Loughborough Junction public space improvements - consultation begins

[CH1]

There is a way into Ridgeway Road (and Rathgar Road) but only from the south -- not from the north.
View attachment 76374

In that case shouldn't the signage say "Access to Ridgeway and Rathgar Roads only"?
Might have more credibility then.

 

[Beasley]

Quite right. It seems they have tried to get by with 'off the peg' signs when for the sake of clarity they should have stripped away the clutter and used custom made signs or maybe something completely different.

As I recall, the cycling campaigners behind this project were inspired by De Beauvoir Town in Hackney -- see the Google Street View picture below of Mortimer Road N1…

 

[bimble]

I hope you're right.
The yellow planning orders stuck to the new 'No Entry signs give the same text as this below, about how to record an objection;

 

[Beasley]

The "letter to residents" on August 21 said only that "You can let us know any thoughts during the closures directly by contacting Barbara Poulter at the council either by email at bpoulter@lambeth.gov.uk or by post".

Presumably a formal objection would have to be taken seriously and have more chance of succeeding.

 

[teuchter]

I know it's not the most important thing in the world but the view from my window is headache inducing now with all that giant shouty writing. Was really pretty before in its way.

The reason there's giant shouty writing is that we have ended up with a situation where people feel so entitled to drive their cars where they want that they don't pay any attention to the street signs which inform them where they are permitted to go under the conditions of the licences we have granted them. So we have to resort to measures like this to force them to respect those conditions.

So if you want less shouty writing on the street you should join the campaign to reduce the dominance of the private car in our society

 

[CH1]

The reason there's giant shouty writing is that we have ended up with a situation where people feel so entitled to drive their cars where they want that they don't pay any attention to the street signs which inform them where they are permitted to go under the conditions of the licences we have granted them. So we have to resort to measures like this to force them to respect those conditions.

So if you want less shouty writing on the street you should join the campaign to reduce the dominance of the private car in our society

Ludicrous. I might just as well say what you have here is civil disobedience - of the same type that causes people to smoke reefers in the garden of well-known local pubs (or the street).

Clearly the shouty writers have not taken account that there are none so blind as those who will not see.

 

[bimble]

The reason there's giant shouty writing is that we have ended up with a situation where people feel so entitled to drive their cars where they want that they don't pay any attention to the street signs which inform them where they are permitted to go under the conditions of the licences we have granted them. So we have to resort to measures like this to force them to respect those conditions.

So if you want less shouty writing on the street you should join the campaign to reduce the dominance of the private car in our society

I'm not a driver myself, never have been , but not sure if that counts as joining your campaign.

Anyhow, this morning they added a whole new bit of giant writing to yesterday's three.
This one seems to be there to clarify what the only option now is:

 

[Beasley]

Similar signs painted on Lilford Road on Tuesday are causing some drivers to turn into Flaxman Road or make a U-turn on Lilford. It was covered in yesterday's Evening Standard:
These road markings are leaving drivers in south London *really* confused

One of the signs is obscured by a tree and apparently they plan to remove it -- and this is only an experimental period.

 

[CH1]

Similar signs painted on Lilford Road on Tuesday are causing some drivers to turn into Flaxman Road or make a U-turn on Lilford. It was covered in yesterday's Evening Standard:
These road markings are leaving drivers in south London *really* confused
One of the signs is obscured by a tree and apparently they plan to remove it -- and this is only an experimental period.
View attachment 76407

I'm almost tempted to pay a visit to St Matthews in Lilford Road to see what people there think. They are probably as bemused as everyone else.

 

[bimble]

The "experimental" bit is what I find most confusing of all.
If this is a trial I would like very much to know what it is they are going to be measuring, and how.
How do you quantify success or failure in this experiment?

 

[teuchter]

The "experimental" bit is what I find most confusing of all.
If this is a trial I would like very much to know what it is they are going to be measuring, and how.
How do you quantify success or failure in this experiment?

They have done traffic counts at various locations, prior to introduction, and will compare those with counts during the experimental period.

 

[bimble]

And that's it?
What about the traffic in the streets into which everyone is now being diverted?
What about the effect on the businesses in the restricted access zones or the feelings of local residents? Or number of accidents caused by people doing U turns etc?
Just measuring the number of cars at one or two points near the junction seems to me a strange way of judging whether this experiment is or isn't a success.

