New pedestrian crossings will be added to a ‘dangerous’ junction which locals have previously described as ‘an accident waiting to happen’. Transport for London (TfL) has moved forward with plans to improve safety for pedestrians on Blackheath Hill.
The transport authority said in a statement that two new crossings will be added to the road at its junction with Greenwich South Street and Lewisham Road. One crossing will cover Blackheath Hill at its junction with Lewisham Road, while another will cross a slip road coming from Greenwich South Street.
TfL said there are currently no pedestrian crossings in the area. The project will also ban traffic from turning right from Lewisham Road onto Blackheath Hill. The change is reportedly being done to prevent impacts on the local bus network.
A consultation on the proposed changes during September and October last year received 357 responses from residents. TfL said 89 per cent of respondents felt the junction was dangerous, while 91 per cent felt that the changes would make the junction safer for pedestrians.
A petition to improve the crossing at the junction was made last February and has received 138 signatures. The campaign stated that pedestrians were unable to cross safely due to traffic turning in both directions and no dedicated crossing being in the area.
Resident Meriel Beale wrote in support of the petition: “This is a very dangerous crossing for pedestrians. There is a nursery nearby and it all feels like a terrible accident waiting to happen.”
The consultation report said plans for a crossing in the area date back to 2018, but the project was scrapped following issues being raised by residents on the initial design. TfL added that the Covid-19 pandemic delayed the work of the current project until now. Construction work on the scheme is reportedly planned to begin later this year.
London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner Will Norman said in a statement: “Reducing road danger is at the heart of our vision to build a safer, healthier, cleaner and more sustainable London for everyone. These plans will make this key junction in Blackheath safer for pedestrians and are an important step towards reaching our goal of eliminating death and serious injury from London’s roads.”
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Picture : The junction on Blackheath Hill meets with Lewisham Road and Greenwich South Street. Permission for use by all LDRS partners. Credit: Google Earth
