Traffic last night

[Monica]

Last night, it took me five hours to drive from Piccadilly to lower Sydenham. I need to know, is that last night's record? And if it's not, you have my sympathies!

[admin]

Probably. It took my wife only 4 hours from the Elephant & Castle by bus to Camberwell and foot to Sydders.

Safer than by train. I had to go collect someone from the station at 10.30pm. The pathway was lethel. I could not actually get back to the main road pulling a heavy suitcase. This is a notorious spot. Not gritted. Indeed nowhere was gritted when I walked to Forest Hill. Earlier in the day I saw plenty of gritters in Croydon. Where were Lewisham's?

Admin

[Monica]

Thanks for that admin, as my husband has not stopped telling me I should have got the train. At least I know I probably would not have fared better. The slide down Dog Kennel Hill was an experience I hope to never repeat. The one gritter I saw in five hours did the opposite side of that road.

[Tim Lund]

I happened to go into town, and came back with my wife. About three hours, including wasting about 30 minutes on a bus before it was cancelled - at least it was warm, and I could read something. A bit of a slide down Dog Kennel Hill and some fish and chips in Lordship Lane. The sort of time when I think it might be nice to have a nice warm car ... and then realise, you're still better off walking.

[mummycat]

I had to pick my daughter up from a playdate in Nunhead at 6pm, left at 5pm, arrived at Nunhead at 7pm and arrived home at 9pm! 4 hours to do a 40min journey!

Do you know what the cause was? Going to Nunhead, I passed 5 buses outside the Horniman across the width of the road, so there was only a gap for one car to pass at a time, so this was the cause of the jam on the South Circular and southbound Lordship Lane. The same thing on Forest Hill Road (West of Peckham Rye) - another 4 buses trying to overtake each other and skidding to a halt!

I suffered a massive migrane and have only just recovered! But really I couldn't have picked up my daughter any other way.....

[Tim Lund]

I think the main problem was cars, buses that could not get up any slope, and had had minor accidents or been abandoned. There was one bus slid into a lamppost on DKH, so I suspect that was why they stopped all the others. Our own annoyance was held in check by thinking about just how miserable it was for people with kids in push chairs, or even wheel chair users ...

[sydeman]

Must be hard for you commuters...after 18 years of the train, i managed to get a good job locally a few years ago, although i have to admit it did take me 6 minutes to walk home rather than the usual 4 minutes, but i bet you didnt want to know that!!!!

[lambchops]

there were two bus accidents at the corner of dartmouth road and kirkdale. both at the same time.

[Tim Lund]

Sydeman

I'm just as smug as you normally, working from home. I just went in that day to do some Christmas shopping and come home with Viv

[simon]

My wife found she could get a train to Crystal Palace so i said I would pick up her up. The roads were ok but when I got Annerly Road; gridlock! Buses were stuck going up the hill and another one thought it was too dangerous to go down. All the roads leading to Upper Norwood were trecherous. Good report here: http://www.streathamguardian.co.uk/news ... e_/?ref=mr

[bensonby]

The moral the story is not to drive in town. You simply don't need to 99% of the time.

My train was on time and nice and warm

[mummycat]

So how do you get a train to Nunhead with an asthmatic 5 year old, (beyond his bedtime) in tow?!!

[stuart]

Rail journey time 45 mins. Normally faster by train/bus in 28 minutes.
See journey planner at http://www.tfl.gov.uk

Has the benefit of leaving you handsfree to look after the kid.

Stuart