New mandate for timed restrictions, not closure, at Dulwich Village junction

As the number of One Dulwich supporters continues to rise, there is now a new mandate for timed restrictions at the Dulwich Village junction.

For months now, Southwark councillors have repeatedly claimed the Council has a mandate to close the Dulwich Village/Calton Avenue/Court Lane junction – because, they say, the results of Phase 3 of the OHSD consultation showed a majority of local residents in favour.

However, despite repeated requests, the Council has never clarified whether their final figures include emails, letters and paper questionnaires, which roads were considered to be part of Areas A, B and C, and whether the responses of under-18s were included.

The Council has also glossed over the fact that the question in the OHSD consultation about the closure of the junction was in the context of a holistic package of related measures, so interlinked that they couldn’t be considered separately.

Now there is a new mandate for Dulwich Village junction – for timed restrictions not 24/7 closure. As at 29 August 2020, One Dulwich had more people (all of whom were aged 18 or over) supporting timed restrictions (1314) than the number of respondents who supported 24/7 closure in the OHSD survey (1102). One Dulwich supporters comprised 834 supporters in Areas A, B and C and what Southwark calls ‘border’ roads (which they’ve never defined), by which we mean all the A roads: Croxted Road, Lordship Lane, Half Moon Lane, Village Way, East Dulwich Grove and Dulwich Common. This compares with 731 in the OHSD survey. Our 480 supporters on other roads in the Dulwich area compared with 371 in the OHSD survey.

Given this level of local support, and because the current closure is experimental and can be changed or amended within the first six months, One Dulwich believes that it would be fair, reasonable and democratic to trial timed restrictions at Dulwich Village junction.

We will continue to press the Council on the logic of this request.