporary lights near Albany

> Road so also has huge delays. Does anyone know how

> much longer this will last? And does work then

> start on E&C so that those buses will be delayed

> for the next 18 months? Denmark Hill is packed in

> the mornings and Overground doesn't work for where

> I need to go. Have attached a photo taken

> yesterday morning of the buses backed up on

> Walworth Road, just after Camberwell Green headed

> towards Elephant & Castle. There are 15 buses in a

> row with another 4 behind that I couldn't fit into

> the photo!!!!

God - feeling sorry for all you commuters on that route. Have to say - great photo though!

H

[Ladygooner]

Camberwell road much quieter now due to school holidays - phew!

[DulwichFox]

Yep... Wait all day for a bus and 16 come along at the same time...

Foxy.

[Nigello]

Some routes should use smaller vehicles at non-peak times of the day and at night to help prevent such jams. I'm a fan of buses but think that some routes could also do with express services (like a 176 that only stops at Dulwich Library, Post Office, ED Station, Demark Hill, Camberwell Green, Morrison's Walworth Rd, Elephant etc). Can't ever see it happening, though, because the firms in question are hardly known for their flexibility and customer-service.

[DulwichFox]

Nigello..

That is a ridiculous idea..

Can you imagine the outrage of people waiting for a bus only to see is fly pass with empty seat available.

Its not just people getting on the bus, it's also people wishing to get off.

It would mean bigger crowds at stops where buses do stop. Other Bus stops would not be used and eventually lost.

The service would then be compromised.

DulwichFox