Community Councils have been in existence for the past five years and have taken on the character of an Anglo Saxon Folkmoot whereby everyone in the community is allowed (briefly) to have his or her say. The Dulwich Community Council meeting held at the beginning of December was so crowded by residents who wanted to hear more about the proposals for traffic calming in the area that a separate public meeting, solely to discuss these proposals was held on Thursday 9th December in St Barnabas Hall. It was clear from the mood of the audience that while it was generally in favour of slower or less traffic it was extremely hostile to suggestions of more humps and bumps in residential roads. There was an acknowledgement that both College Road and Gallery Road need some form of speed restrictions, the most popular one being voiced was for average speed cameras. Numerous questions and criticisms of the Council’s plan were voiced, not least about costs, when it was learnt that each hump costs over £400 while raised crossings and speed table are in the region of £15,000-20,000. There was particular criticism reserved for the treatment proposed for road exits at both ends of Court Lane as well as incredulity at the proposal to make Townley Road the major road thus creating a potential hazard for Alleyn’s schoolchildren and other pedestrians. This particular junction has been altered at least twice, at great cost and inconvenience to residents.
Curiously, there seemed to be no realisation by the planners that Dulwich Village is one of Central London’s access routes from the south and that because of its concentration of railway lines and sports fields which act as barriers, roads like Turney Road and Calton Avenue are the only logical routes from east to west. To deny traffic along these routes is force the problem onto already busy roads elsewhere like Croxted Road and Lordship Lane.
It was also disconcerting that Southwark Council officers boasted of “pots of money from Transport for London” and elsewhere being available for this hugely expensive project. In these dire economic times, many of those attending were wondering if they were living on the same planet as those presenting the proposals.
Those households in the area who would be directly affected by the outline proposals received a consultation document and questionnaire from the Council to be returned by15th December. It will be interesting to hear if the results of this consultation will be made public and if they are will the Council take the slightest notice in its apparent enthusiasm for the scheme.
In the Dulwich Society News column in this Newsletter, Alastair Hanton sets out the Society’s additional proposals and invites the membership to comment.
There has been a good response to the appeal in the last Newsletter for assistance in distributing the quarterly issues. Five members have agreed to help and there are vacancies for more. Please contact the Chairman, Ian McInnes if you think you might be able join the distribution team.
The Newsletter always invites contributors to its columns. If you have an article or a photograph on a subject of local interest we would be delighted to hear from you. Contributions can be sent by post or by email, preferably as a WORD attachment to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 21 March 2012 02:28