TELL US WHAT YOU THINK?

As the funding for the Healthy Neighbourhood Programme is currently suspended, DRAG along with Drakefell United (DU) and Gellatly Road Improvement Plan (GRIP) have been working on options to reduce through traffic on our street in a way that reduces through traffic across all of our neighbourhood.

DRAG is working with other groups across Telegraph Hill ward looking at how we could develop proposals for a Low Traffic Neighbourhood, which are currently being introduced across London and is currently the only way to access funding to improve our streets. This plan would form a key component of a wider plan to be co-designed with the community.

DRAG’S NEW PROPOSED PLAN

The key points are:

1. To prevent eastbound through-traffic rat-running across Telegraph Hill by placing a filter at the junction of Lausanne Road/Evelina Road and Gellatly Road – this means that you would still be able to exit Gellatly Road onto either Lausanne Road or Evelina Road from Drakefell, Arbuthnot and Kitto Roads
2. This proposal is NOT suggesting a one-way system; while the normal flow of traffic would remain from Brockley, vehicles would be able to travel in both directions on Drakefell and Gellatly Roads.
3. To install modal filters* (No access except for people walking and cycling) on Dennetts Road and Drakefell Road to stop rat-running through-traffic
4. To create a pinch-point on Avignon Road railway bridge (similar to Pepys Road), to allow all vehicles except HGVs and articulated lorries crossing this weak bridge.

This plan would reduce traffic rat-running across the hill by around half by putting west to east traffic back on the A-roads, where it should go. While not perfect, the proposal are a first step which would improve Drakefell and Gellatly Roads as follows:

• Reduce the blight from excessive traffic which is not appropriate for our residential streets and reduce harmful pollution and noise
• Create the space for pavements, to be freed up, to allow room buggies and wheelchairs and to maintain social distancing space for people walking should there by further waves of Coronavirus
• Remove HGVs that are using the hill as a rat-run
• Enable space for safe cycling

Have your say - complete the survey

These proposals are being considered alongside other proposals which could create a Low Traffic Neighbourhood across Telegraph Hill and have been presented to local councillors for discussion. They are NOT definitive and are a WORK IN PROGRESS, but they do seek to prevent more traffic being directed to Drakefell and Gellatly Roads, while trying to offer a pragmatic solution to increased traffic

Our proposals in no way propose or seek to redirect traffic to anywhere other than A Roads. Please give us your views on the proposals and your ideas on how we could improve Drakefell Road, by completing our short survey (link below).

If you have any further questions or clarifications please do not hesitate to get in touch.

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COMMENT ON OUR PLAN

* Modal Filter

A road design that restricts the passage of certain types of vehicle.
Examples include cul de sacs, bollards, boom barriers and planters;
features often used to help create low traffic neighbourhoods.

FAQs

Q: How would I get to my house on Drakefell Road or Gellatly Road from Old Kent Road?
A: You would go via Sainsbury’s Garage, to access Jerningham road to Sandbourne Road, then Endwell Road or Wallbutton Road

Q: How would I get to Old Kent Road?
A: Same as now, via Gellatly Road/Lausanne Road

Q: How would I get to Sainsbury’s at New Cross Gate?
A: Same as now

Q: How would I get to Brockley Road?
A: Same as now, via Drakefell Road

Q: Would the Kitto Road Modal Filter need to remain?
A: Ideally as it would stop vehicles trying to cut through from Erlanger Road, but this is for the community to decide.

Q: Are there any other changes proposed?
A: Not directly from DRAG, DU or GRIP, but other streets in Telegraph Hill would also like to benefit from a Low Traffic Neighbourhood and are developing their own proposals which could compliment these.

HEALTHY NEIGHBOURHOOD PROPOSAL

DRAG has been working tirelessly to achieve a safer, less polluted, greener route through the heart of Telegraph Hill.

We had been developing proposals to achieve this and had campaigned to be part of Lewisham Council and Transport for London’s Healthy Neighbourhood Programme. However due to COVID-19, the funding for this has been suspended. While this was very disappointing, DRAG have been in discussion with Lewisham Council about what we can do in the short term which is cheaper and quick to deliver, but will make a big impact.

As part of measures to enable social distancing and encourage more cycling, the Council introduced a ‘modal filter’ at Kitto Road under emergency COVID-19 powers. This was intended to reduce through-traffic across the hill and to encourage more walking and cycling. Unfortunately, the effect of this was to INCREASE traffic on Drakefell Road and therefore DRAG objected to the proposal.

However, while we considered the Kitto Road filter on its own to have negative impacts, the principle of developing a Low Traffic Neighbourhood across the Hill is a sound one. DRAG has always sought to build a consensus to reduce traffic not only through the heart of our community on Drakefell and Gellatly Roads, but to reduce all through-traffic while of course giving residents and visitors access to their homes.