Lower Sydenham station - safe to walk at night?

[lookingtomove]

Hi all,

I am hoping to move to Lower Sydenham soon and was wondering if the walk to and from Lower Sydenham station is safe at night?

I am specifically referring to the footpath that runs north alongside the track on the western exit of the station, up towards the Railway Tavern pub and Southend Lane.

It looked quite eery walking there in the dark last night and was wondering if anyone has any experiences to share.

I would be grateful for any advice.

Thanks.

[hilsbee]

Hi there

I use Lower Sydenham in the dark, but I only walk along the road, not the footpath.

Personally I think it depends on what time you will be using it. If you get off a commuter train (and I count those as any arrival up to 8pm, others may feel differently) then you will find you have company on your walk, as it's unlikely that you will be the only person getting off before that time. And if you use the roads, then there is only a small part on the southern road that is not residential, but as I said, it's likely you will have company anyway.

I speak as an over 60 years old woman and I have never used that line late at night as I prefer to go to Sydenham main line and get a bus.

Others may have a different POV of course, but I think it's OK to use the roads before 8pm, but don't know about later.

Hils

[Manwithaview1]

Hi there

I use Lower Sydenham in the dark, but I only walk along the road, not the footpath.

Personally I think it depends on what time you will be using it. If you get off a commuter train (and I count those as any arrival up to 8pm, others may feel differently) then you will find you have company on your walk, as it's unlikely that you will be the only person getting off before that time. And if you use the roads, then there is only a small part on the southern road that is not residential, but as I said, it's likely you will have company anyway.

I speak as an over 60 years old woman and I have never used that line late at night as I prefer to go to Sydenham main line and get a bus.

Others may have a different POV of course, but I think it's OK to use the roads before 8pm, but don't know about later.

Hils

I would have thought it reasonably safe to use the road from the station until the sports centre closes.

http://www.streetwatch.info/postcode/SE26-5BB

Scroll down for the list of crimes for the local area

[lookingtomove]

Hi there

I use Lower Sydenham in the dark, but I only walk along the road, not the footpath.

Personally I think it depends on what time you will be using it. If you get off a commuter train (and I count those as any arrival up to 8pm, others may feel differently) then you will find you have company on your walk, as it's unlikely that you will be the only person getting off before that time. And if you use the roads, then there is only a small part on the southern road that is not residential, but as I said, it's likely you will have company anyway.

I speak as an over 60 years old woman and I have never used that line late at night as I prefer to go to Sydenham main line and get a bus.

Others may have a different POV of course, but I think it's OK to use the roads before 8pm, but don't know about later.

Hils

I would have thought it reasonably safe to use the road from the station until the sports centre closes.

http://www.streetwatch.info/postcode/SE26-5BB

Scroll down for the list of crimes for the local area

Thank you both for your replies. Which sports centre do you mean, and why would it not be safe to use the road after it closes?

[Manwithaview1]

Hi there

I use Lower Sydenham in the dark, but I only walk along the road, not the footpath.

Personally I think it depends on what time you will be using it. If you get off a commuter train (and I count those as any arrival up to 8pm, others may feel differently) then you will find you have company on your walk, as it's unlikely that you will be the only person getting off before that time. And if you use the roads, then there is only a small part on the southern road that is not residential, but as I said, it's likely you will have company anyway.

I speak as an over 60 years old woman and I have never used that line late at night as I prefer to go to Sydenham main line and get a bus.

Others may have a different POV of course, but I think it's OK to use the roads before 8pm, but don't know about later.

Hils

I would have thought it reasonably safe to use the road from the station until the sports centre closes.

http://www.streetwatch.info/postcode/SE26-5BB

Scroll down for the list of crimes for the local area

Thank you both for your replies. Which sports centre do you mean, and why would it not be safe to use the road after it closes?

The Bridge and there is very little traffic down there after it closes thus making it a tad more unsafe, not that there are many attacks on people down there according to the crime stats. I've got off the last train down there and it can be eerie but I didn't find it anymore unsafe than Sydenham Hill station etc.

[lookingtomove]

The Bridge and there is very little traffic down there after it closes thus making it a tad more unsafe, not that there are many attacks on people down there according to the crime stats. I've got off the last train down there and it can be eerie but I didn't find it anymore unsafe than Sydenham Hill station etc.

