Dulwich Village junction: One Dulwich proposes a trial of timed restrictions

On 13 August, we had a constructive one-hour meeting with Southwark Council officer Clement Agyei-Frempong, his colleague Rachel Gates, and Dulwich Village ward councillor Margy Newens, to discuss our proposals for timed restrictions.

We reiterated our position that we want the roads in Dulwich to be safer for cyclists and pedestrians, and we support more active travel. But we also want a fair and reasonable compromise that balances the needs of the whole community, including those who have no choice but to use their cars. We emphasised that we do not believe it is right to empty some streets of cars by pushing traffic and pollution 24/7 on to neighbouring streets. This is about social equity as well as transport equity.

We explained that we will continue to campaign for a permanent solution involving timed restrictions, possibly as part of a wider zone, with permits and exemptions. We believe that all details – including the hours of restriction – should be decided after consultation with the local community.

But in the short term, while the Experimental Traffic Order (“ETO”) is in place at Dulwich Village junction, we asked if the Council would be willing to modify this ETO to allow a trial of timed restrictions.

In the past, we have been told that there is not enough Council cash to pay for a trial using permits. We have also been told that signage alone is not enough. So we have thought carefully how to address this. We concluded that the only way timed restrictions could work affordably on a trial basis – which would at least remove the 24/7 closures – would be for the junction to be opened and closed manually, using physical barriers such as bollards or retractable gates. This has been done elsewhere in London.

Because of this manual operation, there could be no exemptions during the trial itself. During the restricted hours, only cyclists and pedestrians would be allowed through. Outside those hours, everyone would be allowed through. We have suggested that the closure times for the trial could be the peak hours of 7.30am to 9 am and 3pm to 6pm, weekdays only and term time only.

We emphasised that this proposal, and the Council’s response to it, would have to be approved by our supporters.

Since the Council is trialling 24/7 closures (having said, during the OHSD process, that no trials were possible), we consider our suggestion for a second trial is both pragmatic and reasonable. Doubtless 24/7 supporters will do all they can to resist this. To them, we can say that there will have to be a public consultation before any permanent intervention – so having timed restrictions as one of the options put to the public seems a democratic line to take. After all, compromise involves both sides moving nearer to the middle ground.

Clement listened to our proposal intently, said he would consider it carefully and would come back to us – we explained that we had received pro bono advice from an experienced traffic engineer that our trial proposal works from a technical point of view. Clement suggested a follow-up meeting, explaining that further interventions will be happening later this month/early September. Encouragingly, he said he thought we had a lot in common, that Southwark’s bigger picture and our aspirations were aligned and that the Council wants to work with us. He said that he, too, wants there to be social equity and transport equity.

There was a welcome willingness by the Council to listen. The ball is now very much in their court. We will let you know their response as soon as we hear back.