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Road closures in Forest Hill
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alexfeakes


Posts: 28
Joined: Jun 2006
Post: #1
02-12-2010 04:37 PM

LBL have announced that the following roads have been closed in Forest Hill due to the snow and ice. Please spread the word.

"It has become necessary, under health and safety, to close the following roads as we are unable to keep them clear of snow, they will remain closed until there is no more risk of snow.

The forecast is for road temperatures to drop to -5 with more snow to fall up to 23:00hrs. There is a possbility that more roads will close during the night. The Council apologises for the inconvenience, and we aim to get them useable and open again as soon as possible.

Canonbie Road
Westwood Park
Ringmore Rise
Horniman Drive
Tyson Road
Benson Road
Taymount Rise
Netherby Road"

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roz


Posts: 1,796
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #2
02-12-2010 04:42 PM

Not Ewelme then? its very steep at the top. I saw some cars attempt to drive up but they had to reverse all the way back down again. Nor Rocombe Crescent?

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alexfeakes


Posts: 28
Joined: Jun 2006
Post: #3
02-12-2010 04:49 PM

Roz - I've just spoken to the highways team ans although Ewelme isn't currently on the list for closure, it is on the 'watch list' and may be closed during the night if the conditions get worse. (Though I noted last night that someone has put an informal road closure barrier at the top of the road using some of the street bins!)

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roz


Posts: 1,796
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #4
02-12-2010 05:06 PM

So thats where theyve all gone; I did hear bins being wheeled around early in the morning too !

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dbboy


Posts: 201
Joined: Feb 2009
Post: #5
02-12-2010 05:20 PM

Alex,

In years gone by these roads were NEVER closed. The council came out and gritted the roads, so why stop now? Why are the council saying it's for health and safety reasons? Whose health and safety, the public or council employees?

What happens if an accident happens on these roads as a result if the council failing to make the roads safe through applying grit?

If they are closed WHERE are the road closed signs. according to what I have been told "the signs were temporarily removed to allow the gritting to take place and to assess the result". When was this, today yesterday or some other time?

I was informed that "the highways officer who is co-ordinating the gritting effort confirmed that they had sent another flat bed truck to Canonbie Road to try to grit it again". When was this done?
"if this does not make the road passable the closure will be reinstated. Our contractor has been instructed to make sure signs are in place if the closure is reinstated."

Because of no gritting taking place meals on wheels have now not been able to deliver lunches to vulnerable adults for TWO days. The council has a responsibility to make the roads safe for these and other VITAL services to be operational.

Please can you and Philip action ASAP as you are our concillors and do currently represent us.

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alexfeakes


Posts: 28
Joined: Jun 2006
Post: #6
02-12-2010 06:02 PM

@dbboy - I'm passing on all the information that I have when I get it, but at the moment I don't have the answers to all your questions.

I do know that they have tried to grit the Tewkesbury Lodge estate roads over the past few days, but if they cannot physically get the gritting lorries up the roads it's tricky to get full coverage. I've asked for hand gritting to carried out on those roads which the lorries can't access (Taymout Rise being of particular concern), and have been told that this will be attempted tomorrow.

Road closures do happen in these circumstances - Canonbie Road and Netherby Road were both closed for a period last February, for example. I would imagine that it is done for the safety of everyone.

If roads that are listed for closure do not have signs in place, then please do let me know and I will chase it up. Bear in mind, however, that the signs do get moved by people trying the use the roads in spite of the closure. Usually not by residents in my experience - not everyone takes seriously the advice to travel safely!

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andrewr


Posts: 296
Joined: May 2006
Post: #7
02-12-2010 06:30 PM

I've lived in Netherby Road for 27 years and the first time the road has ever been 'officially' closed with signs was this year. Historically it, and Canonbie Road, have been high priority for gritting and have generally remained passable. Officially closing the road doesn't mean that people don't still have lives to lead and people will drive in and out if they can. Vehicles have managed to drive up Netherby today, and if a light car can get up the road, I'm sure a heavy gritter can - especially if it is equipped with snow chains. By failing to grit roads for 'Health and Safety' reasons, many people are exposed to significant additional risks - including the inability to deliver meals. Who is calculating the balance of risk? Incidentally, there were no road closed signs out at 5pm.

Lack of common sense by the Council doesn't help - in February after the road was passable by cars, the pavements were still hazardous. So the Council dumped a single load of grit at the bottom of the hill and sent one man out with a shovel (but no barrow) to grit the pavement. Imagine how many miles would have to be walked by the time he had gritted the pavement at the top of the hill one shovel full at a time!

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sandy


Posts: 191
Joined: Oct 2006
Post: #8
02-12-2010 06:46 PM

What about Hengrave Road? We had a crash yesterday evening into a parked car due to steep bend and narrowing caused by an abandoned car parked off the pavement on our narrow road. Many of us in the road have not attempted to get our own cars out but watch the slipping and sliding and near misses.

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Foresthillbillie


Posts: 19
Joined: Nov 2010
Post: #9
02-12-2010 06:49 PM

Alex - Have you got a link to the site were Lewisham are announcing which roads are closed?

