I've been around long enough to have been involved in consultation at the time that the one way in Manor Mount was first introduced. Prior to the one way, it was a major rat run down Manor Mount and David's Road (and vice versa in the morning). David's Road is very narrow and was not infrequently blocked by vehicles meeting half way. Ambulances were then unable to get out of the ambulance station to the South Circular. After several experiments with different one way arrangements the current system was settled on which delighted the residents of Manor Mount and satisfied the ambulance station by removing almost all (legal) through traffic. However it moved the rat run into Ewelme Road, Woodcombe Crescent and Devonshire Road which, IMHO is a much less suitable route. Personally I think the system would work better if the one-way in Manor Mount was reversed, but this would not please the residents of Manor Mount who would get the traffic back from Ewelme.

Thanks - having had a few road rage scares, mainly whilst drivers tried to run me over in the Brixton Road area when on my two wheels, I tend to be in a position where I can get away. As with my road rage experiece, it was all types as well. A few years ago someone tried to remonstrate with a motorist on Manor Mount and got duly beaten-up. However I think the taking down numbers, whilst having no chance of the authorities doing anything, gets a message across in a slightly less confrontational way than me yelling abuse (which I have tended to do). Not sure about walking purposefully in the middle of the road. As with others, in my dreams, I of course splatter the car with brake fluid. And of course subsequently get a criminal record and lose my job. Stop here as I am starting to digress.

BD - restrained as ever.

Full police presence there this morning. And one very eggy faced driver going into the book when I passed. Found myself torn between pity and schadenfreude.

Vipes, superb. I wish I had have known (they were not there at 7.30 when I went up the hill) as I would have stood and clapped!!!

That is great news; hopefully this will be a more regular occurrence, which I wholeheartedly support.
Living at the top of the Manor Mount, with a window which overlooks the turning, it amazes me the number of people who disregard the one-way, staggering. My angry glares if they pass me don't seem to do any good!!

Glad Police caught someone . Let us hope they are banned.

Seems this is becoming more regular. I saw 4 or 5 police there last week, in the evening rush hour though. People had been pulled over then as well.

Two cops there at 5.30 (hooray)

Traffic really clear on Honor Oak Road, therefore no one rat running today (booooh).

Whyare the roads so quiet by the way? Half term is next week.

And had a nice chat with the cops who recognised me and praised me for all my community work.

I believe the local posh schools have half term this week and some , not having to follow any national curriculum even have the audacity to have two weeks off at this time of year ;so now we know who causes most of the traffic.

Good to have cops there but as you say unfortunate that its so quiet at the moment. There does I think still need to be some sort of camera system that can issue penalty fines to offenders as it is surely a much more cost effective and reliable option than having occasional police presence. This is something which I raised at the Forest Hill AGM and which needs some further concerted action.

I have to say that I have also seen police cars go the wrong way up Davids Road from the South Circ- no blues so hardly justified.

Last week I saw an ambulance go the wrong way up Davids Road from the ambulance station there- I assume that emergency services can do what they want in an emergency if justified but to go the other way past Sainsburys car park would not have taken much more time and would have avoided the risk of a collision on the bend. Do emergency services have carte blanche when it comes to one way systems?

Roz, if the ambulance was on call then it can as long as it does so safely. If not then the driver is commiting an offence.

I am not able to take up my usual rant poition on my motorcycle on Manour Mount as I was knocked off by a drunk driver a few weeks ago. Happy to join a few of you and wave my crutch in anger though.

The fact the roads are quieter is partly down to the recession.
I recall 91/93 when traffic was a lot less than before or after.

I am afraid traffic is less as the posh schools are on holls.

re. Roz's comment about ambulances: that section of Manor Mount and David's Road is not one way (from Pearcefield Avenue the sign at the junction with Manor Mount warns drivers of this) but most drivers hurtle round the bend at the bottom of the hill oblivious of this fact. Don't get me started on Sainsbury's lorry drivers who take it as a badge of honour to reverse illegally down every one way street they can find. If the driver of the green Mercedes that was nearly crushed by a reversing lorry this afternoon reads this I suggest they contact Adam Field on 07788567173.

The other reason for less traffic is that Perry Vale has reopened and this has reduced jams across Forest Hill. Many drivers have probably found alternative route to avoid the daily jams.

Always thought that Davids Road/Manor Mount down from Pearcefield was one way- I'm staggered! It must have been me driving dangerously down there for many years.......

I don't think it is only you Roz. I think most people treat that section as one-way, probably because it logically looks like it should be! I suspect the reason that it isn't is down to the location of the ambulance station. Apart from that, and the block of flats on the corner, it is hard to see where traffic heading up Manor Mount would come from.

Sainsbury's car park?

I assume we are talking purely about the section between the two ends of Pearcefield so Sainsbury's traffic is not involved since it would enter the end of Pearcefield nearest Davids Road and exit onto Manor Mount. It would have to go the wrong way along
Pearcefield to affect the stretch in question.

I have on a personal basis and for some time been pressurising for some action in respect of the continuing and regular abuses of the one way system in this road, ie cars turning into it from Honor Oak Road. I am arranging to meet Councillors and Council staff at a meeting very shortly on a site visit. I would have thought that the ideal solution was a fixed camera and issue of financial penalties. The only option on the table however seems to be a roving camera as the Council have only recently been granted the powers to do so. Its a start but I'm not sure how effective it would be hence I think that a fixed camera is the best option on the basis that only methods that hurts peoples pockets will work.

I would like to take to the meeting a record of other peoples experiences with problems on this stretch of road so if anyone has anything to report would you please either post the details on here or PM me? Thanks.

The camera at Wickes does not prevent illegal right turns as it is often facing away.