 

[teuchter]

I said "various locations", not "one or two points near the junction".

I don't know the full details because I'm not involved in it. There is some basic information in the Lambeth docs linked earlier. I would hope that the asessment looks at effects on potential cut through routes, displaced traffic flows, increase in recorded accidents etc. It should all be published in the report at the end of the trial period. Then people can be free to not read it and come to their own uninformed opinions.

 

[bimble]

This attached document received just now from the council.
It shows that they do intend to measure qualitative effects as well as number of cars at specific points, and will apparently start by posting out 10,991 letters to people who live here.
Do feel free to read or not read or as you wish..

 

[Beasley]

will apparently start by posting out 10,991 letters to people who live here.

I think you will find that is referring to what they did last year:
A leaflet publicising the consultation and detailing opportunities to view the proposals and meet the design team was distributed to 10,991 residential and business addresses in the consultation area over 17th and 18th of September 2014

 

[bimble]

It does say they will be sending these letters out during the road closure period:

 

[Beasley]

Oops -- I missed that -- sorry!
Well, hopefully the coverage will be better than it was last time.

 

[bimble]

Agreed, I didn't get anything so far,
I wasn't one of the 10,991 and I live right on top of 5 brand new NO ENTRY signs ..
(red outline above wasn't meant to be aggressive).

 

[bimble]

Today's new sign..
at least I understand the point of this one, plus it looks genuinely temporary.

 

[bimble]

Every time I come home there's something new in the street.
They've gone on to plastic barriers now.
What a shambles.
This was a nice view last week.

 

[bimble]

They just got moved (not by me).
People really don't seem to like this, despite all the signage.

 

[SpamMisery]

All feels a bit Monty Python-esque

 

[cuppa tee]

View attachment 76440 Today's new sign..
at least I understand the point of this one, plus it looks genuinely temporary.

the road closure is the diversion, the real issue the the social cleansing of LJ which the arch evictions and the road closures are designed to facilitate"

 

[bimble]

You think there is a great monolithic "They" who are coming to social cleanse LJ?
I think it's sadder and more complicated than that, as in NR want to make money, and LJAG is led by a nice posh lady who imagines we'll be sipping cappuccinos on Loughborough Road , that sort of thing.

 

[cuppa tee]

You think there is a great monolithic "They" who are coming to social cleanse LJ

No, there are a lot of snouts in the trough as you have pointed out elsewhere
isn't the nice lady a property journalist ?

 

[Greebo]

In that case shouldn't the signage say "Access to Ridgeway and Rathgar Roads only"?
Might have more credibility then.

You can't expect sensible or clear signage here; this is Lambeth.

 

[bimble]

isn't the nice lady a property journalist ?

 

[Gramsci]

Saw this on LJAG website

“Loughborough Junction and Myatt’s Field experimental road closures Community Chest

INTRODUCTION

The experimental road closures were introduced on 29 August and we are keen that local people get involved during the six-month experimental period.

We have set aside some funds to establish a community chest and local groups are invited to submit proposals for funding of up to £1000. We particularly welcome proposals and ideas that aim to:

Encourage walking and/or cycling 

Contribute to the greening of the neighbourhood 

Encourage resident participation during the experimental period

 

[CH1]

Saw this on LJAG website

I think this shows what is wrong with the council and Loughborough Junction.

They can't even get the scheme working - at all - 2 weeks after starting it. so they now offer up to £10,000 of council tax payer's money to create their idea of stakeholders (totally ignoring residents views already expressed - including via ward councillors)

What kind of local democracy is this? And who is paying for it?

 

[Gramsci]

I think this shows what is wrong with the council and Loughborough Junction.

They can't even get the scheme working - at all - 2 weeks after starting it. so they now offer up to £10,000 of council tax payer's money to create their idea of stakeholders (totally ignoring residents views already expressed - including via ward councillors)

What kind of local democracy is this? And who is paying for it?

I must say I was a bit surprised to see this. Its not impartial. The funding is all directed at projects which will support the road closure scheme.

Lambeth Council do have a policy around giving small grants to community initiatives. The Community Fund.

But this money has been allocated purely related to this road closure experiment.