A Transport for London (TfL) consultation on plans for pedestrian lights at the junction of Blackheath Hill with Greenwich South Street/Lewisham Road, which has a notorious road safety record, closed in October.
TfL said in reply to a Freedom of Information request that it had not received a consultation response from the Royal Borough of Greenwich. It added that it did receive one from Councillor Aidan Smith in his capacity as ward councillor for Greenwich Park. It said Councillor Smith's comments will be published in a report summarising stakeholder submissions which will form part of a wider report on the consultation due to appear early next year.
Large numbers of residents, plus current and former councillors and Matthew Pennycook MP, have campaigned over many years for measures to reduce the risks faced by pedestrians and cyclists at the junction. The council has simply assured residents on previous occasions that it sought action from TfL, which is responsible for the junction.
Campaigners are likely to be surprised and disappointed that, when faced with an opportunity to put the weight of the council's formal support behind the proposed safety improvements, the Royal Borough of Greenwich did not do so. The council claims that reducing road accidents and encouraging walking are supposed to be core elements of the council's transport strategy.
The TfL proposals would still leave most legs in the junction unprotected for pedestrians. But they would, for the first time, provide a light-controlled crossing over the section of Blackheath Hill where most people walk.
The plan would ban traffic approaching from the Bromley/Lewisham direction from turning right into the A2 Blackheath Hill. That would pose a major challenge to the viability of one of Greenwich Council's latest three Low Traffic Neighbourhood options for West Greenwich, which would require vehicles entering the entire LTN area to do so via the A2. Motorists approaching from Lewisham Road would have to endure unrealistically long main road detours, or make unorthodox turns in Greenwich South Street or on the private property of Wickes's car park.
Since both LTN and Lewisham Road junction consultations coincided, Greenwich council might have been expected to address such issues in its response. Instead, yet again, it stayed silent and explained nothing.
TfL said in reply to a Freedom of Information request that it had not received a consultation response from the Royal Borough of Greenwich. It added that it did receive one from Councillor Aidan Smith in his capacity as ward councillor for Greenwich Park. It said Councillor Smith's comments will be published in a report summarising stakeholder submissions which will form part of a wider report on the consultation due to appear early next year.
Large numbers of residents, plus current and former councillors and Matthew Pennycook MP, have campaigned over many years for measures to reduce the risks faced by pedestrians and cyclists at the junction. The council has simply assured residents on previous occasions that it sought action from TfL, which is responsible for the junction.
Campaigners are likely to be surprised and disappointed that, when faced with an opportunity to put the weight of the council's formal support behind the proposed safety improvements, the Royal Borough of Greenwich did not do so. The council claims that reducing road accidents and encouraging walking are supposed to be core elements of the council's transport strategy.
The TfL proposals would still leave most legs in the junction unprotected for pedestrians. But they would, for the first time, provide a light-controlled crossing over the section of Blackheath Hill where most people walk.
The plan would ban traffic approaching from the Bromley/Lewisham direction from turning right into the A2 Blackheath Hill. That would pose a major challenge to the viability of one of Greenwich Council's latest three Low Traffic Neighbourhood options for West Greenwich, which would require vehicles entering the entire LTN area to do so via the A2. Motorists approaching from Lewisham Road would have to endure unrealistically long main road detours, or make unorthodox turns in Greenwich South Street or on the private property of Wickes's car park.
Since both LTN and Lewisham Road junction consultations coincided, Greenwich council might have been expected to address such issues in its response. Instead, yet again, it stayed silent and explained nothing.