High street improvements

[sydres]

Can anyone provide an update on the completion of the improvements to the high street? For example, when will the station approach be completed? Will we get 'bespoke' bins as mentioned previously? What happened to the way finding / signage?

[robbieduncan]

They were working outside Co-op this morning. Looked like a 4th tree planter was being put in but when I walked past it was basically just a hole in the pavement so could be anything!

[leenewham]

For the way finding there will be legible london signs going in. SEE3 are waiting until these go in until they sort out the signage, although I don't know why.

There will be new bins for the high street, although I don't know what they look like or why they seem to have taken so long other than it's to do with Lewisham's highways department. Hopefully whoever chose them has better judgement than the person who chose the ugly incredibly tall benches we have in the high street!

I've no idea on Station approach.

[mosy]

At this time of the year, nearing fiscal year end, I'm wondering if it's to do with budgeted resources either already used up or scurrying to use them up elsewhere. Answers to some questions might be more forthcoming once new fiscal year budgets are allocated?

Has Chris Best abandoned STF? She has kindly posted in the past to keep us informed. It does help if we just know what is or isn't on the table, be that good or bad, rather than just being left in the dark. An overview of what the council consider to be "still outstanding" and at least some indication of timing would be great.

[Chris Best]

I am always happy to give information and here is the last update provided at the Sydenham Assembly on the 4 March

Station Approach
The new toilets are being manufactured with the intention of them being placed in late March 2014, and this is subject to the existing block being demolished.

A Basic Asset Protection Agreement has been signed by the Council and is with Network Rail for approval. This will allow the Council to demolish the existing toilets, make good the boundary wall and install a fence on the wall. Method statements for this work are with Network Rail for consideration. If all approved, J B Riney’s propose to do these demolition and the “making good” works over weekends at the end of March 2014.

Network Rail’s agreement to the last element of the land transfer in Station Approach is awaited. This Agreement will enable the completion of the highway works in Station Approach. The delay in reaching this land transfer means that it is unlikely that these works can be carried out this fiscal year. Funding from the new financial year budgets will need to be sought for these works.

The Council has concerns about the design of the quadrant staircase, that is due to be constructed at the top of Station Approach. In particular, we consider that there is insufficient, unrestricted space on the footway in Sydenham Road (1.3m) and in Station Approach itself (1.16m). We are mindful of the problems that we had when a similar design of staircase was constructed outside the Post Office last year.

If the highway works in Station Approach are progressed after the land transfer then it is likely that the quadrant stairs will not be installed, thus the brick wall and planter bed will remain with the paving constructed around them and also the new toilets.

Street Lighting
There are lighting works that are required to complete the project. These include; painting to columns ( Modullum and Thylia), fixings to the Modullum tops, erection of the refurbished directional sign, feeder pillar for the flower stall, replacement of the damaged bollard. The Council has been informed that these works will progress from March 2014 .

CCTV
Eurovia Infrastructure Limited have substantially completed installing equipment in the Council's CCTV control facilities at Laurence House, Eros House and Winchgate House. This equipment will, in future, enable staff at TfL to view Lewisham's CCTV images and obviates the need for an additional, dedicated "Scoot" camera/column.

Statutory services congestion at sites, pre-identified as locations for new CCTV camera positions, has necessitated changes to the initially agreed design for Sydenham Road's CCTV upgrade. These changes, proposed by the Council's CCTV consultant Simon Lambert and agreed by Daniel Fish-Halvorsen, the Council's Public Realm CCTV Manager, will require some additional ducting at two locations: 1) at the junction of Venner Road/Sydenham Road and 2) on the south side of the junction of Mayow Road/Sydenham Road. In all, an additional length of approximately 40 metres of ducting will be required. Excavation for the extended duct runs will begin as soon as possible because the new, steel columns, which will eventually support 3 of the 6 cameras, are due to be delivered and installed in Sydenham Road during the week beginning 10th March. All "civils" works, related to the CCTV installation will be carried out by J.B. Riney Ltd. Site works on the CCTV installation are programmed to be completed by the end of March.

Legible London Signs
Bases/foundations for the 4 Legible London signs are already in place in Sydenham Road and in Mayow Road. The Legible London signs themselves are due to be delivered to site and installed by TFL's contractor, Trueform Engineering Ltd., during March. Installation of the signs should be completed within 2 days.

Signals
We have been informed that TfL have the equipment to complete the traffic signal works at that the installation date is to be confirmed.

Sydenham Road East
J B Riney’s are near to completing their construction works in the Sydenham Road East scheme.

Tree planting to follow by the Council’s Green Services contractor.

The resurfacing works towards Kent House Road will be carried out by EM Highway Services and this is planned for late March 2014

In 2014/15, the Sydenham Road East funding is for further improvements to the signalled junction with Kent House Road and this will be carried out along with TfL modernisation works. The Sydenham Town Centre paving pallet will be extended to the start of the signalled junction. It is anticipated that this budget will fund some further footway works , using traditional paving slabs, going eastwards from this junction, and also by the Bell Green gyratory where the existing footway condition is considered the poorest.

Some further resurfacing is planned for late 2014 and this will be from the Kent House Road junction to tie in with the resurfacing carried out in Sydenham Road (east) in 2012/13. This resurfacing will be carried out after the completion of the adjacent footway works and the junction improvements.

In 2015/16, funding has been allocated to develop a Local Improvement Project for the Lower Sydenham area. The project will define the scope and concept designs for a future project for pedestrians and/or cycle routes in the area. The project will consider the nature of any further required interventions at the eastern end of the Sydenham Road , the frontage of Home Park and links to Lower Sydenham Station.

Trees
The telephone box by the Co-op was resited to make way for a new tree pit.

