Greenwich Low Traffic Neighbourhood starts this week
Brace yourself. This week will see many an arguments as Greenwich’s Low Traffic neighbourhood begins.
Wednesday 27 November is the day that some drivers will be unable to head directly through a number of streets either side of Greenwich Park.
Unlike an earlier LTN it won’t have physical barriers but instead use CCTV.
The lack of barriers unlike in 2020 ensures the emergency services and blue badge holders will be able to pass through. It also only applies during morning and evening rush hours.
In addition taxi cabs (Hackney carriages) and private hire vehicles registered with TfL will be exempt as will carers, with a list here and details of how to apply.
Buses will also be able to pass through in area such as Vanbrugh Hill and Westcombe Park station.
Arguments
Expect arguments to rage particularly on social media this week and beyond. It’ll also feature on a few radio phone-ins no doubt.
Traffic is likely to initially increase either side with the hope it eventually settles down.
One thing that will throw a spanner in the works of this trial, when it comes to monitoring, is that next year Silvertown tunnel opens.
That will feeds an extra tunnel’s worth of traffic into existing roads in Greenwich with Transport for London expecting more to enter local Greenwich streets.
The above estimate was made in 2019. Note the red dots indicating additional traffic either side of the proposed LTN.
And then last year updated TfL modelling did what many had already stated and upped estimates for southbound traffic each afternoon, when congestion is already high.
This means even if the LTN’s in Greenwich do settle down after six months it all heads back into the air again – and will renew calls to remove them regardless of initial impact.
Revised predictions for traffic levels are the circled area above. The PM period has almost doubled in expected traffic flow compared to a prior prediction from TfL.
The SA4 prediction featuring increased traffic comes as a result of reduced bus services compared to the original SA1 model. Under SA1 there were 37.5 buses per hour. When it opens it’ll actually be just 20 – and that includes the existing 108 route.
Earlier SA1 modelling also failed to take into account discounts for residents across east and south east London boroughs, which SA4 now does.
Network highway mitigations are also now included in those revised numbers. Silvertown tunnel is due to open in spring 2025.
As for the upcoming trial in east and west Greenwich, streets included are:
East Greenwich
• Westcombe Hill (junction with Station Crescent) – bus gate
• Halstow Road – Cameras
• Vanbrugh Hill (junction with Dinsdale Road) – bus gate
• Maze Hill (junction with Tom Smith Close) – Cameras
• St Johns Park (junction with Vanbrugh Park) – Cameras
• Langton Way (junction with Old Dover Road) – Cameras
West Greenwich
• Crooms Hill (junction with Burney Street) – Cameras
• Circus Street (junction with Royal Hill) – Cameras
• Royal Hill (junction with Royal Place) – Cameras
• Royal Hill (junction with Point Hill) – Cameras
• Winforton Street (junction with Point Hill) – Cameras
• Maidenstone Hill (junction with Point Hill) – Cameras
• Lindsell Street (junction with Greenwich South Street) – no entry (into Lindsell Street)
Charlton
Fears exist that closing north-south routes in Greenwich will shift extra traffic towards Charlton.
On the flipside the scheme will bring benefits such as quieter local roads which includes a number of schools
As a parent walking your child to primary school can feel very dicey with many cars around and some absolutely atrocious and selfish parking from some parents. If that can be halted – or even reduced – it’s a good thing.
But anyway you’ll hear all these arguments rolled out a thousands times in coming days. It may be best to keep off Facebook groups and the like in the near future (if you aren’t someone who has already long ditched them).
forgive me for not spending half an hour trying to understand these figures, but what does it mean if you are in a blue road? that you are not allowed to go into the red road? Are you/are you not allowed entrance at the second entrance from shooters hill?
would it not make sense to have a legend in there?
This, in the weeks the new (partial) noise barrier is being installed along the A102. Tfl have decided to run the barrier along the last length of the viaduct – except for the stretch of houses at the bottom of Westcombe Hill. Extra bonus of noise and pollution for the unprotected houses between Station Crescent and Siebert Road.
As for the, what, 30th or so traffic restriction in the area, I’m virtually certain it’s just for the money – the bus gates in particular raise enormous amounts in fines from the hapless traveller. I wonder if officer Lekau will be as keen to place her name to the project once the effects become known.
What is the legality of introducing this with no signs to caution drivers. Is there a case to argue the council didn’t do enough to inform road users if caught and fined?
It’s going to be fun watching people trying to turn around when they come down Maze Hill and realise they need to back. There is no space at all to turn around at that point.
Shocking they haven’t had signs up warning people this is coming. The locals know but everyone else is going to get a shock.
You are allowed to enter one zone per period (2 periods per day, morning and afternoon). Entering any other zone in that period will result in a fine. For most journeys into the zones, as long as you stick with entering one zone only and the generally permitted roads, you should be able to get where you need to be as per usual. E.g. dropping and picking up children from schools, visiting doctor, vets, etc.
No advance warning at any of these roads. Main roads already full to capacity all through November during the peak times in question, with no capacity to add all this additional traffic. It is going to be impossible to move in Greenwich until these restrictions are removed and all those people who work in and around Greenwich Town Centre / World Heritage Site can kiss goodbye to their quick morning commutes.
Can you imagine how bad traffic is going to be the next time the Blackwall Tunnel has an accident or closure?
They also ignored local opinion – as I think was already reported on this site. Public feedback in the consultation was overwhelmingly opposed. Makes rather a mockery of both local democracy and the consultation process – if there is anyone left who still believes in either.!!
I would like to know what foolish dunderheaded idiot, thought this was a good idea to introduce whilst Deptford Church Street remains closed!
I drove through and it has caused absolute chaos in the area through peak time.
I would also like to know the law of being able to stop drivers who pay the required taxes to not use a public road.
I guarantee the person that signed this off does not use these routes.
Angerstein Roundabout is already a symphonic joy of car horns at the best of times. I very much look forward to hearing how this scheme improves the composition of the piece.
There’s a lot of pure speculation and knee-jerk commentary on this article and others. Let’s wait until the data is in and have an informed discussion like proper adults.