2018 wish list

[stuart]

But in the spirit of this thread, in the utopian world of Sydenham 2018, wouldn't it be lovely if all the horrible through traffic was removed and the high street could just be a peaceful shopping and leisure space? Somewhere that you would actually look forward to visiting to run your errands and meet friends and family?

Would you settle for a sub-Utopian start in 2018 of, say, making Sydenham Road traffic free on Summer Sundays between 10 & 6pm? Or to be more neighbourly, alternate with Penge? Tables, food and drink spilling across the road?

Give people a taste of what could be and maybe they will find a way to make it happen. What would it take to get this started and who (apart from the Bell Green retail gang) would object?

Stuart

[mosy]

On partnerships, I was thinking that if Syd Road really did do a NIMBY about traffic coming down from FH, what's to stop FH joining by saying they don't want it on their high street either. In unison, i.e. where the will is there, FH could stop through-traffic right-turning into Darmouth Rd (and thus Kirkdale) and keep it on the Sth Circ. It could be done craftily rather than song and dance by making Dartmouth Rd temporarily buses/taxes for a month or so hence traffic would "find another route" and maybe get used to it in preference. Then make it permanent since it works so well...
Mind you, a chicane half way along Dartmouth Rd would achieve the same being chaos worth avoiding
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More seats on Syd Rd please. The pocket square bench doesn't even have a back on it.

[vbsydenham]

Would you settle for a sub-Utopian start in 2018 of, say, making Sydenham Road traffic free on Summer Sundays between 10 & 6pm? Or to be more neighbourly, alternate with Penge? Tables, food and drink spilling across the road?

Sounds good to me.

Give people a taste of what could be and maybe they will find a way to make it happen. What would it take to get this started and who (apart from the Bell Green retail gang) would object?

Start with the Royal Wedding and take it from there.

FH could stop through-traffic right-turning into Darmouth Rd (and thus Kirkdale) and keep it on the Sth Circ.

Yes that would be fine by me. The whole point of having orbital distributor (ie the South Circular) roads is so people don't rat run through residential areas. We built the orbital roads but we didn't get round to closing off the residential streets. Now we're playing catchup with the civilised world.

t could be done craftily rather than song and dance by making Dartmouth Rd temporarily buses/taxes for a month or so hence traffic would "find another route" and maybe get used to it in preference. Then make it permanent since it works so well...

I think this is what most motorists are really scared of. These schemes never produce the chaos that is predicted beforehand, so they become permanent and the argument is lost.

[iandavenport]

Yes that would be fine by me. The whole point of having orbital distributor (ie the South Circular) roads is so people don't rat run through residential areas. We built the orbital roads but we didn't get round to closing off the residential streets. Now we're playing catchup with the civilised world.

If you consider the South Circular from Catford to Dulwich, to describe it as having been "built" as an orbital road is stretching definitions . Its a series of streets that have been designated as the South Circular, so to compare it say with the Périphérique, or even the North Circular, is ridiculous
As it is, stopping right turns into Dartmouth road would just push traffic off at Perry Vale, and probably make the Mayow Road junction with Sydenham Road even worse

[mosy]

But the alternative is what we have to live (or die) with, i.e. Sydenham pedestrians being poisoned by traffic fumes - all in the name of "keeping London moving" - except it isn't moving if largely static in Sydenham Road and feeder roads. I find it impossible to justify a high street with its frequent halting crossings as a "through route".

[Likelife]

I don't see anything really being done over traffic on Sydenham High St. If anything I think Bell Green will be seen as more of a pressing issue; the LWR Syd railway bridge is totally unsuitable and Bell Green junction is a mess.

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I've just been on the Smith Price letting agency's website. The old Ladbrooks on the Newlands Park corner is under offer; going for 24k p/a. Being on a corner and roughly the right size, I'm willing to bet its a coffee chain. Also, I can no longer find the listing for the new Zanara Court building retail unit. Which makes me think it may have got a renter...

As for wishes, just for KFH to finally open, the lamp post flags to be installed and more empty shops to be filled. I'd like Lewisham to improve its rubbish collection too. Is there anywhere else where bin bags are just dumped on the pavement for collection?

[G Unit]

For Ladbrokes, looks like there's a change of use application for a yoga studio : http://planning.lewisham.gov.uk/online- ... CAPR_92996

[Likelife]

For Ladbrokes, looks like there's a change of use application for a yoga studio : http://planning.lewisham.gov.uk/online- ... CAPR_92996

Interesting, certainly never expected that!

[stuart]

I don't see anything really being done over traffic on Sydenham High St. If anything I think Bell Green will be seen as more of a pressing issue; the LWR Syd railway bridge is totally unsuitable and Bell Green junction is a mess.

Lewisham see that bridge as a benefit being an effective 'choke' point on Southend Lane to stop it becoming what it was, with Whitefoot Lane, designed to be: The South Circular Relief Road.

Of course that could be done more effectively by ripping out the gyratory to make that are more people friendly. I agree the greatest abomination we have built for a world we are supposed to be moving away from. But Lewisham has long been a foot dragger there.

Stuart

[leenewham]

The new builds to be completed and the retail units let to something interesting.
Poodle Club to flourish.
The Greyhound to open to rave reviews and good food.
The Co-operative site to become something slightly more aspirational.
A proper traders group to become established.
More (good) places to eat.

[stuart]

... More (good) places to eat.

“We moved to Sydenham to be nearer to this restaurant.”
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserR ... gland.html

Stuart