I'd originally thought this was the new FH councillors but after actually looking this is a petition from John Paschoud, who I see from this site that "I was first elected to serve Forest Hill as a Labour councillor in May 1994"

If someone who has been a councillor for 20 years and must be in the higher echelons of the councillor group has to resort to a petition to get anything done then I suspect that there is no chance of anything happening. Else why hasn't he already dealt with it in his previous 5 terms as a councillor.

I think there used to be a pedestrian island refuge in the middle of the road before the road was narrowed.

I dont ever recall an island at the point in question.

There was a pedestrian island there for a time (not long), before the road was narrowed and the new flats built. If you can work out how to make it work, Google has streetview images from 2008 where you can see the pedestrian island before it was removed.

Yes, there was a useful island, slightly further along, that allowed people to cross more safely to/from the bus stop or use the cut through by church vale.

This was removed as part of the road narrowing 'improvement' works, and to be fair this half of PV was a pretty quiet and pleasant place for some 6 months while they carried out the work in their cul-de-sac....

We can only guess why the councillor has started this petition, but I suspect the Lewisham road engineers themselves freely admit that the job is unsatisfactory and unfinished, but do not have the money to put it right.

A few deaths or a healthy petition might allow them to secure some funding (from central government?) to make a few improvements.

A good example of a crossing on a bend and on an incline is the one outside the school at the Bromley end of Hayes Lane. Seems to work fine and I don't see why a similar setup wouldn't work in FH. Maybe we could have the street trees which were missed off the works when the road was narrowed? Would have improved the appearance of the area no end.

I think there is a fairly simple solution to this problem.
Before they widened the road, there was never really an issue with speeding cars etc, there are ‘Sleeping policemen’ outside
of the Superstore, but are completely useless, and no one pays them any attention.
Just replacing them with ones that will slow down the traffic, should do the trick.
it’s turned into a racetrack, and crossing is now a bit of a nightmare.

If he was to openly say that then it would be quote refreshing.

I imagine it is difficult for people to be patient crossing the road if they are going to miss their train.

I know its not a perfect solution but leave home earlier, or catch the next one.
I would never risk my life crossing a busy road to catch a regular bus or train.

I understand the point, but its not a reason to put a crossing in. The reverse would be, why slow down or let people cross when im driving along that road, it will make me late for X Y or Z.

Somewhere common sense plays a part, and having spent your childhood being taught how to cross a road safely, its alarming the number of people that throw it all away just not to wait another second. Its rarely a 1 minute wait to get across.

One thing I have been looking into recently is if this is actually an isolated problem, and its not. A lot of stations in South London have the same issue, and most of it is caused by the volumes of pedestrian and motorised traffic. Brockley station for example is alarming! With commuters just flooding into the road outside the station and walking up it with no regard to the moving vehicles.

My point... there is a certain mindset at play, and that is 'its my right'.

Be interesting to see what actually happens in the end. Would also be interesting to know the accident rate at that point over the last 5-10 years.

Snazy, I remember hitting a pedestrian a few years ago when they stepped out in front of me on the Farringdon Road. Fortunately I had spotted him step out so slowed to about 5 mph when I hit him. I fell off my motorbike as the rear wheel locked up. He then shouted at me "Didn't you see me". When I stood up my response was "yes I did which is why you are not in hospital, I also didn't think you would be dumb enough to just walk across a very busy road without looking".

A small crowd had gathered in a short space of time and they were all telling him off.

The look of hurt indignation was a sight to behold.

A lot of people these days DGAF and, as you say, it's all about them and their rights.

I think there is an answer but it is pricey, but then again anything else is a compromise IMO. Remove all the street furniture and raise the road level to the same as pavement. It may sound like a free for all but is tried and tested in many places - traffic have to slow down to negotiate it and people cross where they like but know that traffic is sharing the space with them. See Exhibition Road for an example http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/subsites/exhibiti...anged.aspx

I guess changing the road texture, colour and patterns are just psychological tricks to make a driver (unfamiliar with the road) feel uneasy and wondering if he has accidentally driven into a pedestrian zone. Maybe he'll slow down and be more attentive.

