West Dulwich Street Improvements
UPDATE:
Lambeth council introduced the West Dulwich Street Improvements to reduce road danger and create a safer and healthier neighbourhood where residents can live happier, healthier lives.
The improvements included a trial of traffic restrictions to remove through-traffic, and enhancements to pavements across the neighbourhood.
The trial scheme was launched on 9 September 2024.
A group of local residents and businesses challenged the legal basis of the scheme. Following a hearing earlier this year, the High Court allowed part of their claim and subsequently ordered the removal of the traffic restrictions.
The restrictions, including the signs and cameras, have been removed and that the scheme is no longer being enforced.
Following the court ruling, the council has decided to refund Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) fines issued in relation to the scheme.
Motorists who received and paid PCNs in relation to the Street Improvement Scheme in West Dulwich (from driving through the restrictions at Ardlui Road, Carson Road, Chatsworth Way, Eastmearn Road and Tulsemere Road) can apply for a refund on the council’s website: https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/wdhnrefund. PCNs issued in relation to this scheme that were not yet paid have been cancelled.
In July and August, sections of the pavement that have been damaged by tree roots will be repaired. To keep trees healthy and prevent roots from protruding, the pavement around a number of trees will be renovated with a breathable, flexible material, making the pavements smoother, safer and more accessible for everyone. A map of pavement repair locations is shown below:
Lambeth is committed to creating streets and neighbourhoods that are healthy, safe, inclusive, pleasant, and that support walking/wheeling, cycling and use of public transport. Enabling the community to travel more actively benefits public health and wellbeing, and is part of the Climate Action Plan to become net zero compatible and climate resilient by 2030.
Phases
Initial Design Engagement
Stage 3: Trail Street Improvements - Initial Design Engagement
Initial Designs
Initial designs were developed based on community feedback and traffic data collected in the Informative Engagement stage (25 January - 25 March 2022). People in West Dulwich were asked which improvements they would like to see on their streets. Community feedback and data collected showed that some streets experience high volumes of traffic travelling through the neighbourhood, often to/from the A205 south circular.
As well as reducing traffic, people said they would be encouraged to walk, wheel and cycle more by provision of more cycle parking, more places to stop and rest, and for the pavements to be repaired where they have been damaged by tree roots. Based on these findings, a variety of street improvements were developed.
Trial Street Improvements objectives
The proposed street improvements were designed to make the neighbourhood safer, healthier and more climate resilient by:
- improving conditions for walking/wheeling and cycling
- reducing road danger, congestion and emissions
- improving the street environment and create more community spaces.
Engineers explored street improvements that could be introduced as a trial and placed on top of the existing street layout, and others that would take longer and would require more in-depth engineering work and reconstruction of the street.
The objectives of the Trial Street Improvements are:
- Prohibiting external motor traffic cutting through the neighbourhood, whilst ensuring that all addresses within the neighbourhood remain accessible by car
- Improving conditions for walking, wheeling and cycling around the neighbourhood, and improving the street environment
- Disincetivising short journies made by private motor vehicle and encouraging the community to switch to active journies, when possible.
Initial Design Consultation
To achieve these objectives, the following designs were proposed and consulted on between 11 April and 14 May 2023:
- Traffic filters – Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras allow access to cycles, emergency and waste vehicles, and vehicles with registered dispensation (e.g. blue badge holders), and prohibit motor vehicles that do not have registered dispensation (by issuing a fixed penalty notice). Where traffic filters are used, all addresses remain accessible by car.
- One way traffic filters – allow access to cycles, emergency and waste vehicles, and vehicles with registered dispensation. They also allow access to motor vehicles without registered dispensation in one direction and prohibit motor vehicles without registered dispensation in the other direction.
- Banned turns – prohibited motor vehicles from turning in a certain direction
- One-way streets with cycle contraflow – all vehicles can travel in one direction, with cycling permitted in the opposite direction
- Coloured surfacing is used to suggest a pedestrian-focused area and to encourage vehicles (including cycles) to move with caution and give priority to pedestrians within these areas. It can also be used to show where more permanent changes could be made (as part of phase 3), such as widened footways.
- Parklets - community space that sits on the kerbside. They are great for bringing people together and providing local green space.
- Pavement resurfacing (funding dependent) a flexible material called ‘flexi-pave’ can be used to repair sections of pavement damaged by tree roots. It allows tree roots to grow and thrive without disrupting the pavement surface
- Cycle Parking – ‘Sheffield stands’ are free, fixed cycle parking.
The image below shows the initial design
Go to the next page to view the engagement report.