Traffic in the High Road

[robbieduncan]

Could an additional station exit be made by extending the south bound platform? That way fewer people would need to cross the road in the first place.

[Manwithaview1]

Could an additional station exit be made by extending the south bound platform? That way fewer people would need to cross the road in the first place.

You would have to replace the bridge first. That might increase traffic issues for a few days

[Eagle]

What a strange suggestion. Have to dismantle the long standing bridge , maybe divert the Palace Line , all for an exit in Canal Walk.

Hardly a great entry point and advertisement for sydenham

[robbieduncan]

Hmm, I was not suggesting to demolish the bridge. In my head the platform already extends at least part way under. And this backs up that impression

http://binged.it/1b7Uwe9

I was also thinking of some stairs on the other side up to the high street. Basically provide an underpass...

[Eagle]

Robbie

I appreciate you only trying to help.

You may not be aware that up to about 1970 the main station entrance was on the other side and also the main booking office and parcels office.
Before this change the platforms were not opposite each other.
There was a big hall with Ticket office /parcel office at street level , then brick steps down to the platform. The Platform stretched from the bridge to just before the Palace UP line joins the main slow line.

All the infrastructure on the old UP side has , i think , been demolished , so no go there.

[robbieduncan]

I wasn't even born in 1970!

[Eagle]

Robbie
I imagined you were unaware of the Station History.


Nice idea of yours but doubt if anything can , or will , happen.

[Liam Curran]

I have raised the issue of the appalling phasing of the traffic lights with our Highways Department and I have been informed by them that Transport for London are waiting for the special gizmo spare parts that synchronize the lights. But, that these spare parts have to come all the way from New Zealand. Hopefully, they will be here fairly soon.

Cllr Liam Curran

[simon]

You really couldn't make it up, could you? We have a traffic management system that is built in New Zealand, a country well known for its traffic jams! Seriously though, the light phasing, or lack of it, is seriously frustrating. I was thinking, while waiting for an eternity on Westow Hill, that perhaps we should have some lights at the Cobbs corner roundabout, perhaps just at peak times?

[Rachael]

But at least we now know that there IS a problem with the phasing and we won't have to put up with this situation forever. That's good news, right?

Thanks, Liam, for the update.

[Sydenham]

And we've known about this for a long time - I was at the last Sydenham Assembly where the man from Riney said they were waiting for a spare part or some such thing.

Did they, or Lewisham choose not to use speedy delivery option to save a few pennies. Without thinking of the additional pollution as a result of the non arrival of the part.

You can get something delivered from New Zealand to here in a little over 24 hours.

A message to Liam - when was it ordered, has it been shipped and when is the part due to arrive in this country and then be fitted? With today's tracking and scheduling systems this should be easy to answer.It's just too easy to say 'it's on it's way'.

Kind regards, James.

[Tim Lund]

I have raised the issue of the appalling phasing of the traffic lights with our Highways Department and I have been informed by them that Transport for London are waiting for the special gizmo spare parts that synchronize the lights. But, that these spare parts have to come all the way from New Zealand. Hopefully, they will be here fairly soon.

Cllr Liam Curran

This feels like a local councillor trying to look good by criticising public officials, and playing the man of the people blessed with common sense and the courage to stand up for ordinary people. Of course, that all may be so, but I'm using my TfL sources to find out what's really happening.

[Annie.]

Think I,ll stick with the ordinary local councillor. That was almost rude Tim.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[Rachael]

I have raised the issue of the appalling phasing of the traffic lights with our Highways Department and I have been informed by them that Transport for London are waiting for the special gizmo spare parts that synchronize the lights. But, that these spare parts have to come all the way from New Zealand. Hopefully, they will be here fairly soon.

Cllr Liam Curran

This feels like a local councillor trying to look good by criticising public officials, and playing the man of the people blessed with common sense and the courage to stand up for ordinary people. Of course, that all may be so, but I'm using my TfL sources to find out what's really happening.

We all have different motivations for posting on this forum, perhaps Tim would like to take a moment to consider whether his are entirely without self-interest before speculating on those of others.

[mosy]

See, I'm a simple folk. At the moment, I think most would agree that it takes too long for lights to change at the two pedi crossings up from Sydenham station and too long for them to change back, ditto post office one. Ignoring fancy phasing of all lights together, why can't they just change the timers on the these pedi crossings which seem to carry the brunt of annoyance to both pedestrians and motorists? There must be a mechanical timer in each if currently set in as standalone lights.

The Newlands Park lights are like Hotel California. Check in anytime you want but you can never leave

[Tim Lund]

I have raised the issue of the appalling phasing of the traffic lights with our Highways Department and I have been informed by them that Transport for London are waiting for the special gizmo spare parts that synchronize the lights. But, that these spare parts have to come all the way from New Zealand. Hopefully, they will be here fairly soon.

Cllr Liam Curran

This feels like a local councillor trying to look good by criticising public officials, and playing the man of the people blessed with common sense and the courage to stand up for ordinary people. Of course, that all may be so, but I'm using my TfL sources to find out what's really happening.

We all have different motivations for posting on this forum, perhaps Tim would like to take a moment to consider whether his are entirely without self-interest before speculating on those of others.

I am interested in how real problems get sorted. It is fair to assume that any local councillor also has an interest in looking good, in order to getting elected. As I have written before:

I have no expectation of ever being elected as a local councillor.

I think we have too many of them, and that they get in the way of more effective local government. Making officers and other public officials look silly, when they are not able to asnswer back, and generally lack the communications skills of experienced councillors, it a regular shabby trick of theirs and other politicians.

[Rachael]

I am interested in how real problems get sorted. It is fair to assume that any local councillor also has an interest in looking good, in order to getting elected. As I have written before:

I have no expectation of ever being elected as a local councillor.

I think we have too many of them, and that they get in the way of more effective local government. Making officers and other public officials look silly, when they are not able to asnswer back, and generally lack the communications skills of experienced councillors, it a regular shabby trick of theirs and other politicians.

So are you saying that Liam's post was a shabby trick? It certainly aimed to put blame with TfL rather than the Council, but there is always a chance that this is in fact the case. You say you have 'sources' in TfL. Maybe it would have been better to wait until you heard from them before making assumptions about Liam's motivations? Are you sure that your 'sources' won't also play 'shabby tricks', putting the blame on Lewisham?

I seem to remember you asking local councillors to contribute more to this forum (if I remember correctly. I'm not going to trawl back through your posts to check). Post like yours here will not encourage them. Damned if they do, damned if they don't.

The relevant information (to me) is that the sequencing of the lights as it stands is not correct and will be changed. Debates on problem-solving and blame culture belong in the Pub.

[Nigel]

I would be inclined to wait for this adjustment and then see if it has the desired effect.
We could then assess how successful it had been and then either call it job done or further action needed - based on our findings .
I am not sure a root and branch overhaul of local government is either needed or desired.
That said I don't have an axe , let alone an axe to grind.
A very good evening
Nigel

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[admin]

Next time you are held up in Sydenham Road - you might have had a solution if the traffic lights had come from the USA rather than New Zealand. Dream on and have a nice day:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/08/20 ... _hackable/

Admin

[JRobinson]

studies have shown time and again that when traffic signals are broken/blank/not working, the traffic self regulates, and traffic flow is in general improved from what is normal when lights are operational.
This is because you don't get long intervals in any direction where no traffic is moving, all the traffic from all directions moves at a slow pace through the junction, no one gets delayed longer than a few seconds.

You could turn off all traffic lights during the day, and the streets would become a lot safer (especially after the first few days when the craxy idiots have all had accidents)