Forthcoming Ikea road improvements revealed in Greenwich
Greenwich Council have revealed how they will be spending some of the £1.7 million received by Ikea for transport improvements.
Letters have been sent to local residents. The changes look positive including signalled crossings on Bugsby’s Way by the roundabout and Peartree Way which are badly needed.
Here’s the letter:
The Bugsby’s Way crossing is far from great, with driver visibility reduced as they emerge from beneath the Angerstein branch rail line.
The crossing where the image below was taken on the other side of the roundabout will also be signalised:
In addition a new southbound bus lane will be built on half of Peartree Way. Work is due to begin in November.
The bus lane will be built on what is currently a very wide central reservation as seen below:
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One potential issue here is that buses from Bugsby’s Way will need to cross two lanes of traffic to access it.
No bus lane will extend south to this area:
Also, no improvements to this crossing appear at the north of Peartree Way as it meets the roundabout:
The other side of the roundabout closer to Greenwich Millenium Village also does not see improved crossings. I actually felt most exposed at that crossing with poor visibility of approaching traffic at the other side of the road from where this was taken:
Welcome news
So there’s some good news here though whether it will do much to improve the situation in regards to traffic remains to be seen. Probably not.
Peartree Way is now solidly blocked on many occasions even before Ikea opens. That will affect the ability of buses to reach the bus lane when coming from Bugsby’s Way, and the bus lane is only around 100 metres.
Improved pedestrian crossings are much welcome. It’s a shame they will not be on all four arms of the roundabout but maybe that’s for the future.
Elsewhere
This project ties into others on the drawing board or soon to begin. The pilot busway to the north of Commercial Way will be converted to a regular dual carriageway. No increase in capacity will arise from that, yet a more logical layout will ensue.
Also, TfL have pushed forward plans to upgrade the Angerstein Roundabout after recent deaths and it being cut from upgrade schemes.
Expect building work to start next month and hopefully complete before Ikea opens in early 2019. I took a trip to the site last week to see how close to completion it is. You can read that here.
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Thanks for your continued interest in this issue. A lot needs to be done on peninsula infrastructure and I for one am grateful that you are constantly banging the drum and holding Greenwich Council to account on this
It is a shame that some of the money from Ikea is not going towards improving the pollution levels instead of increasing them.
There is already work underway on the junction by the Odeon entrance. They’ve cut down the traffic lights and put in temporary ones so something is happening- not quite sure what though.
Peartree Way was gridlocked again this afternoon. I still shudder to think what it will be like after the Ikea opening. As Sally points out above, all this stationary traffic is a major cause of pollutants which hopefully will not be added to by berthed cruise ships a few hundred yards away…..
Still no sign of a dropped kerb for wheelchair users in Horn Lane and no zebra crossing there to discourage traffic whizzing round this blind corner. It’s a popular rat run when Peartree Way is blocked and lethal for pedestrians. Nice to see that we may be able to cross Bugsbys Way eventually but I’d like to see some serious speed restrictions enforced there too. At the moment it’s a frightening lorry speedway.
Does anyone know if the Angerstein branch rail line is still being used?
Yes it is. Network Rail also have plans to add new track (about half way down page) http://www.fromthemurkydepths.co.uk/2017/03/20/charlton-news-demolition-underway-for-new-flats-on-woolwich-road-365-home-development-consultation-and-redirected-rail-line/
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