Sydenham Road Plans for next year?

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Sir Ralph
Posts: 2
Joined: 17 Nov 2009 22:33
Location: Crystal Palace

Sydenham Road Plans for next year?

Post by Sir Ralph »

I am fairly new to the area, but use the shops quite a lot and I was told about this scheme that might be happening next year.

The guy on the street on Saturday was quite 'Anti ' to the scheme (looked a bit like a camp version of the count from "sesame street") but he told me to go in the exhibition and say 'no' to the proposals, but said they were in favour of the proposals overall, except for the speed humps , road narrowing and blocking off of roads (If that meant Queensthorpe road where I was nearly knocked over after talking to him, I thing that answers that question!)

When I went in , I found that they are not proposing 'speed humps', but speed tables....a totally different thing, and the road narrowing is only at pedestrian crossing points, so it sounds like this 'anti' campaign have got all their facts wrong.

To top it all, his mate was also in the area (looked like 'Baldrick' out of 'Blackadder') was moaning about cyclists being vulnerable, and how bad it would be for them.

I saw two cyclists going down the road and they looked pretty vulnerable as it was!

Has anyone else seen this exhibition and know who these guys are trying to 'Save Sydenham Campaign'? If they want to save what is there, they need their eyes looking at, anything has to be better than what is there now!
Marathon
Posts: 391
Joined: 26 Sep 2008 15:00
Location: Lewes, East Sussex

Post by Marathon »

Hello Sir Ralph.

The anti re-development brigade have been around for a while, peddling their half truths around Sydenham. I too was accosted by one of them on Saturday and gave him short shrift. According to him once the work is done cars would only be able to move as fast as the slowest cyclist. I told him that as a cyclist I would welcome that! He wasn’t terribly pleased.

I don’t understand where those against the re-development are coming from. When would Sydenham get another opportunity to have £3.5m spent on it? And I hardly think that Sydenham Road traffic can get any slower - even without the roadworks – in any given rush hour.
ALIB
Posts: 1553
Joined: 12 Oct 2006 21:34
Location: East Sussex

Post by ALIB »

Lewisham have spent a considerable amount of money on consultants to project traffic flow for the improvements. Having seen all the modelling I am convinced that traffic flow will slightly increase as a result of the works. The forecasts were conducted by industry professionals with many years experience of such projects, using standard industry computer modelling software.

The 'Anti Brigade' provide no tangible evidence as to why they dispute the projected traffic flow figures. They are (in my mind) akin to the people who believe in a flat world.
They stick to their misguided diatribe, in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
Sir Ralph
Posts: 2
Joined: 17 Nov 2009 22:33
Location: Crystal Palace

Post by Sir Ralph »

Marathon wrote:Hello Sir Ralph.

The anti re-development brigade have been around for a while, peddling their half truths around Sydenham. I too was accosted by one of them on Saturday and gave him short shrift. According to him once the work is done cars would only be able to move as fast as the slowest cyclist. I told him that as a cyclist I would welcome that! He wasn’t terribly pleased.

I don’t understand where those against the re-development are coming from. When would Sydenham get another opportunity to have £3.5m spent on it? And I hardly think that Sydenham Road traffic can get any slower - even without the roadworks – in any given rush hour.
I asked the Cyclist one if he lived in the area, and it didn't take a fool to see that he hesitated, and then said yes. Maybe I have been watching too much of that sky1 program 'lie to me' , but he wasn't telling the whole truth. I suspect he USED to live in the area and still has friends in the area. So what is his gain from money NOT being spent on an area that needs money? Lets face it, I can think of a few places that have had a lot of money spent on them, and it has made it more attractive to business. Crystal Palace would LOVE that sort of money spent on it. Spend it here if you dont' want it!
Ulysses
Posts: 893
Joined: 1 Apr 2009 12:30
Location: Sydenham

Post by Ulysses »

sir Ralph,

Thank you for your post. I must admit I do find the tactics employed by the anti-brigade rather odd. Especially as they seem to me to change the lies in their manifesto on a monthly basis.

For the uninitiated the 'Save Sydenham' campaign had two main points, both false.

1) The road will be narrowed!

Incorrect. Sydenham Road is classified as single carriage and will remain so after the improvements. At only one point will it be narrowed from 9m to 7m, still more than adequate for motorised traffic, so that the footway at the bridge can be widened. Anyone who walks along Sydenham Road knows how tight it is for pedestrians at the bridge.

2) There will be humps everywhere and the bulidings will shake!

Again, if only they knew what they were talking about. Incorrect also. As you stated there will be 'gently sloping approach ramps'. These are NOT 'humps'. I understand them to be a mere 1in25. The slopes will bring the road up to the level of the footway making it much easier for buggies/mobility scooters to cross. Fairly selfish of Save Sydenham wouldn't you say? Are they suggesting those less-able and with dependants shouldn't find walking and crossing Sydenham Road easy?

Look, actually, I think the Save Sydenham signatorys are seriously misguided and have been lied to by Tom Sutcliffe of the Beaulieu Avenue and Longton Grove Residents Association (BALGRA). These [Tom] are the well-informed, polite, rational and non-aggressive types you had the pleasure of meeting on Saturday... :wink:

I suggest anyone who wants to see that these excellent proposals go ahead should go to the exhibition this Saturday! See for yourself. The proposals are nothing but good in my opinion. For example, that dangerous zebra crossing on the bridge will be re-sited as a Pelican nearer to the roundabout. A Pelican will also be put between the Greyhound and Cobbs Corner. Pelicans will be moved so that 'desire lines' for those coming out of Newlands Park and also at Venner Road will ensure they can cross where it is safe and THEY want to. There'll be provision to cross at the bookies by the junction of Newlands Park/Sydenham Road...at last!

These plans are nothing but good!

Please go along and positively sign the feedback forms...
sydenhamboy
Posts: 264
Joined: 8 Oct 2006 10:33
Location: sydenham

Post by sydenhamboy »

Without stating the bleedin' obvious I do not understand why anyone would not want their high street improved.

Here's a load of cash to make your local high street nicer.

[hands over a one off payment]

No thanks, we don't want a nicer high street. We want a crappy high street please - one we're embarrassed about and find secretly depressing!

Weird.
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