Dangerous junction for bikes: Peckham rye and Nunhead lane

[lilaclou]

A month ago I was hit by a car on my bike at the junction of Nunhead lane and Peckham rye (Nunhead side). I was waiting at the red light leaving Peckham and heading straight up the rye, there were cars coming in the opposite direction towards Peckham and some waiting to turn right across my path towards Nunhead. As the lights turned green I moved off forward ahead of the traffic behind me, one of the cars opposite waiting to turn right decided to get in ahead of my traffic and accelerated fast hitting me straight on. My bike was destroyed luckily I was fine. The driver said he couldn't see me.

The thing that made me write today is the exact same thing just happened to me going in the opposite direction luckily I was just missed clearly the driver didn't see me. At the moment it seems like there is nothing I can do to cross this junction safely on a bike (except walking through on the green man) without putting myself at risk.

I'm not sure how this junction could be improved maybe by having a right turn light (though the road doesn't seem wide enough heading towards Peckham).

If anyone has any advice about who I could speak to or write to I would be grateful. I have a crime reference no. for the first incident as the police turned up promptly and it was obvious what had happened.

Thanks for taking the time to read.

Lilaclou

[JohnL]

I don't like turning right at this junction (away from Peckham) - but I'd like to think I could see a cyclist.

[nxjen]

There is something about this junction. As a pedestrian I feel very uncomfortable using it.

[davidk]

The Southwark branch of the LCC has been campaigning for segregated tracks down that side of the Rye and on into Rye Lane to hook with Burgess Park and the various quiet routes down there. That would solve your problem but it has met predictably stiff opposition.

I'm sure your support would be appreciated: http://southwarkcyclists.org.uk/

[ellabrunswick]

Just writing to second David's suggestion about getting in touch with Southwark Cyclists.

In fact the AGM is tonight and Cllr Darren Merrill will be there (Chair of the council's Joint Cycle Steering Group)so it would be a good chance to discuss the junction with other local people who cycle through it and think about how to make improvements http://southwarkcyclists.org.uk/events/southwark-cyclists-monthly-meeting-and-agm/

[lilaclou]

Yes JohnL I'd like to think I could see a cyclist when turning right too. The reality seems to be that some people just don't seem to be able to and it is terribly frightening or worse when this happens. To me it seems like it might cause more traffic having some sort of extra lighting system but I can't think of any other way. Just telling people that bikes exist doesn't seem to work.

Davidk thank you for this info it looks really interesting I will get in touch. I'm imagining it would be something similar to the improvements to the roundabout at the corner of Battersea park and Battersea bridge if you are aware of it.

[lilaclou]

Thanks ellabrunswick I am working tonight so may not be able to get to this agm but I will write about this to Cllr Darren Merrill.

[davidk]

Oh God lilaclou I hope not. That roundabout is a mess. A bit more like the CS5 that has just opened from Oval to Pimlico would be ideal.

I'll be at the AGM so I'll add my voice to the concerns about that route!

[lilaclou]

Davidk I think a dedicated cycle track along the rye would be great though it does seem a shame that bikes and cars can't seem to share the same space without endangerment and we have to sacrifice more road space to segregate them, which probably means car drivers are going to get to their destinations slower.

I have written to Southwark cycling and Darren Merrill with my concerns thank you for adding your voice.

[mynamehere]

A really civilised conversation. How was the AGM?

[davidk]

It was intensely boring.... but one snippet of info that might be of interest to the OP. The Council is soon to start consulting on plans for Peckham Rye East. Which I took to mean basically the route that we've talked about, from Nunhead, down the Rye and on into Burgess Park.

I'm told it's currently a blank piece of paper so plenty of scope to get cycling and walking considerations up the agenda. Watch this space.

[wulfhound]

Massive wide road at the northern end there, scope for them to do something great.

Are they just looking at the Nunhead Lane to Rye Lane bit, or right up to the LCN at Stuart Road?

Main problem there is the road surface, the nearside is bumpy as hell so you have to cycle far from the kerb, and always get some impatient person in (usually) a white van who wants to zoom up or down the hill at 35mph.

[davidk]

Not sure wulfhound. It was pitched as "Peckham Rye East". But there aren't any more details at this point. It would make sense that it would include some kind of route connection to Rye Lane and Burgess Park.

Plans for unpicking the Bellenden Rd gyratory are pretty advanced so that could all link up quite nicely.

Doesn't change the fact that the Quietways are bollocks and SE Londoners have been shafted over CS5 but that's for another thread :D

[Beulah]

@Lilaclou

If you must use this junction could you not start off a second or two before they turn green - assuming you know the phasing of the lights?

