28-10-2013, 03:49 PM
11-11-2013, 04:59 PM
Traffic backed right along Dartmouth Road this morning at 0845 and finished at Kirkdale. Any idea why? Also queuing again at 4.15 this afternoon from the lights to the swimming pool - have the lights reverted again? Who do we call if they have?
11-11-2013, 05:23 PM
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Traffic backed right along Dartmouth Road this morning at 0845 and finished at Kirkdale. Any idea why?
They're digging up Sydenham Rise, apparently, so I guess traffic is being diverted along Dartmouth Road. I'm not sure who's doing the digging but it's going to last for six weeks, according to the construction sign by Forest Hill station.
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The lights by the Co-Op seem to have reverted to pedestrian control again, red light about every 15 seconds at rush hour, nightmare.
Not good! Don't know if it's connected with the Sydenham Rise chaos - eg, trying to restrict the flow of traffic poring into the London Road junction.
11-11-2013, 05:23 PM
I assumed the problems in Dartmouth Road this morning were a result of the closure (for six weeks) of Sydenham Rise, which I think started today. Things were still bad at 9.15, but seemed to have cleared by 10.15.
Ah, I see Mr Numbers got in first!
Ah, I see Mr Numbers got in first!
12-11-2013, 11:39 AM
Traffic problems on Dartmouth Road are as much to do with parked cars narrowing the road so restricting flow as it is to do with the light phasing. Lewisham cannot control the light phasing because that is TFL controlled but they could do something about the car parking. The Sydenham Rise closure is just making the terrible situation even worse
12-11-2013, 12:00 PM
The car parking is a problem in Dartmouth Road and so is pavement parking. For the past several weeks every time I have walked down Dartmouth Road there are cars parked on the pavement, presumably because the drivers recognise that parking on the road would be so disruptive. The lights and the parking are a problem, and the Sydenham Rise work effect will doubtless push this to breaking point
I have written to Lewisham several times about the parking on double yellow lines and the pavement but they pass it on to the outsourced parking operatives, NSL, and that's the last I ever hear of it. Great stuff, outsourcing. It removes responsibility and accountability.
My feeling is that as part of a regeneration programme along Dartmouth Road then something radical should be done - such as having pedestrian only access from say Derby Hill to London Road (or perhaps with bus access only) between 9:00am and 5:00pm. I am sure there are problems with this, but leaving things as they are does not look too good.
I have written to Lewisham several times about the parking on double yellow lines and the pavement but they pass it on to the outsourced parking operatives, NSL, and that's the last I ever hear of it. Great stuff, outsourcing. It removes responsibility and accountability.
My feeling is that as part of a regeneration programme along Dartmouth Road then something radical should be done - such as having pedestrian only access from say Derby Hill to London Road (or perhaps with bus access only) between 9:00am and 5:00pm. I am sure there are problems with this, but leaving things as they are does not look too good.
12-11-2013, 12:08 PM
I'm pretty sure that the congestion combined with grubby shutters and signage and litter along Dartmouth Road discourages foot traffic along there, which will be part of the downturn in business the shops are seeing
12-11-2013, 12:40 PM
Yeah, thanks for those words of encouragement Tim!
Aren't you the lucky one for not having to deal with issues like these where you are.
Well bully for you mate!!!
Aren't you the lucky one for not having to deal with issues like these where you are.
Well bully for you mate!!!
12-11-2013, 12:45 PM
Not sure what the sarcasm is for John.
I see the issues daily, living off of Dartmouth Road, using shops there daily and frequently get stuck in traffic or find the pavement blocked by cars. Its an observation of what I see - perhaps you have a different view?
I see the issues daily, living off of Dartmouth Road, using shops there daily and frequently get stuck in traffic or find the pavement blocked by cars. Its an observation of what I see - perhaps you have a different view?
12-11-2013, 03:25 PM
You're out of order Tim.
I also see some of these things, however, this post is about the traffic lights and related congestion so where does slagging-off the street and making comments about foot-traffic and a downturn in business come into it? You had your opportunity to make constructive criticism and air your views to some of Dartmouth Road's key stakeholders last night so I am very surprised that you've decided to save it up and blurt it out here. That's why I'm a bit peed-off.
I also see some of these things, however, this post is about the traffic lights and related congestion so where does slagging-off the street and making comments about foot-traffic and a downturn in business come into it? You had your opportunity to make constructive criticism and air your views to some of Dartmouth Road's key stakeholders last night so I am very surprised that you've decided to save it up and blurt it out here. That's why I'm a bit peed-off.
