Just noticed new notices up all over Perry Vale. The road is to be closed for up to 12months right next to the Forest Hill Central devolpment.
Imagine the chaos rushhour mornings . Traffic usually back to Dacres Rd

Whaaatttttttttt????!!!!!!!!!!!

Please tell me that's a wind-up. That is the major road in and out of FH for those of us on the east side of the station!!

Not a wind up but like most official notices not 100% clear. Seemed to imply that during the construction period of Forest Hill Central ( max 12 months ) the section immediately next to the site would be closed to vehicles
If I have made a mistake many apologies

Hmmm, perhaps it means that it will be closed at various times over the year but not for the whole 12 months?

Nevertheless, this still seems like a disproportionate measure. I can understand it being closed for a couple of weekends while the cranes are needed but closure on weekdays or over a few months will indeed casue traffic chaos. I suspect diversions would be via Westbourne Drive....

They are planning to adjust the road to make wider pavements and safer corners, but I would have hoped they could do this without closing both lanes.

I suspect Westbourne Drive will be very busy during the closure, but it is a reasonable diversion for most people.

Thanks for the clarification Michael. So this is actually a closure to improve the pavments and road safety, and not for the benefit of the FHC builders? Sounds more reasonable now.

Hello Michael
Thanks for your clarification.

I heard they were improving access to the station and tunnel from East Side. Is this correct please

Got this from Lewisham website:

"Sunday March 2nd
Starting at 5am Perry Vale will be closed between the Waldram Place and Hindsley`s Place to allow crane erection operations to take place.

Diversions will be in place. Pedestrian access to Forest Hill Stn will be maintained."

So Perry Vale will definitely only be closed for one day and not over a long period as previously discussed?

Warning to everyone Perry Vale , next to the station closed to vehicles. Uncertain how long although sign says up to a year but would imagine not as long as that.
Church Rise seemed to be at standstill this morning.
Guess people will soon find alternative routes

Do you live on CR then?

I saw the diversion too while walking the dog. Would expect they will have the crane up by this evening So the road will hopefully reopen. Its only for the new development, so wont be a massive crane, so should be quick to go up.

Yup - they had a stonking big crane putting up another crane, but the road is all open again now. I think it's just one night every now and again that the road is closed.

(Thanks to Nasaroc for posting this on the Sydenham Forum)

The text below is taken from Lewisham Council's website

"Perry Vale road closures

Currently Berkeley Homes are constructing a new housing development on Hindsley's Place, Forest Hill. During the planning process LB Lewisham secured monies to undertake highway improvements on Perry Vale. These works will include the total reconstruction of the carriageway and footways, with improvements to lighting and the streetscape. Upon completion of these works Berkeley Homes will then undertake the cleaning and painting of the railway subway.

In order for the Council to undertake their works safely it is necessary to close Perry Vale between Hindsley's Place and Finches Ski shop to vehicles.

The programme of works is as follows:

Wednesday 21 May 2008

The eastern footway will be closed, from around 9am. This is to allow the hoarding to the Berkeley Homes site to be moved back to their building line. Fencing will be used to enclose the footway, to ensure safety. The existing centre island near Hindsley's Place will still be accessible for pedestrians wishing to cross Perry Vale.

Tuesday 27 May 2008

Statutory undertakers will begin the diversion of their apparatus in the eastern footway.

Monday 9 June 2008

To accommodate the diversionary works it will be necessary to close Perry Vale to southbound vehicles. There will be three diversionary routes in place, which are:

* From the A205, Lordship Lane, right turn onto Sydenham Hill, onto Kirkdale, onto Sydenham Road, left onto Mayow Road finally right back onto Perry Vale.
* From the A205, London Road, right turn onto Dartmouth Road, left turn onto Kirkdale, onto Sydenham Road, left onto Mayow Road finally right back onto Perry Vale.
* Forward at Waldram Crescent, onto Waldram Park Road, right turn onto Westbourne Road and finally left turn onto Perry Vale.

Monday 23 June 2008

The Council's highways contractor will begin the realignment of Perry Vale's eastern footway between Hindsley's Place and Finches Ski shop.

Monday 7 July 2008

To accommodate the full reconstruction of the carriageway and footway it will be necessary to completely close Perry Vale between Hindsley's Place and Finches Ski shop to vehicles. Access to the shops will remain via Waldram Place or Perry Vale's junction with Waldram Park Road.

During this aspect of the work there will be two diversions in place, which are:

* From Perry Vale, left onto Mayow Road, right onto Sydenham Road, forward onto Kirkdale, right onto Dartmouth Road and finally left/ahead onto the A205, London Road.
* From Perry Vale, right onto Westbourne Drive, left onto Waldram Park Road, forward onto Waldram Crescent and finally onto Devonshire Road.

It is anticipated works will be complete by Friday 5 September 2008.

Throughout the works there will be full / safe pedestrian access too and from the station, as well as the shops. "

If they are lowering the pavement, so that it is level with the underpass, that would be considerate, and remove the requirement for steps on the Perry Vale side.

Just need to reinstate the gradual slope on the other side of the underpass and FH can be properly reunited once again.

Perryman - Both sides of FH need to be reunited but achieving step-free access via the underpass as you describe above is impossible.

Perry Vale would need to be lowered by at least 3-4ft to make it level with the underpass. And to achieve a "gradual slope on the other side of the underpass" would be even more unrealistic given the difference in height (15-20ft?) between the underpass and ground level on the other side. On the London Road side, the problem is exacerbated by the fact that the ground rises sharply up the hill.

And there simply isn't enough money in this scheme to make large-scale building amendments. The proposal is merely to "tidy up" the underpass, not carry out any engineering work or even to make the underpass watertight since the money from Berkeley Homes simply isn't sufficient.

Anything would be an improvement. However must compliment the council cleaners who seem to keep underpass much cleaner than it use to be.

I would like them to pedestrianise Perry Vale down to Fire Station. Give the roads back to the people.

thanks for the info nasaroc - I was being optimistic, but what a great opportunity (missed?) to level out Perry Vale at this point, given that the Centraal site on one side could be built to any level.
Only a couple of foot, but now we are going to have to live with these steps for another 50yrs+.

As for the impossible request to reinstate the gradual slope on the other side, well, as discussed before, that was the original arrangement of the underpass, but I'm not sure how it was achieved.
If this proposed slope started as soon as the tracks were clear and ran to roughly the front of WHSmiths, I do not know if that would be Wheelchair/pram friendly enough - just maybe.

Not making the underpass water tight makes any tidying up exercise pretty pointless IMO, unless it is painted with 'rivers of rust' effect paint. About as sensible as decorating the underpass with official graffiti.....oh.

Can I ask if the Berkeley Homes funds stretch to actually pulling out the buddleia from the old railway wall and actually repairing it, before someone gets hurt? A mural would be nice like they have on the posh side.

Otherwise all good news.

My understanding is that part of the works will involve reducing the sharpness of the bend in Perry Vale by Hindsley's Place. I am not sure of the logic for this - bends are good for slowing down traffic, and as far as I can see this will just make it easier for cars to speed along PV even more than they do already.

By reducing the bend there could be some space left in front of the entrance to the underpass.