Hi everybody.
I'm a teacher at a local primary school and my year 5 class are currently looking at whether it would be a good idea to close Sydenham Road to traffic. We have conducted a traffic survey and are now looking to gather the views of local residents.
I have created a very simple survey which can be found here:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=9 ... pP4w_3d_3d
I would really appreciate it if anyone has a couple of minutes spare to complete this survey, adding any additional comments as appropriate. We will then use this information to have a debate in class next week.
Thank you for your time.
Should the High Street be closed to traffic?
Absolutely no chance!
Crazy idea
Just take a minute to work out how someone would get from, say, the Prince Alfred to St Barts. A motorist would have go either through Penge or Forest Hill. Massive increase in distance and subsequent pollution, not to mention the massive increase in traffic on some otherwise quiet resedential roads.
Crazy idea
Just take a minute to work out how someone would get from, say, the Prince Alfred to St Barts. A motorist would have go either through Penge or Forest Hill. Massive increase in distance and subsequent pollution, not to mention the massive increase in traffic on some otherwise quiet resedential roads.
Thank you nasaroc.....
Just to clarify - this is not me saying I think it is a good idea to close the High Street to traffic - it's something I'm asking the children to consider and then write a persuasive argument for one side or another.....I just wanted to obtain a wide range of opinion that the children could use in their oral and written work....thank you very much to everyone who has completed the survey so far.
Just to clarify - this is not me saying I think it is a good idea to close the High Street to traffic - it's something I'm asking the children to consider and then write a persuasive argument for one side or another.....I just wanted to obtain a wide range of opinion that the children could use in their oral and written work....thank you very much to everyone who has completed the survey so far.
Great idea to get the kids thinking like this, Mrs SJME, i.e. to not just accept the status quos of the world but to challenge and think of ways to improve it (or leave it untouched!).
For what it's worth, I know that the idea of shutting the high street to traffic is impractical all the time cars rule the world, but maybe one day we'll have to learn to live without them again. So my input to help the class debate is:
"Because cars cause pollution and congestion and a pedestrianised High Street may encourage local businesses to thrive. Perhaps the High Street could be closed to all traffic except for emergency vehicles and public transport."
Good luck!
(And as Annie said it'd be nice to hear some of the thoughts
)
For what it's worth, I know that the idea of shutting the high street to traffic is impractical all the time cars rule the world, but maybe one day we'll have to learn to live without them again. So my input to help the class debate is:
"Because cars cause pollution and congestion and a pedestrianised High Street may encourage local businesses to thrive. Perhaps the High Street could be closed to all traffic except for emergency vehicles and public transport."
Good luck!
(And as Annie said it'd be nice to hear some of the thoughts
)Closing the street to traffic will be the quickest way to kill it. No buses will drop customers off to shop. Car drivers will go to Penge or Beckenham.
I'm all in favour of shared spaces for cars and pedestrians, because it forces both sides to interact with each other. But this proposal is clearly nuts. It wrongly assumes that locals never venture beyond Sydenham's borders. Make life more difficult for them, and shoppers will simply vote with their feet and go elsewhere.
I'm all in favour of shared spaces for cars and pedestrians, because it forces both sides to interact with each other. But this proposal is clearly nuts. It wrongly assumes that locals never venture beyond Sydenham's borders. Make life more difficult for them, and shoppers will simply vote with their feet and go elsewhere.
I live a few minutes walk from Sydenham Road. I have two very young kids and consider negotiating the traffic/ take-your-life-in-your-hands crossings/ stench of pollution on Sydenham Road to be so unpleasant that I generally chuck the kids in the car and clear off to Lordship Lane or Penge or even Bromley to shop instead. In fact I'm sad to say I'll go pretty much anywhere but Sydenham Road.
If Sydenham Road were closed to cars (but of course open to emergency vehicles and buses) I'd happily walk down there to shop or even cycle with a trailer. When I was a child my parents and grandparents would walk from Upper Sydenham or Forest Hill to Sydenham Road to shop all the time. The experience was actually a pretty pleasant one with fewer cars on the road.
I reckon closing Sydenham Road to traffic would regenerate businesses there not kill them. I'd happily stroll down all the time if it was emergency vehicles and buses only.
If Sydenham Road were closed to cars (but of course open to emergency vehicles and buses) I'd happily walk down there to shop or even cycle with a trailer. When I was a child my parents and grandparents would walk from Upper Sydenham or Forest Hill to Sydenham Road to shop all the time. The experience was actually a pretty pleasant one with fewer cars on the road.
I reckon closing Sydenham Road to traffic would regenerate businesses there not kill them. I'd happily stroll down all the time if it was emergency vehicles and buses only.
In that case, what are all the people parking on the high street, or in the free car park near sommerfield doing?
Bromley can sustain a traffic free high street because it has good shops, multi story car parks, and a dual carriageway to funnel drivers around it. Beckenham has better shops than Sydenham, but even with a multi story car park, it hasn't closed off its high street because it's a main thoroghfare. So is Sydenham, which is why it's not viable to close it.
Bromley can sustain a traffic free high street because it has good shops, multi story car parks, and a dual carriageway to funnel drivers around it. Beckenham has better shops than Sydenham, but even with a multi story car park, it hasn't closed off its high street because it's a main thoroghfare. So is Sydenham, which is why it's not viable to close it.
zozo, when my children were about 6/7 i was crossing the road at the postoffice in syd road and the lights were in my favour so i let them run across ahead of me,some stupid bloody woman jumped the red lights and just missed my kids, I shouted not very ladylike expletives at her and she looked at me and said "What have i done"? i explained and she said oh sorry!....... I couldnt believe it.