12-11-2013, 03:54 PM
John - you may think I'm out of order and that's your right to think that. But I was not the one adopting a sarcastic, bordering on aggressive response.
Possibly you are mistaking me for someone else as I've no idea what you are talking about when you mention an opportunity to air my views last night. If you are mistaking me for someone else - quite likely because I have no idea who you are - perhaps that person has rubbed you up the wrong way before so me saying something you didn't like may have been the past straw. Whatever it is I don't know but the nature of your post was a bit unnecessary in my view
Anyway, to clarify I did not slag anything off - not intentionally anyway. I made an objective comment on the parking as in my view it is contributing very significantly to the traffic congestion as well as the traffic light phasing. That was my main point.
Then, because I dip in and out of the forum mainly because of a time factor I threw in another observation that it may be linked to another situation referred to in another thread I saw. I think that the worsening of this traffic situation (its got even worse in the past few months) plus a few other factors like the fact that pavements can be difficult to navigate at times and yes, some parts of the road could be considered unappealing to the eye may make wandering up Dartmouth Road less appealing than it could be to more casual shoppers.
I mentioned it because I like Dartmouth Road. I have lived just off of it for many years. I have good relationships with a number of the traders there and spend quite a lot of my disposable income in the shops rather than elsewhere, so the situation on the street matters to me. That is why I've contacted Lewisham council about the lights, the parking and at the other end of the road, quite a lot speeding traffic, a number of times in the past 3 or 4 years and have had uninterested responses. That won't stop me contacting them again in the future
I will however, bow out of this conversation because I guess I am not allowed to voice an opinion, but rest assured my limited participation had only been with good intentions.
Possibly you are mistaking me for someone else as I've no idea what you are talking about when you mention an opportunity to air my views last night. If you are mistaking me for someone else - quite likely because I have no idea who you are - perhaps that person has rubbed you up the wrong way before so me saying something you didn't like may have been the past straw. Whatever it is I don't know but the nature of your post was a bit unnecessary in my view
Anyway, to clarify I did not slag anything off - not intentionally anyway. I made an objective comment on the parking as in my view it is contributing very significantly to the traffic congestion as well as the traffic light phasing. That was my main point.
Then, because I dip in and out of the forum mainly because of a time factor I threw in another observation that it may be linked to another situation referred to in another thread I saw. I think that the worsening of this traffic situation (its got even worse in the past few months) plus a few other factors like the fact that pavements can be difficult to navigate at times and yes, some parts of the road could be considered unappealing to the eye may make wandering up Dartmouth Road less appealing than it could be to more casual shoppers.
I mentioned it because I like Dartmouth Road. I have lived just off of it for many years. I have good relationships with a number of the traders there and spend quite a lot of my disposable income in the shops rather than elsewhere, so the situation on the street matters to me. That is why I've contacted Lewisham council about the lights, the parking and at the other end of the road, quite a lot speeding traffic, a number of times in the past 3 or 4 years and have had uninterested responses. That won't stop me contacting them again in the future
I will however, bow out of this conversation because I guess I am not allowed to voice an opinion, but rest assured my limited participation had only been with good intentions.
12-11-2013, 04:32 PM
I assume it was John sitting next to Steve from Campervantastic at last night's meeting. And the Campervan has caused a little bit of confusion.
Tim's comment might have been a little odd coming from Steve, but Tim is entitled to his own views.
The nice thing is that everybody wants to see more people shopping on Dartmouth Road, and there are some lovely shops (as well as some grubby shutters). Personally I find that there is little need for Forest Hill residents to drive down Dartmouth Road. Admittedly I only live round the corner so it is an easy walk. But there are two perfectly good car parks where there is always space behind Sainsburys and the railway. From either of these it is less than 5 minutes to all the shops on Dartmouth Road, which is often faster than driving down the road.
I suspect that there are actually quite few customers driving to shops on Dartmouth Road and most of the traffic is not stopping in Forest Hill.
Tim's comment might have been a little odd coming from Steve, but Tim is entitled to his own views.
The nice thing is that everybody wants to see more people shopping on Dartmouth Road, and there are some lovely shops (as well as some grubby shutters). Personally I find that there is little need for Forest Hill residents to drive down Dartmouth Road. Admittedly I only live round the corner so it is an easy walk. But there are two perfectly good car parks where there is always space behind Sainsburys and the railway. From either of these it is less than 5 minutes to all the shops on Dartmouth Road, which is often faster than driving down the road.
I suspect that there are actually quite few customers driving to shops on Dartmouth Road and most of the traffic is not stopping in Forest Hill.
12-11-2013, 04:41 PM
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Personally I find that there is little need for Forest Hill residents to drive down Dartmouth Road.