Refuse and litter bins
I had a walkabout with Michael who manages the refuse service for the borough to talk about the daily pick ups and writing to the traders and residents about the use of the pink and orange bags. Where black bags are left on the pavement this is treated as flytipping and action is being taken by looking into the black bags to see if there is some ID on who has left them.

We will have a jet wash of the pavement once all the work is complete and the Sydenham Assembly voted on a small amount of funding to jet wash areas of staining on a quarterly basis in the first year.

I will let the forum know when the phasing of the traffic lights has been completed as this is down to Tfl.

If anyone would like further information please let me know.

[parker]

It's already late March 2014 for some of this is be happening but there is no sign of anything happening at the moment... Why oh why does it take so long to do anything around here...

[mosy]

Many thanks for the information and for responding so promptly Chris Best.

It is noticeable that the important items with TFL or Network Rail are as yet still without a date, even projected, after all these months - at least as of 4 March. Any news on anything since the Sydenham Assembly meeting please?

[sydres]

Thank you for the prompt update Chris. In order to get this type of information out to a wider audience (i.e. those that can't attend the assembly meetings but live in Sydenham) wouldn't it be worth considering writing a regular post assembly slot on the forum unless this is covered elsewhere?

I look forward to the completion of the improvements, which hopefully won't take too much longer.

[mosy]

I see that the pavement adjacent to the defunct toilet building on Station Approach is being dug up today and new paving slabs standing nearby, although no demolition evident of the toilets. Anyone have any update info?

[mosy]

The gaffer at the site today tells me that the toilets are still on hold, nodding in the direction of Network Rail, so the remaining pavement area is being tidied using paving blocks for now. It is intended that the blocks be replaced with the expensive York stone paviours only after demolition as they'd be damaged by it, but the blocks can be used elsewhere once taken up.

A welcome compromise I reckon until final decisions are made on the Syd Rd wall and the toilets.

I asked if they could put a coat of paint on the toilet building and take the signs down just to tart it up for now. He tells me that the toilets have been in use recently, which surprised me as I thought they'd been closed for years, but he was adamant not so.

As the council has decided to take this temporary measure, could they stretch to a tin of paint too?

[JRobinson]

for some time now, the middle toilet has been available as an automatic style toilet (a bit like the new one in the Forest Hill Station car park). sometimes it is broken, with the door locked open (but still used by some people).
it is pretty grotty to be honest.

[sax1941]

I live in west London I have just got a job in Lewisham so looking to move into the areas

demands for properties are great so not much properties around for sale can I ask what lower Sydenham and Champion road area is like

Angela

[Whiftoff]

I’ve lived on Champion Crescent for 7 years and really like it here. It’s about a 12 min walk to the station and only 4 mins to Mayow Park which, in my opinion, is the best park in Sydenham. Agreed there’s not much currently on the High Street at this end that’s worth mentioning other than the library which is great and the proposed plaza along side. I believe the road improvements are continuing all the way down to Bell Green.

[leenewham]

I'm down this end of Sydenham too. Home park has an Outdoor gym and the library is lovely. The roads are nice and safe, there are some good nursery's, it's not far to Beckenham and the cinema and a good selection of places to eat and drink, plus Forest hilli isn't far and neither is Crystal Palace and Kent is right on our doorstep for days out. The station isn't far away. The high street is shabby (to be honest, most of it is in all of Sydenham but lower Sydenham takes it to a new level), but the roads and people surrounding it are nice. House prices are going nuts though for no reason and no benefit to anyone unless you move right out of London. We like it here and know more neighbours than in any area we have ever lived in.

[marymck]

Looking (very much) long term, there's also the very real chance of the Bakerloo line coming to Lower Sydenham. Ok it's not certain as a lot can change in 15 years, but the East London line was at the same sort of stage of planning when we moved here to upper Sydenham and that has made a huge difference to us.

[stuart]

That's an if and when Mary - but before then I feel the opening of Crossrail in 2018 or thereabouts will double the difference the Overground made to Sydenham with Whitechapel an easy peasey change to the West End and beyond. Its going to give the overcrowded Jubilee a run for its money.

And don't forget the 5 car Overgrounds later this year.

Stuart

[marymck]

That's an if and when Mary - but before then I feel the opening of Crossrail in 2018 or thereabouts will double the difference the Overground made to Sydenham with Whitechapel an easy peasey change to the West End and beyond. Its going to give the overcrowded Jubilee a run for its money.

And don't forget the 5 car Overgrounds later this year.

Stuart

True - but the East London Line was just an if and when not so long ago. I believe the Bakerloo extension is looked upon quite favorably now, as it will use existing infrastructure.

I just wish our bus services were a little more coordinated. I would love to be able to get a bus to Sydenham Hill station. That's a good train trip to Victoria but it's a dodgy feeling walk to and from the station after dark.

[stuart]

Yes but it was the last Mayor who gave us the Overground and Crossrail. The current Mayor has cancelled all the new projects around here - trams, more buses - even our cycle superhighway. IMHO the Bakerloo is going to require both a Mayor and a Government that see electoral benefit in this part of the world.

Stuart

[Whiftoff]

Agree house price rises aren’t good, even if you own a property. It’s basically priced us out of getting a bigger house in the area and our next move will have to be out of London.

[FromCtoShiningC]

Yes agreed - it is the whole of London and its house prices that have taken off, and not just SE26. Sydenham is still one of the more affordable areas of London. I was in Wandsworth last week, and semi detached houses (albeit 5 beds) are 4million+

As for the high street in Sydenham, I was in the pet shop (near the Dolphin) the other day, and can't sing its praises highly enough. Very welcoming and friendly people working there, and a great selection of pet goods… A real gem at that end of the street