That's precisely my experience - it feels eerie, but in practical terms it isn't any more unsafe.

Thanks, are you referring to Kangley Bridge Road?

Would Worsley Bridge Road on the opposite side of the station be fine to walk down at night?

[Manwithaview1]

The Bridge and there is very little traffic down there after it closes thus making it a tad more unsafe, not that there are many attacks on people down there according to the crime stats. I've got off the last train down there and it can be eerie but I didn't find it anymore unsafe than Sydenham Hill station etc.

That's precisely my experience - it feels eerie, but in practical terms it isn't any more unsafe.

Thanks, are you referring to Kangley Bridge Road?

Would Worsley Bridge Road on the opposite side of the station be fine to walk down at night?

That is a through road for starters and is a bus route so it could be safer, it depends on ones definition of safe. Some feel safer with no people/cars and some feel safer with cars/people.

I would do dry runs with the various permutations. SE26 isn't a bad community at all and yes there is the odd gun incident but no more than anywhere else, infact a lot less than anywhere else.

[WeatherGirl]

I work in town and catch a late train home most nights to Lower Syd, sometimes the last train.
I walk up Kangley towards Sainsburys, and as a woman walking home by myself I can confirm that it's definitely not my favourite route in the world, but nor have I ever had any trouble.
I used to be able to park my car near the station which took away some of the pressure, but there never seems to be any parking anymore.
I'll save that moan for a different day.

[slull]

We moved to Lower Sydenham a few weeks ago from Peckham and my partners journey to and from work is via Lower Sydenham station. He hasn't had any problems and has said the walk is absolutely fine of an evening.

I've had meetings in central London on two occasions since we've moved and headed home via this station (my normal route is via Sydenham). I found (as others have said) that I was accompanied by a few people who got off the train too, so certainly during rush hour you tend to have company on the walk up.

That said, its probably one of the quietest stations I've ever used and the station and surrounding roads would definitely benefit from better lighting. No issues so far though, so perhaps its just a case of getting used to the unfamiliar.

[mikej]

there were plans to move this station north, up to the big Sainsbury's...anyone know anything about that??

[admin]

Yes there was a plan. I can't see anything being decided in advance of the Bakerloo extension decision to run along the tracks. That also shifts the responsibility (and dosh) from National Rail/SouthEastern to TfL. Of course TfL might just be given the SouthEastern metro franchise anyway: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakerloo_line_extension

Don't hold your breath. The DFS sale may end sooner.

Admin

[alywin]

I've got off the last train down there and it can be eerie but I didn't find it anymore unsafe than Sydenham Hill station etc.

Ah, but do you find *that* safe? I've never even got off there, but it always looks like somewhere I wouldn't be comfortable walking on my own.

[Ronski]

Is it safe? Probably as safe as any streets off the highstreet.

Do I feel safe walking home at night? No not all, its not well lit, seen plenty of cars broken into, plenty of cover to get mugged in near the station. In 5 years I've not seen any trouble either. I have noticed a big increase in passenger numbers last couple of years.

So my perception is its not that safe but statistics might not hold up to that. Usually at least 3 or 4 people are walking up but being totally on your own wouldn't be pleasant.

[mosy]

I feel aware walking anywhere after dark as the recent Skanska streetlights' limited spread give pitch black intervals every few yards, so always better to walk away from possibly concealing doorways or shrubbery.

Relatively quiet stations have the advantage that there's slim pickings if waiting for hours in the cold on the offchance that an unwary (potentially lucrative) traveller might disembark, when most crime is opportunistic for immediate cash or floggables so better pickings for grab-and-run or pickpocketing in broad daylight throngs. Just my view of course.

[alywin]

I feel aware walking anywhere after dark as the recent Skanska streetlights' limited spread give pitch black intervals every few yards, so always better to walk away from possibly concealing doorways or shrubbery.

Ah. That might explain why everyone I saw walking back from the station this evening - having been diverted there owing to an "incident" at Penge East - was walking in the middle of the road down the backstreets?

[mosy]

Alwyn, very possibly. Makes sense on dark streets IMO.