That's a bit sweeping. If you live in the Kirkdale/Thorpewood Avenue/Derby Hill area, it's by far the most direct route to the South Circular eastbound.
12-11-2013, 04:51 PM
I wonder if Michael meant that we don't need to drive ALONG Dartmouth Road to shop there, which is entirely true. But many of us, of course, do drive THROUGH Dartmouth Road to get to other places.
12-11-2013, 06:15 PM
Tim, I really am sorry that something I've said has made you feel that you aren't allowed to contribute to the forum. Who the hell am I - or anyone else - to belittle a fellow poster's opinion? I'm sure we all appreciate other peoples' views however they may differ from our own. I just felt that you needn't have dragged 'the downturn the shops are seeing' into this - and then for you to blame this on traffic congestion 'combined with grubby shutters and signage and litter' it seemed [to me] that you'd stuck the boot in a bit. After what you've said subsequently I can see that you never intended to be spiteful and I feel totally stupid for reading something into your post that wasn't there. I apologise to you for that.
12-11-2013, 07:41 PM
I meant driving down 'to' Dartmouth road. Hopefully that makes a bit more sense.
12-11-2013, 10:21 PM
Some random thoughts, not thought through in any way.
Personally, I don't think that there is enough parking on Dartmouth Road. If the shops are going to be more successful then people need to be able to stop outside and run in. Forest Hill has ended up with some very big 'plazas' outside the job centre and paddy power which could be eroded slightly to become short term 30 minute parking for the shops. On the other side of the road the parking is a mess. It should be a red route down by (and including) the florist. Then there should be parking all the way along the road and they should get rid of those irritating chicane things.
If this isn't possible then I would make David's Road two way up to Sainsbury's car park. Then you'd be able to park quickly in the town centre instead of going on the magical mystery tour of Waldenshaw Rd.
They could do with removing the pedestrian island at junction of Dartmouth Road and south circular having two lanes onto the South Circular (left and straight on).
Personally, I don't think that there is enough parking on Dartmouth Road. If the shops are going to be more successful then people need to be able to stop outside and run in. Forest Hill has ended up with some very big 'plazas' outside the job centre and paddy power which could be eroded slightly to become short term 30 minute parking for the shops. On the other side of the road the parking is a mess. It should be a red route down by (and including) the florist. Then there should be parking all the way along the road and they should get rid of those irritating chicane things.
If this isn't possible then I would make David's Road two way up to Sainsbury's car park. Then you'd be able to park quickly in the town centre instead of going on the magical mystery tour of Waldenshaw Rd.
They could do with removing the pedestrian island at junction of Dartmouth Road and south circular having two lanes onto the South Circular (left and straight on).
12-11-2013, 10:40 PM
Hey all just to let you know from my point of view I think Anotherjohn is utterly amazing, I love him as a person, and CamperVanTim too, they are 2 people that care so much about FH like me. Wires were crossed as they both thought they were talking to other people. I do it all the time on here! and will let both know about this, sure they will be laughing about this and shaking hands in no time!
12-11-2013, 11:04 PM
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Personally, I don't think that there is enough parking on Dartmouth Road.
I quite agree. The number of times I've needed to go to WH Smith for 5 minutes, or would have gone to Bunka for a card or Boots for paracetemol or one of the charity shops for a book or whatever - but the lack of parking space there and the hassle of the walk from either car park referred to (remembering to get a ticket to cover 15 minutes' free parking) means I wind up going to the big Sainsbury's...
I'm sorry but I have no idea what the solution is but Deano (aka Mr Plinth) might be onto something.
13-11-2013, 09:35 AM
Just my 2p, but I find it hard to believe that the benefit to a shop of the odd person who drives in is greater than the cost of that person's car parked on the pavement deterring others from going there, blocking traffic etc.
The pools have no car parking by design, and they seem to have been able to function properly, and recent studies for Wandsworth/Balham (I don't have the links to hand) have shown that most people who shop locally there use public transport or walk. (more and more are using cycling as an alternative, but it is still a minority).
Do that many people still own cars? The car park by the station is mostly empty for a great deal of the time. I guess my question is, are the people who park on Dartmouth Road and block the traffic etc just lazy?
The pools have no car parking by design, and they seem to have been able to function properly, and recent studies for Wandsworth/Balham (I don't have the links to hand) have shown that most people who shop locally there use public transport or walk. (more and more are using cycling as an alternative, but it is still a minority).
Do that many people still own cars? The car park by the station is mostly empty for a great deal of the time. I guess my question is, are the people who park on Dartmouth Road and block the traffic etc just lazy?