SE23.com - The Official Forum for Forest Hill & Honor Oak, London SE23
Online since 2002   11,000+ members   72,000+ posts

Home | SE23 Topics | Businesses & Services | Wider Topics | Offered/Wanted/Lost/Found | About SE23.com | Advertising | Contact | |
 Armstrong & Co Solicitors



Post Reply  Post Topic 
Pages (3): « First [1] 2 3 Next > Last »
Speeding - Honor Oak Park
Author Message
Sars


Posts: 6
Joined: Sep 2013
Post: #1
10-04-2014 12:18 PM

Hi all, I thought I would write this post to encourage everyone to contact Lewisham Council about the speeding problem in Honor Oak Park, particularly outside the station.

The speed bumps on the hill from One Tree Hill towards the station are so low that cars/buses do not need to slow down. They just fly over them at speed.
Traffic doesn't always stop at the zebra crossings outside the station as cars are hurtling at such speed in either direction that I don't think the drivers notice there are zebra crossings, let alone people standing at them.

I don't know about anyone else but I feel like it's only a matter of time before there is a major accident.
The traffic needs to be slowed down.
We need to make it safe for people to come out of the station and we need to make it safe for kids to walk to the park!

I would encourage everyone to email or call Lewisham Highways Department who are in charge of this. I have done this myself, but feel the more people who contact them, the more likely they will be to resolve this:

Highways@lewisham.gov.uk
0208 314 7171


Thanks!

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
daveherne


Posts: 212
Joined: Jul 2012
Post: #2
10-04-2014 01:24 PM

I have already contacted them about this a couple of months ago. In particular the crossing.

I also encourage others to do the same as Sars said.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Erekose


Posts: 557
Joined: May 2010
Post: #3
10-04-2014 03:28 PM

Ah one of my fave topics. Over the years I have had long correspondence with Lewisham Highways on similar issues of speeding / lack of traffic calming outside the Perry vale entrance to Forest Hill station. I would be interested to know if you get a response.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Fandango


Posts: 89
Joined: Nov 2008
Post: #4
10-04-2014 03:40 PM

Note that the first speed bump at the top of One Tree Hill is particularly vicious, and I suspect above the 10cm height guideline.

The subsequent bumps towards HOP are lesser in height, and probably within guidelines.

If the bumps alone are not working to deter speeding motorists, another approach should be taken as raising the bumps would be illegal.

More bumps should not be encouraged due to the increase in noise, and emissions pollution that they create.

Thanks to gravity, things always roll down hills faster than on the flat, so maybe we can put in a proposal to level One Tree Hill.... It's a swine to cycle over.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Londondrz


Posts: 1,538
Joined: Apr 2006
Post: #5
10-04-2014 03:58 PM

As a resident on Waldenshaw Road which has some pretty good bumps I can say that bumps don't slow anyone down, all that happens is drivers do a zig zag down the road whilst at speed.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
daveherne


Posts: 212
Joined: Jul 2012
Post: #6
10-04-2014 09:06 PM

i don't think spedbumps are the answer by the station. traffi lights would be good and perhaps harrowing of the road with bollards too. also perhaps a crossing in the middle of the high street near sainsburys.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Erekose


Posts: 557
Joined: May 2010
Post: #7
10-04-2014 11:15 PM

I have tried that suggestion a few times but they always reply that you can't have a light controlled crossing on a bend although I have seen examples where it works fine (Bromley end of Hayes Lane being a good example).

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Sherwood


Posts: 1,412
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #8
11-04-2014 07:10 AM

I can remember going round a bend once to find a red traffic light. We had to slam on the brakes!

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
BringOutTheCranston


Posts: 81
Joined: Sep 2013
Post: #9
11-04-2014 07:15 AM

Or a person? If you had to slam on the brakes then maybe you were going a bit too fast.

It's perverse for the council to say that they can't put a crossing there as it's unsafe but that is exactly the place where people are crossing.

Wasn't the time to look at this crossing point when they built the flats? No, they just put a small barrier up on either side of the road as "that'll stop them crossing here"

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
daveherne


Posts: 212
Joined: Jul 2012
Post: #10
11-04-2014 08:41 AM

exactly.

and the answer that the bend issue is pretty simple. add the lights controled crossing on the high street by sainsbury's.

and/or add some traffic slowing bollards on the way down the hill. or a speed camera! it's really not that hard.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Baboonery


Posts: 581
Joined: Sep 2007
Post: #11
11-04-2014 10:03 AM

The whole area round HOP station could do with a redesign, IMHO. Visibility of those approaching the crossing from the middle of the road for drivers going uphill is poor and the restrictions on speed downhill are weak too, as the OP said.

By the way, if anyone was annoyed by an idiot parked on the wrong side of Stanstead road at the bus stop before the fire station at teatime last night, it was me, so my apologies - my engine cut out as I was turning right into Wastdale to take car to garage, and the steering lock prevented me completing the turn on momentum, so I had to bail out. Fortunate nothing worse happened.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Sars


Posts: 6
Joined: Sep 2013
Post: #12
11-04-2014 10:46 AM

I think we can all agree there is a traffic problem in Honor Oak Park.
I sincerely hope everyone is bombarding the council with complaints. They're not going to listen to one person, but they can't ignore a whole community. It will be their responsibility to figure out how to resolve this. All we can do is make them aware of how serious the problem is and how many people are in agreement.

