Scott wins action on HGVs entering residential roads

HGV getting stuck in the side roads

Streatham Green Party team has won agreement from Lambeth Council to take steps to prevent heavy goods vehicles from entering residential roads to thte West of Streatham High Road.

Residents raised concerns last year about large articulated lorries using smaller streets as a cut through. This has resulted in lorries getting stuck and residential streets becoming congested and unsafe.

Temporary one way on Drewstead Road from 25th April

We have just been informed that in order to enable Thames Water to carry out mains connection works safely, Lambeth Council intend to temporarily impose a one-way traffic system along Drewstead Road from 25th April.

The one way will go from No 33/35 Drewstead Road to De Monfort Road, in a north-westerly direction (towards De Monfort Road).

The alternative route for affected vehicles will be via De Monfort Road, Broadlands Avenue and Streatham High Road.

The one way is not expected to last more than two weeks, and end sooner if works are completed quickly.

More trees for Streatham

We have conducted another "tree audit" of St Leonard's ward and have been working with council officers to get some more trees, including some replacements around the area towards Streatham Hill.  

This is what officers have agreed to put them (before Christmas we hope!)...

• A replacement opposite number 10 (approx) Kingscourt Road where a tree was vandalised and removed.  We are also asking for more trees down this road.
• A tree in Mortimer Close on Drewstead Road. 
• Three trees in Norfolk House Road that have died and need replacing
• Mount Ephraim Lane where residents have asked for more trees (there are a few at the bottom of the lane, but none at all at the top).

New 'emergency' changes to parking following Streatham Hill bridge closure

Councillors have today (52 minutes ago) been emailed the following notice regarding new temporary parking restrictions, following on from the congestion to do with the bridge closure between Drewstead Road and Sternhold Avenue behind Streatham Hill station. The restrictions came into force yesterday.

TEMPORARY PARKING, WAITING AND LOADING RESTRICTIONS IN BLAKEMORE ROAD, BRANCASTER ROAD, DE MONTFORT ROAD AND MOUNT EPHRAIM ROAD

1.    The Council of the London Borough of Lambeth hereby gives notice that from Wednesday 24^th September 2014 for a period of up to 21 days vehicles will be banned from parking and waiting (including waiting for loading or unloading purposes) at any time in:-

         (i) Mount Ephraim Road:

              (a) the north side, between the eastern boundary of No. 6 Mount Ephraim Road and De Montfort Road;

       (b) the south side, (i) between a point 7 metres east of Blakemore Road and a point 6.5 metres west of Blakemore Road; and (ii) between a point 7.5 metres east of

            Brancaster Road and a point 11 metres west of Brancaster Road;

 (ii) Blakemore Road, (a) the east side between Mount Ephraim Road and a point 16 metres south of Mount Ephraim Road; and (b) the west side, between Mount Ephraim Road and a point 16.8 metres south of Mount Ephraim Road;

(iii) Brancaster Road, (a) the east side, between Mount Ephraim Road and the southern boundary wall of No. 29 Mount Ephraim Road; and (b) the west side, between Mount Ephraim Lane and the party wall of Nos. 2 and 4 Brancaster Road;

(iv) De Montfort Road, the east side, between Mount Ephraim Road and the common

      boundary of No. 24 Mount Ephraim Road and No. 25 De Montfort Road.

2.     It is necessary for the above parking/waiting restrictions to come into force without delay to enable the safe flow of traffic on diversion because of the temporary closure of the bridge over Streatham Hill train station (the un-named road linking Drewstead Road and Sternhold Avenue) while structural works to that bridge are being carried out and will only apply at such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by the placing of the appropriate traffic signs.

3.    While this notice has effect, the provisions of the Lambeth (Waiting and Loading Restriction) Order 1997 shall have effect as though (a) the length of road specified in paragraph 1 above is a restricted street specified in Schedules 1 and 2 to that Order; and (b) the prescribed hours and restricted hours relating to that length of road are at any time.

