Pedestrian Safety at Bell Green

[kateangela]

Does anyone else have concerns over the safety of pedestrians in the new bell green retail park? I live on De Frene Road and walk across to the retail park sometimes.

In the last month or two traffic has increased significantly (particularly on weekends) so that it is very dangerous to cross from Sports Direct over to Sainsburys and sometimes virtually impossible without stepping out into traffic. I realise there is a zebra crossing much further down but if you want to go from Sports Direct to the new retail park this is highly inconvenient and you have to go significantly out of your way. Even then, once you have walked past Sainsburys, there is no pedestrian crossing between Sainsburys and the retail park. This is not dangerously busy like the other crossing but traffic will increase this way with the new MacDonald's.

Also many parents want to visit Toys R Us with children and buggies. There are very few crossings in the actual car park itself near this store. If you approach the retail park on foot with the buggy on the left hand side of the road you have to cross the road entering the retail park where cars enter and exit.

I hope there are plans to introduce more pedestrian crossings across the whole of the site including the retail park, sports direct and Sainsburys. However, I particularly think the crossing between Sports Direct and Sainsburys is of urgency during weekend traffic.

Realise it is built for cars but you still have to walk from your car to the various shops! No point driving between car parks.

[Kirkdalian]

I also find it a bit hairy getting around with my buggy. Also from the high street to the shopping park - I don't drive. I don't know why they haven't put in better pedestrian access, like you said, even if you drive you still have to get across the huge carparks to enter the shops.

[Rachael]

I agree, crossing from Sainsburys to Sports Direct is hairy. The pedestrian crossing serves those heading back up towards Sydenham, but if you want to cross to go back towards Perry Rise or Catford, there's no crossing. And because of the sight lines, you can start to cross and find traffic coming at you before you make it. They need to sort this out. Are these private roads or is the council responsible?

The crossing from Sainsburys to the new retail park is okay at the moment because most of the cars go in at the bottom end. I agree that when MacDonalds opens it will get much busier at that junction.

[wrightie]

Sorry to see I’m not the only one who’s noticed the lack of planning for pedestrians at the retail park. Absurdly there are crossings in the car parks, but nothing on the approach. I often think about bringing this up with someone, but have no idea where to start.

[hairybuddha]

The layout down there is horrible unless you're encased in your steel cage. Sadly property developers and local authorities don't value pedestrians and pedestrian access. There is an interesting blog on the subject here:

http://aseasyasridingabike.wordpress.co ... gh-design/

[Eagle]

Not sure how it justifies the name of Park.

I agree pedestrians are not considered in these type of developments . They seem to think people without cars have no money , when often the opposite is the case.

Must admit Chav Direct not a place one would be keen to visit.

[Manwithaview1]

Not sure how it justifies the name of Park.

I agree pedestrians are not considered in these type of developments . They seem to think people without cars have no money , when often the opposite is the case.

Must admit Chav Direct not a place one would be keen to visit.

No you prefer Snob Tax Avoiding Direct

[Rachael]

Any chance of keeping this thread on topic? Constantly attacking a perceived troll on every thread is pretty much the same thing as being a troll, in my opinion.

[perryman]

I agree.
The savacentre is not much better - the optimum pedestrian entrance for those coming from Perry Vale seems to be via the small gap in the railing by the bus stops. Welcome indeed.

I'll also add that the main service road used to be a fairly quiet route to access the lovely Riverview walk by bike, but now is fairly dangerous/unpleasant. The council should have provided cycle lanes on this stretch - they had a long enough time and plenty of space to plan for it.
They even managed in incorporate a right hand turn at the end which was quite an achievement for what was a straight road,

[broken_shaman]

It's definitely busier now, but I can't agree that it was that nice before, as the buses and sainsbury's delivery van drivers used to hurtle up it at 40mph+. If anything, the traffic is now slower and I've certainly never thought they need a cycle lane...

I don't know how I feel about this development. It is extremely convenient for me, as I now have Toys R Us and Pets at Home and a DIY place on my doorstep.

But it has made the site busier and it can surely only get worse. Yes, McDonalds is coming... but have you seen the size of the units they are building near the river???

Also, this end of Sydenham High Road is not exactly thriving for business.

Nothing against Sports Direct either, but they kind of ruined that retail space imo. Apparently it was going to be 2 or three units and I always imagined a couple of independent boutiques and maybe a restaurant as I walked by the wooden slatted 'windows'. That was before sports direct bought some lovely breeze blocks and made a modern cave with no windows. I usually get lost trying to find the way out from the tills.

I actually quite liked the site when it was wasteland (except for the build up of orange bags and litter from Sainsbury's) and often thought it would be nice as a park or something less 'retail park', although clearly there is a massive shortage of retails parks in London...

[perryman]

It's definitely busier now, but I can't agree that it was that nice before, as the buses and sainsbury's delivery van drivers used to hurtle up it at 40mph+. If anything, the traffic is now slower and I've certainly never thought they need a cycle lane

Riverside is a lovely route and they should make access to it as safe as possible. At least before, the buses/trucks had space to thunder past cyclists relatively safely, on this nameless road. Sure, it is little worse than the other roads around here now, but they had open scope to plan this road out properly.
And failed.

Anyway to get back on subject, the pedestrian access on the other side of the savacentre towards Kangley bridge Rd is another example of totally thoughtless planning.
The pedestrian route between the savacentre and the bridge leisure centre surely is significant route, yet somehow to cross the main road they have contrived to make it a 5 (? I lose count) stage gordian knot type pedestrian crossing. And if someone is daft enough to island hop by the direct route, well, there is no final crossing, so back to the start you go.

I'll be glad when the oil runs out and they bring back horses.

[kateangela]

I also wrote to Councillor John Paschoud (Perry Vale Ward) regarding this and he has responded saying he has contacted a colleague in Bellingham Ward and also the Council's senior officer responsible for road safety matters, in order to find out if anything can be done.

He is going to get back to me.