TfL proposes changes to the A20 (Lewisham Way)

Proposed changes to Lewisham Way
TfL has launched a consultation about proposed changes to Lewisham Way, Loampit Hill and Loampit Vale. The proposals include a number of improvements, but also the world's most gratuitous "traffic smoothing" project. The key changes involve:

  • Merging some of the existing pedestrian crossings along the A20 so crossings are more evenly spaced and creating a new signalised pedestrian crossing on Loampit Vale at the junction with Jerrard Street. Overall this results in the loss of one pedestrian crossing. 
  • Upgrading all pedestrian crossings to include countdown timers to ensure a safer and consistent standard which is easy for pedestrians to use 
  • Safety measures at side road junctions including narrowing the entrances, installing raised tables and providing ‘Keep Clear’ markings on the road 
  • Changes to bus lanes, including extending the bus lane along Loampit Vale by 300m towards Lewisham Town Centre to reduce potential delays to bus journey times, and replacing a 100 m section of bus lane opposite Lewisham College with a section of advisory cycle lane to create more space for cyclists and general traffic

TfL seems determined to strip Lewisham Way of one of its traffic crossings, by hook or by crook, even though the congestion that road suffers from is entirely related to the massive junction at the bottom of Loampit Hill.

Matt sent us the link to the consultation and notes:

This new proposal removes the crossing at Tresillian Road, relocating it east between the church and the nursery and "combining" it with the Tyrwhitt Road crossing which will be moved west. 

It will affect adversely children travelling north to Ashmead and St Stephens and south to Prendergast. It will impact people walking to St John's station from south west of St John's Vale. There is no provision made for cyclists turning across traffic.