Brockwell Park loses a chunk due to junction alterations at Herne Hill Junction

[corporate whore]

since the buses won't be going through Railton Rd any more but joining the traffic jam on Dulwich Rd. We shall see.

Thought the top of Railton is going to be buses only past the taxi place, where there's a mini roundabout - presumably for the taxis - and then what looks like a single direction lane heading south.


Surely a transport imporvement project wouldn't involve moving a bus stop from outside the station? Would it?

 

[Tricky Skills]

All of the bicycle racks outside of the station have also been removed. I hope this is only temporary

 

[prunus]

All of the bicycle racks outside of the station have also been removed. I hope this is only temporary

Yes, don't worry; there're yellow and white blobs indicating where they will be put back.

 

[co-op]

I have to say (and speaking as a cyclist) - I really prefer the space outside the station without the bike racks.

 

[Structaural]

I'm visiting my mum this weekend, I'll be able to take a look *prepares to be appalled*.

 

[Tricky Skills]

I counted ten vehicles ignoring ten pedestrians at the new elongated zebra crossing on Saturday. It's early days, but the junction doesn't seem to be very friendly.

I had a chat with Robert Holding from the Herne Hill Society. He was very helpful, and open to ideas to improve the scheme. I really want it to work, given the sacrifice of the parkland.

 

[pboi]

all that crying for nothing!

 

[teuchter]

I counted ten vehicles ignoring ten pedestrians at the new elongated zebra crossing on Saturday. It's early days, but the junction doesn't seem to be very friendly.

I had a chat with Robert Holding from the Herne Hill Society. He was very helpful, and open to ideas to improve the scheme. I really want it to work, given the sacrifice of the parkland.

That was a good little interview, that.

 

[Tricky Skills]

That was a good little interview, that.

Ah cheers

It was much more 'robust' offline. I cornered the poor chap for almost an hour! His dedication to Herne Hill was amazing, despite our disagreement.

 

[DJWrongspeed]

Can anyone remember when they started work on this? It's currently unfinished and in a mess. Is it the height of bad project planning or are the contractors just very lazy.

 

[kyser_soze]

given the sacrifice of the parkland.

Enough with the hyperbole already!

 

[tarannau]

That's not hyperbole - that's entirely accurate!

Now if he had said sacrifice of the finest and most fertile patch of parkland in the universe then you may have a point.


It was a dodgy principle and decision in the first place. Add to that it looks like a dogs dinner, lamely limping towards progress, and I'm not sure it's been a glorious chapter for all concerned.

 

[kyser_soze]

I object to the use of the word 'sacrifice' - adds a level of sacred to the whole comment which is wholly unecessary IMO.

I would like to know why the gates still aren't finished yet tho, but other than that I really like the gate, and the pedding over of the road outside the station.

 

[tarannau]

It's a perfectly acceptable synonym though - not hyperbolic really. You'd say you sacrifice some weight for comfort when it comes to a tent for example?

They did sacrifice a bit of the park in favour of improving access, like it or not. I'm just not convinced that they have made a difference that'll last and boy does it look like an ugly white elephant.

It's like a mini Brixton central square, only marooned in traffic. Maybe they'll improve the thing, but poor show so far

 

[Tricky Skills]

The deadline now appears to have shifted to "anytime before the Country Show." I cycled through earlier today, and the scene was a mad scramble to get the new gates put up. The Country Show will be the first major test of the junction. There has already been one serious accident at the crossing.

Still looks as bleak as ever

 

[gaijingirl]

Yes - not only does it look shit, it's no pleasure crossing there with (some) cars using that slip road as some kind of racing track (you know the slip road that was supposed to be buses only).

As one of the "mums with prams" often invoked in the "won't someone think of the mums with prams" argument - I find it no better for crossing. My mother point blank refuses to cross there and walks down Dulwich Road to the ped crossing...

I do like the pedestranisation of the end of Railton Road though - if anything I wish they'd paved even more of it.

