Big Gun enlisted to deliver Conway rocket

Following representations from LVIG and Ladywell traders, Mayor Sir Steve Bullock will on Friday meet representatives of the Ladywell business community - and has invited contractor Conway to attend.  In its recent letter to the Mayor, LVIG Chairman Tony Rich wrote:

" . . . the Ladywell Village Improvement Group has fought hard for, and is strongly supportive of, the Ladywell public realm improvements currently underway . . . We write to you now, however, because we've been notified of further major slippage on the scheme - in particular that Ladywell Road is unlikely to be reopened until the end of October.  This significantly prolongs the disruption to local businesses, residents and others for whom Ladywell Road is the obvious route to work.  Whilst the scheme has experienced some unforeseen disruption I do feel that some of the delays could have been anticipated, obviated and/or minimised by better management of the contract, and the application of greater pressure on Conways to adhere to agreed timescales and to bring in more staff as necessary.  Clearly Ladywell is going to be a better, brighter, place once the works are completed, but I urge you to do everything you can to expedite completion of this project, especially for the sake of the businesses who, if we're not careful, will be out of business before the scheme is completed so will never see the benefit - which would be cruel. Whilst I appreciate you would not normally intervene personally in matters such as this I wonder whether you'd consider, in this instance, meeting with the senior manager at Conways responsible for this scheme to seek assurances in relation to early completion on-site.  The overrun of this scheme is causing a lot of bad feeling locally - which is shame as this is an excellent scheme - so LVIG urges you to do all you can to build bridges: in particular local business would, I am sure, welcome the Council's help in 're-launching' Ladywell, in the week the streetworks end, in the form of flyer, blog, twitter and website publicity so that nobody in SE13/SE4 in unaware that the brighter, better Ladywell is again "open for business".

Ladywell improvements - Streetworks now imminent



The Council has indicated that the streetscape work will be completed this Spring in five phases, starting at Algernon Road, then progressing into Ladywell Road east by the railway bridge then working west towards the mini-roundabout at the junction of Adelaide Avenue. The provisional schedule (which has yet to be signed-off with the contactor, London Buses and various underground service providers) is as follows - but may change during the course of the works:

1. Works at the Algernon Road (eastern) end of the scheme will start within the next week or so, probably on 11 or 18 February, with drainage works incl. the moving of gullies to new kerb alignment positions.

2. Footpath and kerbing works in Algernon Road will commence from 26 February. All property owners at 251-259 Algernon Road (incl. the Post Office and Barbers) have given permission for their forecourts to be repaved so the whole of this pavement from kerb to buildings will be one neat stretch of paving rather than the current hotch-potch. This is splendid news and will look great when completed!

3. On 1 March there will be road closure on Algernon Road to enable sewer works, and drainage works will continue to 8 March.

4. 8-26 March - lowering of Algernon Road carriageway and construction of speed tables at Gillian Street, Mercy Terrace and Algernon Road

5. 18 March - work on Ladywell Road will commence, with two way lights for the most part, but complete closure for periods of time if necessary.

For a reminder about the project see the item on the Council website.  Should you have any detailed questions/issues you can email les.senior@lewisham.gov.uk

Robert Sheppard

Congestion and the CPZ

No parking!

Embleton Road residents are up in arms over the congestion now being caused by the Ladywell Controlled Parking Zone. In last year's consultation by the council, Embleton residents voted No to the CPZ while several neighbouring streets voted Yes. Now the CPZ is being implemented the result is clear - Embleton is bearing the brunt of commuter parking in the area. Residents have been resorting to wheelie bins in a futile attempt to keep the commuters at bay. But now a group of residents have decided to launch a petition urging the council to implement the CPZ in Embleton Rd as soon as possible. I'm told the council can review the working of the CPZ within six months to a year. But after last year's No vote residents will have to show a clear majority now in favour. TonyM 