The contact details again:

Highways@lewisham.gov.uk
0208 314 7171

I urge you all to contact them.

Many thanks

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Perryman


Posts: 820
Joined: Dec 2006
Post: #13
11-04-2014 10:55 AM

Well done for persevering Erekose, but I'm afraid Lewisham Highways are only concerned with keeping the traffic flowing. At all costs.

Even if they were somehow forced to install a pelican crossing outside the station at PV or at Honor Oak Pk station, they now set the wait times to over 1 minute, presumably as a deterrent. (ie the Co-op crossing or the new Lloyds bank crossing Sydenham).

But even with the excessive wait, for those with shopping, children, prams, or those not so quick, then it is better than nothing. And drivers are conditioned to stop at lights, as opposed to zebra crossings which they often ignore, especially at night.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Poppy9560


Posts: 273
Joined: Aug 2008
Post: #14
11-04-2014 11:10 AM

I'd never noticed this problem- what I saw this morning is cars stopping over the middle of the zebra crossing even though they are in a long line of cars - complete idiots!!!

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
tincan


Posts: 27
Joined: Apr 2012
Post: #15
11-04-2014 01:12 PM

I am an architect who lives on Honor Oak Park Hill- and have had multiple communications with Lewisham over the past few years concerning speed and general traffic issues from One Tree Hill down through the parade.

I think its a great shame our communal spaces and routes are being shaped by highway engineers conducting tick box exercises rather than developed with the residents and community in mind.

Highways unfortunately take the view that because the road is designated a 'classified road' it should be an unobstructed (as possible) super highway for as much local traffic as possible. I have no problem with through traffic, as we live in a built up area, but I feel it should go through at a suitable speed that is compatible with the aspirations of local residents.

I have suggested that the stretch of road is important to the community as it provides access to many things such as the rec, one tree hill the station, the parade, the allotments and many houses etc etc it is one of the main spines of the HOP area.

I feel it should instead be treated as a residential street because currently it feels too hostile to pedestrians & cyclists.

The issues are (and possible solutions):

uncontrolled speed & humps are ineffective, speeds are high and vehicles swerve unpredictably:
Solution being a traffic calming scenario encouraging a 20mph zone from One tree hill through to the parade. In addition to signage, shared surface raised tables, pinch points etc and extra crossing opportunities cameras should also be employed.

The stretch of road feels hostile: Solution will come from removing humps and eliminating the unnerving swerving. Reduction of speed to 20mph will also make the hill and parade a safe - calmer place to enjoy. basic things like crossing points at one tree hill entrance and one on the parade would be sensible and intensive tree planting from the station through to the parade would also change the feel of the area and drivers perception of it (i.e. currently a 'weaving through-route', but should be 'pleasant leafy residential enclave')

I think the people of honor oak park need to demand more of our council and highways department so we can start shaping the places and spaces we live in positively and proactively. first steps would probably be to overcome the road classification issues and how Lewisham's current stance can be 'amended'

This post was last modified: 11-04-2014 01:14 PM by tincan.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
BringOutTheCranston


Posts: 81
Joined: Sep 2013
Post: #16
11-04-2014 02:34 PM

Quote:
I feel it should instead be treated as a residential street because currently it feels too hostile to pedestrians & cyclists.


Unfortunately this might not really help much.

Cranston Road is unclassified but is on the junction with the south circular & Brockley Rise. As such cars & commercial vehicles see it as a through route to Bell Green Sainsbury's and drive along it accordingly.

This is clearly a residential street and the traffic is horrendous so I don't see much hope for declassification and improvement to the road from One Tree Hill down through Honor Oak Park.

I agree with your points entirely though but feel very pessimistic about the council doing anything to resolve any of these matters.

This post was last modified: 11-04-2014 02:34 PM by BringOutTheCranston.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
tincan


Posts: 27
Joined: Apr 2012
Post: #17
12-04-2014 09:23 AM

Only way to get things to change is to lobby local councillors - contacting planners or highways officers is a waste of time as they are not able to make any decisions or enable changes. Both departments are notoriously disorganised and demotivated as well.

This post was last modified: 12-04-2014 09:24 AM by tincan.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
lacb


Posts: 627
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #18
12-04-2014 11:43 AM

Agree wholeheartedly with tincan on this. The only thing I would add is that there should probably be a weight restriction also. Aside from huge goods vehicles being unsuitable for the road, and its humps, subsurface terrain is clearly not too firm and they cause vibration and damage to local houses.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
mrm1ag1


Posts: 15
Joined: Jul 2010
Post: #19
12-04-2014 07:34 PM

We have been contacting the council regularly for the last 3 or 4 years about this issue - our house vibrates from the heavy goods vehicles and buses speeding over the humps but they won't acknowledge the is a problem.

They also insist that they can't lower the speed limit to 20mph.

A weight restriction would be a good start as the increase in big trucks/ coaches etc over the last few years has been noticeable

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Erekose


Posts: 557
Joined: May 2010
Post: #20
13-04-2014 08:39 PM

Living in a road with a 20mph speed limit and speed pillows I can report that the lower speed limit makes no difference whatsoever as it is not enforced. Usual response from Highways is that there is not a problem.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Pages (3): « First [1] 2 3 Next > Last »

Friends of Blythe Hill Fields