I think it is wise of TfL to review the junction as a whole rather than just removing the railings. I think the sequence of lights really needs reviewed. At the moment, the priority is all on the flow of traffic - there is always traffic moving somewhere at the junction. The green men fit in with that sequence. The islands allow this to happen. But it is hugely frustrating to pedestrians to get half way across the road and then wait for another green man to finish crossing. I'm forever standing in the middle facing the laundrette and trying to work out if it's safe to nip across. And people often start crossing when they see a light turning red, not realising another light is turning green and traffic is going to start coming at them from another angle. Which drivers among us have not taken the left-hand filter out of London Road only to find scurrying and startled pedestrians at the corner?

There was a similar (although less busy) set up at the Sydenham end of Mayow Road, with railings and staggered crossings. As part of the regeneration of Sydenham Road, all the railings were removed and the lights changed so that there is an 'all red' part of the sequence where no cars move and pedestrians can cross freely in whatever direction they like. It is so much better.