So any shutting off the traffic to the highstreet as far as i am concerned is welcome
But at the end of the day this is a Childrens survey only.
Annie wrote:
zozo, when my children were about 6/7 i was crossing the road at the postoffice in syd road and the lights were in my favour so i let them run across ahead of me,some stupid bloody woman jumped the red lights and just missed my kids, I shouted not very ladylike expletives at her and she looked at me and said "What have i done"? i explained and she said oh sorry!....... I couldnt believe it.
So any shutting off the traffic to the highstreet as far as i am concerned is welcome
But at the end of the day this is a Childrens survey only.
I completed the survey yesterday when only the original post was displayed here, I never imagined it would provoke this debate! Annie, that is an incident that could happen on any urban road where traffic is allowed. If Sydenham Road should be closed to traffic, then surely you should advocate all town centre roads in every borough, town and city being closed, because I can't see what is unique about Sydenham Road to support your idea.
As a motorist, I occasionally have to avoid children, cyclists and pedestrians (as well as other motorists) who are not paying attention, you always need to be aware that people will make mistakes. If Sydenham Road was closed (which will never happen anyway) then I for one would simply never shop there again.
Annie I can empathise with the sort of thing you mention - particularly around the post office/ end of Newlands Park area. Near misses are certainly common all over London but unfortunately I think we fare quite badly here in Sydenham - especially around that Bermuda Triangle of road you mention.
As for Syd Road being a through road - I think it's failing pretty dismally on that score too. These days if I need to get to Savacentre by car (which should be a straight and painless route) I'll often go round about the houses and drive all the way to Forest Hill and then down Perry Rise to get there. Or even to Penge and come in via Kent House Road just so I don't have to drive down Sydenham Road itself. Does anyone else do this? On paper this looks like utter madness I know. But it's often quicker than sitting in slow (or non) moving traffic on Syd Road. I'm sure once the Syd Road overhaul starts up more and more people will find themselves making ridiculously long and totally illogical car journeys like this one. Churning out more and more fumes as they go.
If it was safer I'd walk to Savacentre and back. I love walking and it's no distance from where I live. I lived in York for several years and hardly ever used my car. Large swathes of York are pedestrianised and bike friendly. They just get on and deal with it there - and walk everywhere. I was a hell of a lot fitter when I lived there. And almost never late for meetings as I always knew how long a journey would take me on foot.
I say close Sydenham Road to traffic. Let emergency vehicles and buses in but give over at least half the road to pedestrians, bicycles and horses and carts. Those locals wanting to walk can walk in pleasant surroundings. Cyclists can cycle without the fear of being splatted by cars. And those feeling less energetic can get a ride on a pony and trap all the way down to Savacentre.
People would come from miles around to experience it. Business would boom and everyone would have something to put on their roses.
Problem solved.
As for Syd Road being a through road - I think it's failing pretty dismally on that score too. These days if I need to get to Savacentre by car (which should be a straight and painless route) I'll often go round about the houses and drive all the way to Forest Hill and then down Perry Rise to get there. Or even to Penge and come in via Kent House Road just so I don't have to drive down Sydenham Road itself. Does anyone else do this? On paper this looks like utter madness I know. But it's often quicker than sitting in slow (or non) moving traffic on Syd Road. I'm sure once the Syd Road overhaul starts up more and more people will find themselves making ridiculously long and totally illogical car journeys like this one. Churning out more and more fumes as they go.
If it was safer I'd walk to Savacentre and back. I love walking and it's no distance from where I live. I lived in York for several years and hardly ever used my car. Large swathes of York are pedestrianised and bike friendly. They just get on and deal with it there - and walk everywhere. I was a hell of a lot fitter when I lived there. And almost never late for meetings as I always knew how long a journey would take me on foot.
I say close Sydenham Road to traffic. Let emergency vehicles and buses in but give over at least half the road to pedestrians, bicycles and horses and carts. Those locals wanting to walk can walk in pleasant surroundings. Cyclists can cycle without the fear of being splatted by cars. And those feeling less energetic can get a ride on a pony and trap all the way down to Savacentre.
People would come from miles around to experience it. Business would boom and everyone would have something to put on their roses.
Problem solved.
I totally agree and have to do exactly the same thing, its ridiculous, the traffic in Kirkdale is and always has been utter chaos, i dont understand what the problem tends to be, the traffic flow is dreadful all the way from Kirkdale through Cobbs Corner and down Sydenham Road, it has never been right, it only starts to clear around after the traffic lights by Kwik Fit.zozo wrote:These days if I need to get to Savacentre by car (which should be a straight and painless route) I'll often go round about the houses and drive all the way to Forest Hill and then down Perry Rise to get there. Or even to Penge and come in via Kent House Road just so I don't have to drive down Sydenham Road itself. Does anyone else do this? On paper this looks like utter madness I know. But it's often quicker than sitting in slow (or non) moving traffic on Syd Road.
Sydenham Road would probably benefit from a Bus Lane as there would appear to be sufficient room due to there being no central reserve in the road. For me, if i want to go to Sainsbury's in Sydenham, its usually easier to go to the one in Forest Hill, its nearer for a start but doesnt have the same choice unfortunately.
I think the traffic light phasing is actually pretty good in all honesty but there are too many crossings and think that if they were better positioned they wouldnt need so many of them, i.e, the zebra crossing at Sydenham Station could easily be moved to be used as a main crossing joining the crossing with the one on the corner of Newlands Park and getting rid of one of them by moving it to nearish Venner Road instead which i believe is proposed on the regeneration project.