You could be in for a long wait until the junction is improved and even longer for drivers to start driving properly.

[lilaclou]

Hi

I had responses from Darren (councillor), Simon (Southwark council, team leader transport policy) and Andy (Southwark cyclists co-ordinator). There has been money approved from Tfl for the Quietway83 (I didn't know about this so found the proposal online). They suggested that they will be going forward either after new year or middle of next year.

I wrote back to them asking for clarification on times and whether this meant actual work or decision-making.

I also suggested an idea I'll paste what I wrote below

In my opinion this route would benefit from a 2-way cycle way running the whole length starting at the top from the Stuart side road. I don?t think much sacrifice needs to be made to pavement or road space. Most of this section is flats or houses with drives so there is not a lot of parked cars. The east side (currently lightly used for parking) could be dedicated to the cycle route and the west side to parking. I say east side so that it could run to the Nunhead junction, have a cycle traffic light that runs in time with the pedestrian light following over the last section to join up with rye lane (without needing to go round the roundabout one-way system).

[lilaclou]

Beulah unfortunately with my pedal powered accleration taking off a second or two before the light turns green means the driver turning right who gets in before the traffic would hit me dead on.

I just go by the green man now.

[hpsaucey]

wulfhound Wrote:

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

> Massive wide road at the northern end there, scope

> for them to do something great.

>

> Are they just looking at the Nunhead Lane to Rye

> Lane bit, or right up to the LCN at Stuart Road?

>

> Main problem there is the road surface, the

> nearside is bumpy as hell so you have to cycle far

> from the kerb, and always get some impatient

> person in (usually) a white van who wants to zoom

> up or down the hill at 35mph.

I'll second this re: road surface. Always having to either stay pulled out (safer) or in and out around bumps :(

Dangerous either way... Just ploughing on over the bumps - scary!

HP

[nunhead_man]

"Simon (Southwark cyclists co-ordinator" - actually Andy (Southwark cyclists co-ordinator) I believe from here....

http://southwarkcyclists.org.uk/southwark-cyclists-tfl-road-works-ride-26th-october-2015/

Looks like v good work there

And why was the AGM "It was intensely boring...." DavidK? Mind you AGM's often are!

And hear Southwark have TFL money for this scheme now

[lilaclou]

Yes apologies Nunhead man my mistake I'll edit it.

My request for timescales were referred onto Chris Durban (Cycle Programme Manager). I received an email from him this afternoon I've put in an excerpt below. I also just want to add in my opinion this route down Peckham rye is a highway as it funnels a lot cycle traffic from Nunhead onto the Burgess park route. I may be a little confused as there seems to be lots of definitions quietways, super highways, highways, cycle routes I'm not sure how each are decided on.

"In the New Year a Route Ride will be undertaken and the current Level of Service determined, based on this a set of measures will be proposed that are required. This initial assessment usually takes 12 weeks and is concluded by the agreement of a set of measures and funding required to achieve this. We will then proceed to an outline design and consult locally on this.

There is every likelihood that the Level of Service assessment will come up with proposals similar to those that you have recommended. Current routes being designed involve the removal of parking and creation of dedicated lanes for cyclists so there is nothing that you have proposed that would immediately be ruled out. Southwark Cyclists will also be consulted on the proposals once an outline design has been agreed. I will keep your recommendations on file so that they can be referred to during the scoping phase of the route"

[davidk]

nunhead_man - Just boring in the way that 2 hour meetings about traffic planning tend to be... And not being entirely serious. They are a lovely bunch and we even got free beer and pizza!

Lilaclou - Thank for the info, that tallies with what we talked about on Wednesday. I'll try to keep an eye on it through Southwark Cyclists and report back here. Once it gets to consultation stage it's important that we throw as much weight behind it as possible. Segregated tracks down Peckham Rye East would be transformational but will be fiercely resisted.

[Andy_Cawdell]

Hi David

:-) no probs re the freebies

And we will need to work hard on this one

davidk Wrote:

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

> nunhead_man - Just boring in the way that 2 hour

> meetings about traffic planning tend to be... And

> not being entirely serious. They are a lovely

> bunch and we even got free beer and pizza!

>

> Lilaclou - Thank for the info, that tallies with

> what we talked about on Wednesday. I'll try to

> keep an eye on it through Southwark Cyclists and

> report back here. Once it gets to consultation

> stage it's important that we throw as much weight

> behind it as possible. Segregated tracks down

> Peckham Rye East would be transformational but

> will be fiercely resisted.

[newtoedf]

Nasty collision between a car and a motorbike at this junction this evening. Thankfully the motorcyclist wasn't as badly injured as it looked at first.