Zebra Crossing on the Bridge by Sydenham Station

[JulietP]

Those plans are great - obviously well thought out by people who know the street. Let's hope it actually happens!

[mosy]

Well, car drivers have to know what they're looking out for. On Syd station crossing, I've nearly run down someone I just didn't see - lighting? as I sure know there's a zebra crossing there as I've had the buttons taken off my jacket when half way across at least twice. Now I stop in the middle when on foot when a car has kindly stopped, but like I've said before, I know to stop now. At the Newlands Park junction, the traffic thinks it's in the right (which it is per the lights), so however old you are, you just have to learn to run or get a Bart Simpson skateboard to get across.

I don't understand why some either defend such crossings or just leave them until something "might" happen, be that an accident or a road improvement - on these crossings, take your pick.

[poppy]

Hi Chris, thanks for reminding us what is in the pipeline, but in the meantime would it be possible for you talk to the council or Tfl and see if they can alter the phasing on the lights at Newlands Park (or suicide corner as someone pointed out) so that it can be made a bit safer until the scheme is complete?

P

[davegr]

I too have nearly been knocked down a number of times on the station. It is the worst positioned crossing I've ever known. I can't believe it was ever placed there. It really is just a matter of time before someone is killed.

Let's get it changed now, rather than once someone has become the statistic that makes it get moved.

[Eagle]

Dave
You have been knocked over a number of times. Either you are very careless or must be carnage .

Crossing should be moved but more importantly urgent is the suicide crossing at Newlands Park.
Until the new scheme can be constructed why not make Newlands Park Bus Only.

[gillyjp]

I agree about the crossing on the brow of the hill by the station. As a driver I always slow down practically to a stop when I approach this coming up to the Cobbs Corner roundabout. For one thing the lights of the oncoming cars blind your vision and also because with a stream of traffic coming the other way anyone stepping onto the crossing is not seen by the cars coming in the opposite direction until they have made it half way across (hopefully that makes sense).

As a pedestrian using this same crossing, I was nearly sent flying recently by a cyclist who decided he didnt have to stop when cars from both directions had already stopped to let me across. He would have come off the worse if we had of collided I think.....

[davegr]

[quote="Eagle"]Dave
You have been knocked over a number of times. Either you are very careless or must be carnage .
quote]

I said 'nearly' knocked down. I'm a cautious crosser. It's the position of the crossing that's the issue.

Seems we have 2 awful crossings within 100 feet of each other. Not something Sydenham should be proud of.

[mosy]

Hi Chris, thanks for reminding us what is in the pipeline, but in the meantime would it be possible for you talk to the council or Tfl and see if they can alter the phasing on the lights at Newlands Park (or suicide corner as someone pointed out) so that it can be made a bit safer until the scheme is complete?

P

Could I add my two cents as to what safer means in real terms as I see it as a pedestrian? I.e. less confusion about what's going and when. Hard to quantify but here goes:

Currently, downhill traffic has its own right filter after uphill traffic has "gone red", but downhill straight-on can still go. Why not stop the downhill traffic when the right filter operates so that people crossing from the bookmaker to the greengrocer would stand a better chance of getting across before the Newlands Park traffic sets off? The Newlands Park exit lights seem to change swiftly at some times, they seem to be quite inconsisent in their timing. Also, the down-to-up lights on Syd Road go green sooner than the up-to-down ones (gawd knows why) so if crossing via the cattle gate, a fool's errand as can't get across both sides without waiting for a new change of lights. Some motorists ignore the cattle gate pedestrian light, I guess thinking they just got "Go" from the main light not 20 yds back.

Also vehicles noticeably rev up and speed off more when it's dark - I guess they want to get home quickly. It'd be nice if pedestrians could at least get home safely, even if not quickly..

[JeeBee]

After crossing the Sydenham Station crossing last night, might I take this opportunity to remind drivers of the laws relating to pedestrian crossings? Namely - don't drive over the crossing when there is a pedestrian still on the crossing.

The driver last night literally watched me cross, and then accelerated past me when I was barely halfway across the road - around a foot behind me.

I was so angry I was thinking that the crossing should just be boarded up for pedestrian safety, both because the crossing is badly placed in the first place (hard for drivers to see at night due to the brow of the hill and oncoming headlights), and because many many drivers can't wait ten seconds before speeding off thirty metres to the next queue of traffic. If I had a child following behind...

[JeeBee]

Maybe we could petition for the road between Cobbs Roundabout and The Albert to be a 20 zone for pedestrian safety? It won't slow down traffic noticeable in reality either, but if an accident does happen it will greatly reduce the harm done to the pedestrian.

[Eagle]

I agree some drivers are very dangerous.

Whilst I agree the crossing at the bridge is very bad , the NON crossing at Newlands Park is far worse.

[mosy]

Eagle, I'm not sure that either crossing should be diminished in favour of the other's urgency as they are both as bad equally in terms of attention needed, like sooner rather than later.

I notice Chris Best hasn't yet responded to further immediate ideas above, relying on what will happen one day in the future for planned improvements. Now would be good.

I said earlier that one had to learn to run (whether one could or not). At the moment, sometimes it's a case of "Yeah but in which direction? Forwards or backwards?" Shouldn't have to be a sitting duck.

[benndant]

Crossing at Newlands Park really needs attention!

[mattkirkdale]

Well said! The thing that annoys me most is how many drivers seem to think stopping at the pedestrian crossing by the station is optional. I don't mean the ones that are speeding and don't see it in time, but rather the ones that drive through slowly right as you go to cross and then look at you amazed as you give them a dirty look or shout. Idiots.

[digime2007]

You should try crossing the road in Vietnam..

[youtubes]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jKroe-C9w4[/youtubes]

[poppy]

That is crazy, but it feels like that sometimes crossing Newlands Park Road at the junction of Sydenham Road.

Cars just drive at you!! This evening someone beeped me when I crossed just after they turned red for one set of cars, coming down the high street who might want to turn right into NWP, and straight to green for the drivers coming up onto the high street from NWP.

You feel like you are taking yours and your children's lives into your hands every time you cross.