4.    The bans will continue by virtue of this notice for 21 days or until the works have been completed, whichever is the sooner.  If this is not possible within the period of 21 days, the Council may issue another notice or they may make a temporary order under section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, so as to continue the closure for a further period of time.

Dated 23^rd September 2014

Abu Barkatoolah

Head of Transportation

Pothole update

We promised that we would check local roads after winter had finished.

We reported the following potholes for repair:

• On Drewstead Road – between Woodbourne Avenue and Hoadly Road

• At the junction of Broadlands Avenue and De Montfort Road

• On Conyers Road – between Fairmile Avenue and Babington Road

• Outside Whinfell Close on Riggindale Road

• At the top of Moorcroft Road

• At the junction of Woodbourne Ave and Steep Hill

• Outside 11, 55, 114 and 144 Kingscourt Road

• Along Norfolk House Road and near the junction with Streatham High Road

• Outside 102A and 153 Gleneagle Road

• Outside 16 Blakemore Road

• At the bottom of Prentis Road at the junction with Garrad’s Road

Let us know if we have missed any that need sorting!

Increased crossing times for Streatham High Road

Three-quarters of British people over 65 struggle to cross the road at the very places that are meant to be safe for pedestrians – our signalised crossings. It’s a problem for tens of thousands of others as well, including people with mobility issues and parents with young children.

Local residents, including members of the Streatham Mum's Network, asked if we could help to make the crossings on Streatham High Road safer for pedestrians.

We asked Transport for London to improve four crossings near Kingscourt Road, Mount Ephraim Lane, Broadlands Avenue and Drewstead Road as part of the current High Road project. We are pleased to say that they have agreed to do this as part of the works to improve the central reservation.

The crossings will be upgraded including making them more accessible for users with disabilities and making crossing times longer.

We are supporting the current campaign by Living Streets to make crossing times longer throughout the local area.

Potholes a plenty on Drewstead Road

We have asked the council to fix a series of potholes on Drewstead Road, between the junctions with Hoadly Road and Woodfield Avenue, near Beckett Close. The road surface is however badly breaking up along this section, and really needs resurfacing.

[Update April 16 2013: Some of the potholes have now been fixed, but we are continuing to chase Lambeth Council to fix the others and in the longer-term get the area properly resurfaced]

Streatham’s 20mph Phantom Zone

Did you know that Garrad’s Road, Abbotswood Road, Prentis Road, Becmead Avenue and Woodbourne Avenue… all have 20mph speed limits?

Nor did I. And nor do many residents on those roads, or indeed those who regularly drive down them. The reason? There is virtually no notification either on the road surfaces or in the form of signposts on the roads themselves – to let people know what the speed limit is.

The 20mph Phantom Zone runs to the West of Streatham High Road, stretching from Drewstead Road at the top, right down to Prentis Road at the bottom, taking on Garrad’s Road to the West. But most people driving through will assume that the default speed limit of 30mph in a residential area, applies.

This is particularly serious as some of these roads – such as Garrad’s Road and Abbotswood Road - are official cycle routes. There have been collisions in this area resulting in serious injuries for cyclists - for example at the junction of Woodfield Avenue and Mount Ephraim Road. It even appears from the collision report that those investigating have assumed at 30mph speed limit too.

The only clue that these roads have 20mph limits are the occasional signs at the edge of the zone – for example coming over the bridge from Wandsworth into Lambeth along Bedford Hill saying “you are now entering a 20mph zone”. Blink and you’ll miss them. Some of these are tucked away behind trees. There are also some signs informing the motorist that you are leaving a 20 mph zone – which isn’t all that helpful.

Talking to some residents it seems that once upon a time - some years ago - there were more 20 mph signs. See for example this one, caught accidently by one resident of Abbotswood Road when photographing a back garden. It took a Freedom of Information Request however to establish whether the limit was still in place, as there are now no signs anywhere along the road at all.

We’ll see if we can get some more signage put in place.