Our Healthy Streets Initiative

The first public consultation on Phase 3 of Southwark Council’s healthy street’s initiative was held at Alleyn’s School on the 8th February. The draft proposals for discussion respond to the feedback from two previous consultations and aim to reduce pollution from vehicle traffic, improve the pedestrian environment and make it safer for children to walk and cycle to school. There will also be future consultations on potential timed access restrictions, permeable closure/one-way entry and parking controls.  Leaflets were posted through doors and emails sent to everyone who had engaged with the process previously.  

Comments/suggestions via the website www.southwark.gov.uk/ohs-dulwich or attend one of the two remaining public consultation meetings on:

• Saturday 29 February (9.30am-12.30pm):
  Herne Hill Baptist Church, Half Moon Lane
• Wednesday 4 March (6.30-9.00pm):
  JAGS, East Dulwich Grove

Dulwich Park parking charges

Parking charges in the park will begin on Monday 24th February. The cost will be £2 per hour, payable only by using the app ‘PayByPhone’ (this is straightforward to use, requiring once-only registration).

Brockwell Park to Gipsy Hill healthy routes

Concurrently with the Southwark Healthy Streets proposals Lambeth Council have also begun consultation on its own initiative in West Dulwich (formerly the Rosendale Road Quiet Way). For more information go to: lambeth.gov.uk

Dulwich Wood Park Highway Improvement Works

Notwithstanding the delays on the TfL works at the junction of College Road & Crystal Parade which are seriously impacting on traffic flows along the Parade, Southwark is intending to start substantial works in Dulwich Wood Park on 10 February – scheduled to take until 14 August. These will include;

• Two Zebra Crossings, one between the junctions of Wickers Oake and Lymer Avenue and the other near the junction of Rockwell Gardens
• Refurbishment of current crossing points
• Installation of a Step Cycle Track
• Improvement works at the junction with Farquhar Road
• Extension to the width of the central reservation east and west of the Farquhar Road junction

Potential impact of proposed increases in aircraft from Heathrow and London city airports for Dulwich and all residents in South East London

London City Airport
On roughly 40% of days the airport flies a low altitude (under 2000ft) concentrated path over Dulwich, controversially introduced in 2016. The airport wants to almost double flights over SE London, fly more planes early morning and late evening, and remove the 24hr ban on flights from midday Saturday to midday Sunday. The airport claims that its aircraft will be quieter in the future, but there is recent clear evidence from measuring the so called 'new generation' aircraft noise over Lambeth that on their low flight path over SE London homes the difference will not be perceptible.  

London City Airport Masterplan consultation: www.londoncityairport.com/..
This sets out their perspective and consultation is open until 18 Oct. A simple letter supporting or opposing the Masterplan is all that is required.

The London Assembly environment committee has published authoritative and very accessible reports on the issues: www.london.gov.uk/..

London Heathrow
The Heathrow third runway arguments will be better known to Dulwich Society members, and it is London Heathrow planes that disturb many from 4.30 am and end at 11.30pm, sometimes later, and these are much larger aircraft. Heathrow expansion is represented by some as effectively building a new airport the size of Gatwick alongside the current Heathrow airport. Concerns are that this will massively increase plane numbers over all parts of London with consequent additional noise and emissions.

Heathrow's own website contains plenty of information on the Airport's perspective.

For those interested to understand different perspectives the Teddington Action Group (TAG) has developed well researched information focused on Heathrow noise, aircraft emissions over populated areas and environmental issues.  http://www.teddingtonactiongroup.com/

Climate Change, emissions and air travel
Many Dulwich residents will be noticing the recent tone of debate changing concerning air travel with debate opening about stopping airport expansion, reducing demand through taxation on fuel, flight shame, holidaying without air travel and so on.  The voices of those concerned about carbon, particulate emissions are adding very much to the concerns of the overflown about increasingly intrusive noise as the aviation industry continues to pursue expansion. For many, the climate emergency is reason alone to oppose expansion of airports. For Londoners, the two in plain sight are Heathrow and London City. Claims by both to be heading towards carbon neutral businesses only go as far as the airport's ground operations and do not account for aircraft emissions. The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has recently advised the Government that aviation will become the biggest source of carbon in the UK by 2050 and that expansion at Heathrow leaves very little room for growth at any other airport.

The No 3rd runway Coalition also holds excellent information. LB Southwark is a member, but not Lambeth or Lewisham.  https://www.no3rdrunwaycoalition.co.uk/

AirportWatch, concerned about unsustainable aviation http://www.airportwatch.org.uk/

The response from the Forest Hill Society is here.
www.foresthillsociety.com/..

The response from campaign group HACAN East sets out reasons why expansion should be resisted. documentcloud.adobe.com/..

Most Councils that are affected by aircraft noise have written opposing the airport's plans. Waltham Forest’s reasoning drive.google.com/..