Greenwich road restrictions coming late November as Low Traffic Neighbourhoods introduced
Greenwich Council have confirmed that road restrictions as part of a Low Traffic Neighbourhood will begin in late November.
Limits on general traffic will be implemented from 27th November across a number of streets during peak times with a number of exceptions, including blue badge holders, taxis and emergency services. Unlike a previous LTN there will be no physical obstacles.
A list of those exempt can be found here.
Restrictions in west Greenwich can be seen below.
And here’s restrictions in east Greenwich. The furthest extent is beside Westcombe Park station.
Measures in 2020 did not cover this area unlike west Greenwich.
East Greenwich LTN restrictions will apply between 7am-10am and 3pm-7pm between Monday to Friday. Streets included in the scheme are Crooms Hill, Maze Hill, Point Hill, Vanbrugh Hill near the Greenwich Centre and Westcombe Hill.
Changes cover both sides of Greenwich Park and follow a long-winded process dating back before the pandemic.
The old “Hills and Vales” project was undergoing consultation before 2020. Once the pandemic hit a Low Traffic Neighbourhood was implemented using physical obstacles, unlike the forthcoming scheme.
A consultation undertaken in 2023 saw 8,000 responses with 79 per cent opposed. Changes were then made.
UPDATE: While this measure is supposed to encourage people to out of cars, the government’s budget yesterday is forcing rail fares under Department for Transport control such as Southeastern to increase twice as much as current inflation.
In addition, in order for TfL to receive funding next year they’ve stated Sadiq Khan must increase fares also at a rate twice as high as inflation.
Concerns
Concerns have been raised that traffic will shift east and head north-south via Charlton to avoid measures set to be introduced.
Another potential future problem is the Silvertown tunnel. It’s due to open in mid-2025 and TfL have previously predicted extra traffic around Greenwich as two tunnels funnel into the existing road network south of the Thames.
In the recent past Transport for London adjusted traffic modelling with greater traffic projected in Greenwich as seen in a report before the Silvertown Tunnel Implementation Group formed of borough councils and TfL.
Despite being on the cards for many years, this project is still a trial. It’s due to last 18 months while data is gathered.
It’s rather odd timing given the Silvertown tunnel will open half way through rendering any results quite difficult to decipher.
Whatever happens in coming months could well be thrown in the air come 2025’s tunnel opening, and then a period of change and instability as tolls cause traffic to divert to other tunnel or the additional capacity encourage more to drive in the near term – or will tolls put people off full stop?
Whatever happens, it will take time to settle down and will that happen before the trial ends? In addition to restrictions either side of Greenwich park, the road through the park has been closed to general traffic.
I remember the pathetic meetings Greenwich organised for this: little more than a disorganised room with no allocation of time or order to questions. The plan seems as haphazard as the consultation: I’ve no idea how Greenwich expects traffic pollution to be curbed when residents will need to pay for extra petrol to idle at their favourite choke points, as well as the cumulative extra to enter the zone from the approved entry way. At a time when the cost of living is an international crisis, these idiots decide to make people spend even more to sit in traffic a mile from their homes.
When someone breaks down at the Tunnel, traffic can back up Westcombe Hill and up as far as Vanbrugh, for several hours. The last one saw traffic virtually gridlocked around the proposed East Greenwich LTN for nearly 6 hours, and this was without the choke points. (I walked from Westcombe Hill to the Korean place near Lambarde Square, forty minutes later the bus opposite my house had moved six spaces). Stoneybridge Council has nothing on this lot.
There are too many cars commuting from outside Greenwich borough. Create a LTN for any cars coming from outside Greenwich borough, and that will help with pollution. They should not have approved the Silvertown tunnel either which will increase the traffic by 30pct. A Thamesmead crossing would have make much more sense.
I agree with this. Just allow registration for those who live near it or can’t use another route easily. If it’s anor greenwich can allow residents to register.
We do need to cut down on traffic. But there need to be better routes in se London.
I live outsode of the borough and have to drive into the borough for work. Am fully expecting what used to be a 15-minute commute before 20mph roads were introduced to take a full hour after these LTNs are introduced. It is going to be near-impossible to reach Greenwich town centre as all traffic will have to come from either Lewisham or A2 sides and we’ve already seen that even during half-term, even without these LTNs, the traffic is obscene. Then factor in roadworks at any point in future and this decision will kill of dozens of businesses in Greenwich.
Just absolutely insane.
It’s exactly this that Greenwich and other boroughs are hoping to achieve. Cause enough frustration with these LTNs for drivers to find alternative means or give up completely. Just all part of the plan. They need to encourage other transportation by making them easier, quicker and cheaper. Not by taxing motorist to death, penalising them unfairly and closing down roads.
It’s the size of modern cars that’s also the problem being 4.5 to 5 metres long plus almost 2 metres wide and carrying one person as 4 cars equals one bus length !
What we need is a electric bus fleet and lower fares as we all need to breathe clean unpolluted air and now the Tories are out of power maybe politicians plus others will stop banging on about workers being in the offices 5 days a week so less traffic= less pollution.
All part of the continued, outrageous discrimination against motorists. In a few months time the outrageous traffic this causes combined with the additional Silvertown tunnel pressure will be used to justify further closures and restrictions. Too easy to see coming. But the most shocking thing is that stat:
79% of residents opposed, yet it’s still going ahead.
What a complete disgrace. And all you sheep also opposed to this, continue to vote this council in.
It’s a good idea. There’s far too many rats running in their cars.
Unfortunately the real problem is not solved by this scheme. The A2 is a major artery into town. I’m just pleased that the good folk of Greenwich council are lazer-focussed on the pretty streets of Greenwich. Keep them nice and clear. At least we can all see where the influence lives.
Look at the state of the other roads in the borough. The accidents, the deaths, the traffic. And if it is such a problem for Greenwich, why not address the issue further south, to discourage the plebs from daring to use their cars at all. Because if you don’t, making it nicer for some folk, is going to make it proportionately less-nicer for their neighbours.
Which is not a very nice thing to do. Is it?
Sorry, another comment to add on possible solution, as we are focused on E and W Greenwich. I have noticed that there is an huge fall in the volume of traffic on the roads at rush hour when the private schools break for holiday, and the state schools are yet to.
This is not a dig at private schooling, their catchment areas are wider, and some children cannot walk in. But they are not in the easiest places to reach by car, either.
Has there been any research into the source and destination of the traffic? If school runs are in fact contributing heavily, perhaps a solution would be for the council to create a few drop-off areas with good road access, a short distance from the schools (trial at Greenwich park?). Mutual benefit of less congestion down minor roads (and through E and W Greenwich), and the kids get to do a little walking to school.
I’d approve of a semi-public funded scheme if it eases the traffic for residents.