| Author |
Message |
Marianne
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Tuesday, 27 April, 2004 - 11:14 am: | |
Has anyone else been affected by the ridiculous traffic jams in Dartmouth Road in the mornings?
Yesterday and today, it took 25 minutes to travel from Sydenham Girls School to Forest Hill - a distance of approximately quarter of a mile! Then the bus turns the corner into London Road and it takes us 15 minutes to get to Horniman Museum! This seems to be caused by the traffic light sequence at Forest Hill which only allows three cars at a time to get through, then a wait of about four minutes at the red light. It now takes me an average of one hour and forty minutes to get from Dartmouth Road to Westminster - an increase of thirty minutes. The traffic is regularly tailed back from Forest Hill to Kirkdale and something needs to be done. Councillors and MP please note! |
Scott
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Tuesday, 27 April, 2004 - 12:58 pm: | |
I think its partly due to the bus lane on the london road leading down to the harvester - causing everyone to queue up in one lane. There was a camera installed on it recently, and I think the recent jams in the area might not be a co-incidence.
see http://se23.com/forum/messages/9/123.html?1079433325 |
Andrea
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Tuesday, 27 April, 2004 - 01:02 pm: | |
What about saturdays?
Traffic down there it is so bad...I usually take extra route from Sydenham hill instead....
Andrea |
martin
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Tuesday, 27 April, 2004 - 03:44 pm: | |
try the train to London Bridge then jubilee to Westminster- not perfect but rarely 1 hour 40 |
a
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Tuesday, 27 April, 2004 - 03:54 pm: | |
Marianne
I'm not trying to be rude, but why do you have to drive all the way from Forest Hill to Westminster? Unless it is absolutely necessary that you drive, surely it would be much quicker to use public transport - my partner works in Westminster with an average travel time to work of approx 40 minutes.
Having said that, I can fully appreciate how frustrating it must be to be stuck in traffic on Dartmouth Road for 25 minutes. I cycle up the London Road every morning and seeing the amount of traffic that I can nip past makes me really appreciate having a bike! |
Les
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Tuesday, 27 April, 2004 - 07:50 pm: | |
It's every London car-drivers complaint - "What on earth are all these cars doing here!"
Forest Hill to Westminster - at public expense there is a 10min interval train service and state of the art (Jubilee Line Extension is SOTA) tube system provided at all sensible hours and people STILL drive. What can you do eh?
I think cars ownership is only about 40% in London, so imagine if everyone decided to drive...
Les. |
cllr David Whiting
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Wednesday, 28 April, 2004 - 12:51 pm: | |
Traffic in Dartmouth Rd has been much worse than usual on some recent days, and I have asked officers to let me know whether there are any specific factors (eg road works elsewhere, changes to traffic signals etc) which would explain this deterioration. (I have to say, however, that Dartmouth Road was not abnormally busy this morning, despite the rain).
In more general terms, I would endorse the points made by Les and a. There are now 90,000 vehicles registered to Lewisham addresses, up 12,000 in 10 years. We can make local improvements to the situation. We can attempt to improve local residential environments. However, there is no way we can provide the roads to permit speedy long distance car commuting in London. Also, Les is quite correct. 60% of households in Forest Hill do not own a car, so the interests of pedestrians, including elderly people and children must claim a high priority. |
Brian
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Wednesday, 28 April, 2004 - 03:53 pm: | |
Dear David
if the count of cars is based on those registered
to Lewisham address then I suspect the figure is a huge underestimate. Company cars tend to be registered to a national address.
I suspect you would have to add many more thousands.
I could be wrong but I gained the impression Marianne was travelling by bus , but I could be wrong as most other people seem to think she was driving.If she was driving I would strongly recommend she goes up Kirkdale and down Syd Hill |
a
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Wednesday, 28 April, 2004 - 04:47 pm: | |
Ah! I think you may be right Brian - on a second reading it certainly does look as though Marianne was on the bus - apologies Marianne! |
Marianne
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Friday, 30 April, 2004 - 03:17 pm: | |
Thank you for all your replies.
I must reiterate that I always travel to work by bus and the fastest time I have ever managed to get to there (Westminster) was 1 hour 5 minutes. I know it is much quicker to go by train to London Bridge and then Jubilee Line - I travelled that way for years but finally couldn't stand the cancellations and the crush - especially when a four carriage train came along, when what was needed was at least eight. Also the weekly fare by bus is £9.50 and by train it is approximately £24.50!
Strangely enough, the traffic in Dartmouth Road was ok yesterday and this morning, despite the miserable weather, but I still blame the traffic light sequence in Forest Hill. |
Brian
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Friday, 30 April, 2004 - 03:47 pm: | |
Hi Marianne
I am not sure where you live but it might be quicker to walk up Kirkdale and down to opposite Horniman's and pick up the bus there.
Anyway good luck. |
|