 

[Mr Moose]

I find it no better for crossing.

I don't know how this could be. I find it much easier.

Its not perfect, but it didn't destroy a great swathe of the park as feared.

 

[Tricky Skills]

The removal of park land was always a red herring. What is left in place is a junction that appears to not be easing the traffic congestion. The problem for pedestrians (and cyclists) is that the zebra crossing is just so narrow. Cars don't seem to recognise that this is a pedestrian right of way. Some cars simply speed through, leaving pedestrians stranded.

 

[gaijingirl]

I don't know how this could be. I find it much easier.

Its not perfect, but it didn't destroy a great swathe of the park as feared.

Mainly because of the other stuff I said in my post about the slip road. Having the ped lights is obviously good - it's still a hairy old junction though and personally I don't feel worth the loss of parkland. I wish they had deigned to take a look at the alternative suggestions put forward by FoBP.

 

[London_Calling]

"Pauses for a moment to recognise the fallen parkland*

 

[kyser_soze]

Yes, all 10x100m of it. So much gone.

 

[gaijingirl]

How much do you reckon that amount of land is worth in that area - just out of interest?

 

[Ms T]

The removal of park land was always a red herring. What is left in place is a junction that appears to not be easing the traffic congestion. The problem for pedestrians (and cyclists) is that the zebra crossing is just so narrow. Cars don't seem to recognise that this is a pedestrian right of way. Some cars simply speed through, leaving pedestrians stranded.

Some drivers will always do this, wherever the crossing. The one further down Railton, where it become Atlantic Road is a particularl shocker. It drives me .

 

[nagapie]

Slightly off topic but I've heard the one o' clock club might be closed down. I wonder how long it will take Lambeth to sell that bit of park off.

 

[Ms Ordinary]

I really hope that's just a rumour - that one o' clock club is a brilliant facility, and it was only refurbished / rebuilt a few years ago.

 

[nagapie]

It was only refurbished a couple of months ago!

 

[gaijingirl]

Slightly off topic but I've heard the one o' clock club might be closed down. I wonder how long it will take Lambeth to sell that bit of park off.

They sold off the "rundown" (by the council itself - conveniently) garages on my bit of estate to a housing association who built a new building (opp 1 o'clock club). We were promised a % of the proceeds to make improvements to the estate. We never saw a penny.

They could really have given that land back to the park to make up for the land lost at HH junction - but of course the land is incredibly valuable.

I met with so many people during the consultation period - went to meetings in the town hall with the HA - all of whom promised the sun, moon and stars.

Meanwhile we're still chasing Lambeth for money owed to us after our flat got flooded with sewage because they didn't unblock the communal drains...

I will incredibly upset if the 1 o'clock club goes - it's one of the main benefits of where I live for me and many of my neighbours right now.

 

[teuchter]

I agree it looks slightly bleak and maybe a couple more trees would have been nice but will reserve judgement till it's completely finished.

It's already a much more pleasant crossing experience for the pedestrian though.

If drivers are ignoring the zebra crossing then something needs to be done specifically about that. Some speed bumps perhaps, or make it an instant-action traffic lights crossing like the one on the opposite side of the park (across Tulse Hill)?

Even if cars ignore the crossing, at least the improved sightlines mean you can see them coming from quite a way off.

 

[Structaural]

It wasn't as bad as I'd imagined, but the cars speed through a bit quick, it's one pathetic zebra. Needs serious garden landscaping, more troughs of flowers and stuff.

I didn't like the way peds have to wait between the two pelicans coming from Norwood road towards the entrance. That fills up quick.
I guess it has to work that way, gonna be murder on Country Show day.

 

[gaijingirl]

I didn't like the way peds have to wait between the two pelicans coming from Norwood road towards the entrance. That fills up quick.

and the gap for crossing on the green from the railway side is incredibly short - I actually managed to miss it today and waited 2 cycles..