Cars regularly speed down Westbourne Drive, reaching high speeds by the primary school on the corner of Church Vale. It’s only a matter of time before there is an accident. I complained to the Mayor of Lewisham zero response. I complained to our MP Ellie Reeves. Her office replied but got the name of the street wrong that I was complaining about. What is to be done?
We’ve had the same response from both those routes - it’s fruitless sending Ellie a letter. She sends a generic response.
NB we’re on a different street but same issues. Terrifies me when walking children.
My road is the same. It’s basically a race track at the weekends with drivers & motorcyclists establishing what kind of acceleration they can achieve. Funny, I thought the genius 20mph limit would have eradicated the problem. If you’re waiting for the safe-seated MP to do anything about it, I wouldn’t hold your breath.
How much did Lewisham council spend introducing a 20 mph speed limit for it not to be enforced ?
From an earlier topic
Amazing! Money well spent then.
I’d encourage you to read the full report including recommended measures to council to improve compliance. And remember only minor reductions in average speed can have significantly improve outcomes from accidents.
I for one am happy for the council to continue and seek to improve compliance to the 20mph.
What did Ellie Reeve’s office reply?
I’d suggest you begin with the Perry Vale Councillors. And if you feel you aren’t getting a reasonable response within a reasonable time, you can always speak to them in person at their monthly surgery.
May be if they put a ‘please’ on the 20mph signs they could have got another 0.5 mph off. After all, politeness doesn’t cost a thing.
Respectfully and with grace, please try and read the report for the full analysis of gains and losses.
Apologies. You’re right, I should read it before commenting. And I will. I genuinely hope it’s encouraging as the stakes are high.
What you could consider, if this affects the route outside a school, is trying to get the school and the parents association from the school involved. At my children’s school (Dalmain) there was a big push from parents to get the crossing change on the South Circular \ Brockley Rise \ Cranston Road Junction as so many kids crossed there and it was unsafe. It took years I think (I was not involved) but that changed were made.
So I would see if they wanted to get involved and try to have a joined up approach, with some numbers you can get petitions started to show numbers, with a school those can ramp up quite quickly, you can get multiple people to email \ write to councillors \ relevant people etc, maybe get other local groups involved (if they were happy to such as The Forest Hill society) - maybe try to get a local councilor onside, which would be good for them and the campaign - I believe this worked well for the Duncombe Hill Green campaign.
Ellie Reeves is not my MP, but I believe she is a local mum who has brought up local issues, so maybe once there is a co-ordinated approach her team \ she might move this up her agenda?
You could also of course consider getting a local paper and the Twitter brigade involved at the right point.
So build up a number of campaigners, show this is important to many people, and then push.
\ Just my uneducated opinion, not been involved in a campaign like this - if it was me, I would go and sit outside the relevant person’s office til they spoke to me, but I’m quite stubborn like that (however this is probably not the best approach!)
Good luck!
On a personal note, whilst not a massive fan of a blanket anytime of day 20mph zone, I would like to see it enforced at specific times and locations - so outside of schools 30 minutes either side of morning dropoffs and pickups and other ‘strategic’ roads \ areas as well as some ad-hoc checks where it was deemed appropriate.
I suspect the reality of 20mph zones is it will be a generational change for many, where people learning to drive now will respect it far more than people for who these roads have been 30mph for most of their lives (rightly or wrongly).
Good posts, Al.
It’s really sad that the strategically-targeted 20mph limits outside schools have lost all meaning and impact due to the crude blanket imposition of 20mph limits.
I can understand if the councils, courts, and police are strapped for cash. Without being political it boils down to a country which, for decades, has been soft on crime. And speeding should be treated as a serious crime.
Exactly! To the point that it seems to me many feel it’s ‘uncool’ or ‘dorkish’ to obey traffic laws.
I know this isn’t really the point but, If everybody I alone see on the way to work, everyday, jumping lights (e.g. old Co-op crossing) and speeding were fined we’d have a tidy revenue stream and you’d soon get the idea: you break the law, you pay!
I really don’t get people who commute/drop off kids during rush hour these days. Perhaps the reduction in car use is the main issue here and we need to make forest hill more pedestrian friendly. It takes forever to cross the junction by the station/old coop site.
If you are interested in making Forest Hill more pedestrian-friendly, more cycle-friendly, less polluted and safer, then Forest Hill Society’s Campaign for Clean Air is keen to hear from you.
Lewisham is implementing a Healthy Neighbourhoods scheme. It has split the borough into specific cells, with Lee Green being the first to be implemented. East Sydenham will be next (then Telegraph Hill, and Bellingham)
The council will be considering the next cells in the summer. The criteria might be collision data, pollution etc. But also how much buy-in from residents is important. Unfortunately Forest Hill is split into 5 different cells (please see map in link). If you’re interested in your cell to be considered, then getting organised now is key, as is support from your local councillors.
Anyone interested in the Forest Hill cell can ask to be put on a mailing list to Councillor Davis: > cllr_sophie.davis@lewisham.gov.uk
For the other cells: Catford West, Sydenham West, Perry Vale, you can message me with your street and email, and I can put you in touch with other people in our group who are also interested in getting organised.
Just tonight I saw a car fly down Westbourne Drive like it was brands hatch. What a joke. I think driving license should be issued based on IQ levels.
What annoys me more is the car behind you tries to make you go faster on a 20mph road.
Seriously…This for me has happened on a few occasions not just around the SE23 area and I am fed up of such bullies. I refuse to feel intimidated though I am inside scared about it all. I have been beeped at tailgated for sticking to the speed sign. Is that person going to pay my fine or justify on my behalf if I did please there ego needs. Though there have been times I felt such pressures… I think my driving lessons and respect for the roads matter more then such so and so’s. These people think they superior on the road and the road signs don’t apply to them. They should have there licence taken away when driving recklessly on the roads. Dangerous behaviour can or could cause an accident which I hope doesn’t ever occur. What’s the hurry anyhow?? Payback if great when you see these idiots stuck in front of me at the lights or traffic build up didn’t get far did you bleep bleeps. Though I touched lightheartedly on it it’s still a concern. I do hope these people get a lesson in how to behave respectfully on and off the road.
I live over the back from Westbourne Drive and there is a problem with increasingly noisey suped up engine cars, that sound like they have no exhaust pipe, I’ve witnessed that these are the people who regularly speed, easy to identify by number plate and the need is for Traffic Police to intervene, does any law enforcement ever study CCTV film to get an idea of what’s going on?
Last resort is to take legal action of some kind which has to work as its about law enforcement. Last year there was an article in the paper saying that a trial was being launched for a similar system to a speed camera for noisey vehicles, issuing fines. This at least acknowledges there is a national problem.
I know the 20mph limit has been controversial on this forum but whatever it’s rights or wrongs, I have definitely been tailgated a lot more on Perry vale and other local roads since it was introduced. Makes no difference to me as someone behind me hassling me just makes me stubbornly stick to the limit but tailgating is dangerous. I’ve also cycled a fair bit down perry vale and been overtaken by vehicles who at a rough guess are not only not doing 20 but aren’t even sticking to 30. I’m
Not quibbling with the sentiment behind the introduction of the limit but my view is that without enforcement it’s utterly meaningless and is actually provoking more dangerous driving from some.