Sustainable Streets proposals for Drakefell and Gellatly Roads - consultation open
Happy New year, as we grind into normality in 2025 we are optimistic that this might be the year that Drakefell and Gellatly Roads finally get some safety improvements. This will be down to your work and advocacy in campaigning with us on this matter. So thank you. There is more work to be though, with another round of consultation that we hope you can take part in, no later than 19th January.
Read on for details.
Sustainable Streets proposals - what are the changes on Drakefell and Gellatly?
You may be aware that the Sustainable Streets consultation that we newsletter’d about back in May is now at the design consultation stage.
The changes that the proposals would bring to Drakefell and Gellatly Roads include:
Introduction of a controlled parking zone (CPZ), essentially paid-for parking which will fund the changes.
Extension of double yellows at junctions and crossing point to improve visibility.
Removal of current pavement parking on Gellatly Road
Removal of current pavement parking at the Brockley end of Drakefell Road
Staggered parking at the Brockley end of Drakefell Road to allow for street parking and calm traffic
For full details you can see the design proposals and details of the costs of the CPZ here.
Drakefell and Gellatly United take on the Sustainable Streets proposals, including the CPZ
On the Sustainable Streets Proposals:
We fully support the proposal to remove pavement parking on the length of our roads, but think this should be the beginning of improving safety.
We feel that what we have been offered is the bare minimum of improvements and do not adequately address our concerns about safety.
We continue to call for a more comprehensive approach including build-outs, staggered parking and safe crossings, not just small changes.
On the Controlled Parking Zone specifically:
CPZs are increasingly common across London but we recognise that people in the local area have different views about them and we respect everyone’s view.
We’re disappointed that the Council wasn’t more upfront about its reliance on CPZs to fund improvements to the area.
We don’t think the minimal safety improvements in the current proposals justify a CPZ and want to see more ambitious proposals for Drakefell and Gellatly.
We want to encourage as many people as possible to participate in the Sustainable Streets consultation, whatever you think about the CPZ, to help us keep the focus on road safety.
How to respond to the consultation?
The proposals will affect everyone in different ways, so our main advice is to encourage you and everyone in your household to think about the implications and to complete the form by the deadline of 19th January.
We’d encourage everyone, whatever their views about the CPZ, to use the comments (section 14) to emphasise the need for the Council to address the broader road safety issues.
Key sections for feedback:
Section 11: Improve or Not Improve the street
The form will ask you if you think that the introduction of parking permits and other features would improve or not improve the street, we encourage you to read around the issue and answer frankly with a Yes, No, or Not Sure.
Section 14: feedback on the changes
This is the feedback section, and is your place to give specific items of feedback. We will be using this place to say some of the following things:
Drakefell and Gellatly roads face unique issues with the speed and volume of traffic and any proposals must address these.
Any proposal for a CPZ must include much more radical road safety measures for our roads.
We want to see safe crossings, build outs, better visibility for pedestrians and reduced traffic along the length of the road.
Any income from a future CPZ (if one is agreed) should be ring fenced to benefit Drakefell and Gellatly Road roads, not diverted to central funds.
It does not take sufficient account of the needs of people with disabilities
We would be pleased to support proposals that properly address the issues on Drakefell and Gellatly, which is the only way to make the street ‘sustainable’.
What else is happening in our campaign?
Last year, he Council committed to conducting a ‘Desire Lines’ survey to ascertain exactly where safer crossings are needed on the road. This has been carried out but we are still waiting for the results. We are petitioning to have the outcomes of this survey factored into a further round of Sustainable Streets proposals. More from us on this matter soon…
In late December 2024, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member Cllr Krupski visited the road and met a handful of our campaign group to see first hand some of the issues that we have been experiencing on the road. The visit went well and she clearly heard our concerns. She underlined the financial constraints that Lewisham faces but encouraged as many people as possible to engage with the Sustainable Streets proposals to help ensure changes.
More than ever, local action on this matter is really important, so please share and forward this newsletter. Our work is starting to make an impact.
Best wishes for 2025,
Your neighbours at Drakefell and Gellatly United
Another concern I hold is that the limited resident parking spaces on Drakefell will inevitably displace Drakefell Residents to park in neighbouring streets, namely Pepys and Prendrell for the section east of the roundabout. Both of those streets have drive restrictions during school drop-off and pick-up hours and only Pepys residents are exempt from them. I wonder if those exemptions can be extended to neighbouring Drakefell residents given the likely parking displacement…
Thank you for the concise summary! I’ve yet to read the entire proposal, but can I just check that they in fact promise to use CPZ income to fund safer crossings on Drakefell?