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alexfeakes


Posts: 28
Joined: Jun 2006
Post: #10
02-12-2010 11:56 PM

@ForestHillBillie - this link is for the council services affected (but doesn't include roads) http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/NewsAndEvents...eather.htm I'm not aware of page which has the info: I'm passing on the info I'm getting from the officer by email.

Ewelme Road has now also been closed.

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Londondrz


Posts: 1,538
Joined: Apr 2006
Post: #11
03-12-2010 02:15 PM

Congrats to the lady in the Renault who attemted to take her kids to the Horniman School this morning despite texts telling you the road was closed and a sign on the road telling you the road was closed.

Next time, park and walk up the hill and save yourself the embarresment of looking silly.

Rolleyes

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shzl400


Posts: 729
Joined: Oct 2007
Post: #12
03-12-2010 04:48 PM

Dunoon was also closed this morning - failed to check Tyson, but imagine they went for the full set along there.

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andrewr


Posts: 296
Joined: May 2006
Post: #13
03-12-2010 05:45 PM

Update and correction to my last post.
It was in February 2009, not this year, 2010, that 'Road Closed signs were first used.
I spotted Conway's putting out 'Road Closed' signs at around 7pm last night. These effectively 'sealed off' the Tewkesbury Lodge Estate - although some of the signs said 'except for access'. I suspect this is because they were short of 'Road Closed' signs - why else would anyone want to chance the slippery hills?
I am concerned that the Council are making the decision to close roads. Many of the 'Estate' roads have been passable, especially by 4x4's and cars with snow chains - yes some people do have them. Some have been reasonably well treated too. I recognise that some drivers seem unable to assess whether the conditions are safe - but really the onus should be on the driver rather than the Council to decide whether their vehicle and their driving skills are up to the road conditions.
I am also concerned that closing the roads, rather than treating them, makes the area inaccessible to emergency vehicles quite apart from post vans, deliveries etc. I'm sure that a single gritting vehicle fitted with snow chains could treat all the hills in the Lewisham area in a reasonable period - and the capital investment in buying the chains and training the drivers to use them would be tiny compared with the cost of accidents and lost working hours caused by failing to treat the roads.

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tttttttttttttt


Posts: 22
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #14
05-12-2010 10:21 AM

Would be really grateful for an update on the condition of the side roads off of Honor Oak Road/Devonshire Road - Tyson, Dunoon, Benson, Ewelme, etc ..............

Need to get over there Monday morning - are they accessable for parking? (Or is is better to steer clear completely, rather than not be able to get out again).

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shzl400


Posts: 729
Joined: Oct 2007
Post: #15
05-12-2010 02:06 PM

Yesterday, Tyson completely clear, Dunoon passable with care. Not ventured out today, but can only have improved.

Hope all snow gone before next week before it freezes the slush solid.

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shzl400


Posts: 729
Joined: Oct 2007
Post: #16
05-12-2010 08:50 PM

Thinking further on the previous post, I wonder if it is any coincidence that Tyson Road is completely clear, as it is the home address of our our esteemed mayor?

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andrewr


Posts: 296
Joined: May 2006
Post: #17
05-12-2010 09:06 PM

I thought Netherby Road was OK today because, by noon, there were two black tracks all the way up the road through the packed ice. But our visitors from Chingford and Bromley were unimpressed saying it was the worst road they had seen in their travels! With the road re-freezing tonight it would be good to see a bit of salt to give the deliveries a chance tomorrow.

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Merlin


Posts: 83
Joined: May 2010
Post: #18
05-12-2010 09:38 PM

Tyson didn't get any additional attention, I live there and would have noticed! I think Sir Steve avoids getting anything special done in Tyson to avoid claims of favouritism (if the people in Crowmarsh complaining about drains and others about trees is anything to go by)
Think the shop gives us additional foot fall so this might have helped get rid of the snow quicker. Whilst I'm on the subject of the shop - well done to the owners who went round knocking on pensioners doors asking if they needed anything delivered and checking they were ok.

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Merlin


Posts: 83
Joined: May 2010
Post: #19
05-12-2010 09:42 PM

ooooh, and be mindful of using salt Andrewr. It is great for melting snow but when the temp drops again the water freezes and you are back to square 1. Grit, sand or even cat litter is useful (and before anyone questions it - I suggest 'unused' would be better if you are using cat litter to clear paths)

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andrewr


Posts: 296
Joined: May 2006
Post: #20
05-12-2010 10:41 PM

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think what is spread by 'gritters' these days is almost always rock salt. I believe this is fairly impure salt dug out of the ground that has a relatively small amount of sand mixed in with it. It lowers the freezing point of water so melts snow. For as long as it lies on the ground it will prevent re-freezing. As it disappears down drains it will need to be replaced. I don't think Councils use grit (or cat litter!) on roads and pavements because, unlike salt, it blocks drains. Salt is, of course, pretty bad for cars - although modern cars are much better protected than older ones were. Incidentally, salt is not used on airports because of the damage it does to aluminium planes - which is one reason why clearing airports is such a difficult job...

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