But blurring the distinction between pavement and road is a dangerous game - many drivers seem to have difficulty with this distinction already.
I don't want drivers to get comfortable driving on pavement surfaces or they'll take the lot!

Having said that, putting a brickwork surface on a table type crossing (like outside Christchurch school) does seem to encourage drivers to give way.
It is odd that they did not even bother to do this to the table outside the station, which makes me think they just ran out of money.

The table caused confusion when first put in as pedestrians thought it was intended as a place to cross. It's not. The barriers were put in retrospectively to stop them treating it like an invisible zebra crossing. The whole thing felt a bit fudged.

As someone who regularly exits Sloane Square station where they've got a shared surface for pedestrians and cars, I have to say I'm not a fan. It might slow down cars, but it also makes pedestrians assume there are no cars coming and they just step out, causing confusion and alarm and angry drivers.

Has anyone seen the state of the brick paved surface at Gypsy Hill? After last winter's rain it's got sink holes all over the place. It gets a lot of heavy traffic and just isn't up to the job - there are grooves in the surface roughly equivalent to the wheel tracks of the buses that use that route.

Great example Londondrz, seems a mentality many are willing to take all too frequently.

RSH, I have the displeasure of driving over that brickwork on a regular basis, and agree, its hideous.

The fact is a simple one, while we all throw ideas out there, there are NO changes that can be made which make crossing that road 100% safe, hence I was asking about the accident data for the road. Awkward and time consuming doesn't mean 'dangerous'. Stripy roads, flashing lights, and bricks don't make it 'safe'.

It takes a combination of a lot of things to make things right there. Yes some drivers pay too little attention on that stretch of road, and go too fast, however, the commuters and other pedestrians also have a choice of where they cross, and when.

Its all very well saying the station exit is on a blind corner, so don't cross there! Don't expect the road to change, because walking 30 ft up the road is inconvenient. Yes it takes a bit longer, but it also saves your life.
I know the argument is of course the elderly and mums with buggies and prams, when trying to find an angle to prove a point, they are always great examples to use, but the majority of users of the road are able bodied, impatient commuters. And thats who a change would in fact be being made for.

Going to see if anywhere can come up with the accident data for that stretch of road, and see what is really necessary there in reality.

My final point, whatever you put in place will not change the mindset of the people who are too arrogant to believe a car can hurt them, or in too much of a rush to care. In fact sometimes you empower stupidity by installing false security and a greater feeling of importance, priority and security. People get run over on crossings every day.

Oh one final observation.... The inlets to Perry Vale from the South Circ, right up until the cab office are TfL responsibility, the remainder from there towards the school etc is Lewisham. Its entirely possible that it is a paperwork nightmare to try and get both parties to agree on something like that.

Just a consideration.

Then why did they raise the road height to pavement level to create a table?
The intention clearly was to create a formal crossing.
The councillor is just requesting they finish the job.

And the disabled and visually impaired too. And it is only a matter of time before we all tick one of those boxes. Think of installing a pelican as an investment for your own future!

Perryman - I can't remember the source, but it definitely wasn't intended for pedestrians but just a table to slow traffic. It's a poor place for crossing with sight lines etc, and when the powers that be realised people were crossing, that's when the barriers were put up. This was official, not hearsay.

By definition Perryman it would have been an informal crossing at best. With no markings, lights or signs to dictate it as an actual crossing. Just like the road island further down.

It does of course give the impression it IS a crossing point, but people can't even be bothered to walk up that far, to the straighter part of the road.

I know what you are saying about we will all fall into the category, and in fact on regular occasion I do actually fall under 'disability' so am quite aware of the challenges... However I manage to choose my moment and placing and cross safely.

A formal crossing a point further along near the All in One would be better suited, but I can guarantee you that most wont bother using it, even those who need it.

I agree with Snazy. You only need to look at the large volume of people coming up from the St. David's Road end of FH who don't bother walking the 10 yards to the crossing to WH Smith but who dart across the road by what was From the Forest.

Some people just are not wired right.