Streetscape improvements face uncertain future

Mayor Sir Steve Bullock and his cabinet decided on Tuesday that funding would not be made available next year for the Ladywell Streetscape project but it would be Lewisham council’s “next major scheme”.
In the discussions on transport strategy in the borough (the LIP - Local Implementation Plan) and use of available Transport for London Funding, the Mayor and his cabinet decided Lewisham had little room for manoeuvre.
Deputy Mayor Cllr. Alan Smith argued Lewisham’s two largest transport schemes - Surrey Canal Road underpasses (£500k) and Sydenham High Street (£600k) - were already in train and that the council was already to some extent committed to them. Ladywell would therefore have to wait its turn.
But as Cllr. Smith emphasised at the meeting, beyond next year, the three-year LIP submission is "aspirational", reflecting the uncertainties in public sector funding because of central government spending cuts.
So where does that leave Ladywell?
Under the proposals, Ladywell’s project is set to be covered by £500k in 2012-13 and £260k in 2013-14. But we now know that none of this funding can be guaranteed given the 20-25% budget cuts most public bodies will face.
It is therefore vital that LVIG and the local community keep up pressure on the council to implement the streetscape action plan and revive our neighbourhood. Feasibility work on the plan will take place next year as scheduled.
LVIG collected 407 signatures in support of its streetscape plans. Along with some intensive lobbying, we made sure the case for the scheme was acknowledged and understood by councillors.
As a result the mayor welcomed the constructive approach taken by LVIG and secured cabinet consensus on the Ladywell project being the council’s “next major scheme.”
We will now have to keep up the campaigning to ensure that the Mayor and his cabinet stick to their commitments.

Be streetwise - back the plan!

The Ladywell Streetscape Action Plan aims to revive the High Street and act as a catalyst for further improvements to the neighbourhood. It aims to promote the interests of pedestrians and cyclists as well as drivers, create a commercial area that caters for the needs of business owners, shoppers, children and those with disabilities, and improve the environmental quality and economic viability of the area. The plan, which has the overwhelming backing of local residents, councillors and shop owners, is now under discussion by the council for inclusion in its transport plans for next year. Your support can help make it happen. See a copy of the Ladywell Report. Click here Be patient the link is a bit slow!

Sign the petition online at http://lewisham-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal/petitions/mr_r_p_sheppard_1 or in one of your local shops!!

It's important. The council will take its final decision at the end of September.

Here are 10 reasons why you should support LVIG’s streetscape action plan:

It aims to make the street an attractive and safe place for people of all ages and abilities.
It will help improve the quality of the street, boosting trade and encouraging investment in local businesses
It caters for the needs of pedestrians, cyclists, car drivers and users of public transport
It will create wider pavements and parking/loading bays for shop deliveries and shoppers
Wider pavements will offer more seating for local people
It will reduce traffic speeds by narrowing the road and creating a raised “table” at the main junction
Reduced traffic speeds will cut noise and improve safety and air quality
It will introduce more trees and better street signage and furniture
It will improve the strategic Waterlink Way cycle route by providing a proper connection
across Ladywell Rd
Above all it will encourage local residents to walk to the shops and local schools rather than drive, generating health and environmental benefits for the whole community. TonyM

They're back!

UPDATE - Thanks to a bit of community lobbying and the help of local councillors the lights at the crossing are finally back on.

Hopefully the next time the lights have to be switched off for roadworks TfL will alert people, provide an explanation and make sure residents are not without a safe crossing for two weeks.

Pedestrians be damned

UPDATE - I am told the Ladywell traffic lights were indeed switched off to reduce traffic queues in Ladywell Rd while work was carried out at the end of Chudleigh Rd, with the help of a temporary set of lights. Traffic flows matter of course! But after almost two weeks out of action there is, to say the least, concern in Lewisham's corridors of power that matters may be getting out of hand. It seems that attention has now been drawn to the fact that residents' safety is being put at risk each day the lights are switched off - and that this might not be a good thing. I'm told hurried calls are now being made to TfL to see if the lights can be switched back on - ASAP. TonyM

Who's chicken?

So for how much longer are the residents of Ladywell expected to play a risky game of chicken each time they want to cross

Ladywell Rd.

The traffic lights at the crossing have now been out of action for a week and there seems little sign of them being switched back on any time soon. I was crossing on Saturday and a driver slowed down and then inexplicably stepped on the accelerator as I reached the middle of the road. Thanks. So what’s going on? I can’t help feeling someone in Transport for London has decided that because of the temporary lights at the end of

Chudleigh Rd

, where road works are taking place, the Ladywell crossing lights should be disabled in order not to slow down traffic during the day. I mean, it just wouldn’t do to make drivers stop twice in a 200 metre stretch of road would it?. Imagine the chaos. But what about residents dashing to catch the morning trains?  TonyM