New traffic-light phasing Newlands Park/high street

[alywin]

Is anyone else finding the new traffic-light phasing at the junction of Newlands Park and Sydenham Road completely ludicrous? There were 20-odd vehicles queuing in Newlands Park the other day, and maybe half-a-dozen getting through on each green phase, not to mention any poor drivers who'd come up Homecroft and then were desperately trying to find their way out into the queue. It's playing havoc with the buses, which frequently can't get through between the tailback and the parked cars, and the other day an emergency ambulance came through in the direction of Penge. I was on a bus travelling in the other direction, which had no room for manoeuvre, and the tailback was such that it was difficult for anyone to reverse. It took several minutes for the ambulance to get through: I hope nobody's health or life was put in peril by the delay.

This needs to be sorted, pronto.

[Eagle]

Basically too many private cars.

Perhaps narrow roads like NP should be for buses and emergency vehicles only. That would certainly help the flow.

You probably have forgotten but for years the traffic did not allow time for any pedestrian to cross NP by West's Off Licence.

That was a disgrace.

[Willy]

This is nothing new, it's been like that in at peak times for years. It doesn't help having that lone parking spot just along from the MOT centre which has the effect of blocking any large vehicle from getting past when there is a queue, I could understand if it was a disabled bay but it isn't.

[Bunty]

I have never understood why Newlands is not a red route. That one space is ludicrous .

[JRobinson]

All traffic light issues (within London) are the responsibility of TfL. If you have an issue, contact them about it.

It's not a red route, as red routes are the main roads into, out of, and around the city (connurbation) - eg, A2, A205.
They are all connected - you don't get single sections in the middle of nowhere.

The parking space is a Lewisham Council issue.

If you narrow the road, or make it for buses/blue lights - where would all the other traffic go? You'd just displace it to other roads, that are also not designed to cope with the extra traffic - the problem goes elsewhere, but presumably still within the district covered by STF - and people would complain.

[hairybuddha]

If you narrow the road, or make it for buses/blue lights - where would all the other traffic go? You'd just displace it to other roads, that are also not designed to cope with the extra traffic - the problem goes elsewhere, but presumably still within the district covered by STF - and people would complain.

Not necessarily - A lot of the traffic on that route is through traffic. If we were really serious about improving conditions in the Borough you could ban through traffic on the high street and close off the back streets to rat running. Then all the traffic would be in Beckenham and Catford, and they're welcome to it

[Rachael]

Rather than being Red Route (which isn't possible), it might benefit from having single yellow lines down one side. However, it seems to me it's that one parking space that causes much of the difficulty. I'd approach Lewisham about it, but the parking department already think I'm a trouble maker for suggesting that the concrete sleepers dumped in Girton Road car park are a little ill-considered.

It never ceases to amaze me that buses manage to get up and down Wells Park Road. Often only managed by people driving around the islands on the wrong side of the road or mounting the pavement.

[alywin]

This is nothing new, it's been like that in at peak times for years.

This wasn't at peak times, but halfway through a weekday morning. And local cabbies are confirming that the phasing has been changed, and for the worse.

[Manwithaview1]

Rather than being Red Route (which isn't possible), it might benefit from having single yellow lines down one side. However, it seems to me it's that one parking space that causes much of the difficulty. I'd approach Lewisham about it, but the parking department already think I'm a trouble maker for suggesting that the concrete sleepers dumped in Girton Road car park are a little ill-considered.

It never ceases to amaze me that buses manage to get up and down Wells Park Road. Often only managed by people driving around the islands on the wrong side of the road or mounting the pavement.

Yes the double deckers just squeeze through WPR and many times they have to Keep Right. One does have to look both ways before crossing to the island just incase a car is being driven on the right side of the road.

[Eagle]

Alwin

Yr local cabbies might be saying it has changed for the worse. Do local pedestrians trying to cross NP say the same I wonder.

Difficult to please all people.

Sydenham mainly built in an era when people travelled by train. Indeed then great train and bus services make the need for having a car in Sydenham marginal at best.

How about no car day on Sunday's . How tranquil some of the roads would be.