Lewisham bids for investment cash for Brockley

Lewisham Council has submitted its investment plans for 2010 / 11 to Transport for London and the proposal includes a number of major improvements to Brockley.

Cllr Walton has written about it here and you can read the report in full here.

The document constitutes a bid for TfL funding to improve roads and bridges in the borough. Excitingly, the Council has included Brockley Cross and Brockley Road among its list of priorities.

The plan needs to be signed off and details are scarce at this point, but this represents a major opportunity to enhance the area and bring it up to the standards of the Crofton Park end of Brockley Road.

Brockley Central has never subscribed to the theory that the Council neglects Brockley, but we've been vocal in our need to address the abomination that is Brockley Cross and seize the regeneration opportunity represented by Brockley Road. As the document notes, it's not only a question of regeneration, Brockley Cross is also dangerous, as BC has reported in the past.

Here's what the Council says it would like to do:

The Brockley Station / Brockley Cross area encompasses a large district centre, the station and a secondary school. Brockley Cross is a double mini-roundabout. A number of serious injury collisions have occurred in a cluster at this junction, which also has poor quality public realm.

In Brockley Road between Brockley Cross and Adelaide Avenue there has been a number collisions involving ‘powered two wheelers’.

First year:

Design and implement safety scheme improvements at Brockley Cross and Brockley Road between Brockley Cross and Adelaide Avenue. Footway improvements in Coulgate Street south of the ramp and some public realm improvement projects along Brockley Road to enhance the local safety scheme. The works in Coulgate Street will complement the works already carried out as part of the Brockley Common scheme.

St Asaph Road has recently been subject to two highway schemes and further footway improvements will integrate these works. Design of public realm improvements to Brockley Cross will commence for implementation in the second year.

Second year:

Implement public realm improvements at Brockley Cross and implement any station access scheme proposals, subject to funding approval from TfL as part of the Area Based Schemes programme.

Brockley Rise would also benefit from further investment:

Brockley Rise shopping parade located between Coddrington Hill and Stillness Road .The special opportunity offered by this small ‘shopping village’, its closeness to a similar local shopping improvement scheme at Honor Oak Park, and the reaction from the local shops and residents to initial ideas was recognised and thus the scheme was slipped from 2007/8 to allow time for funding to develop a more comprehensive scheme. The scheme has been designed and Phase1 construction works should be completed by November 2009. Phase 2 to complete the project is planned for 2010/11.

The project’s aim is to provide managed short stay parking and to upgrade the street with improved paving and a more pedestrian friendly environment creating a more pleasant public realm.

Maintenance work for Ladywell Bridge and improved road crossings for Ladywell town centre are also included.

It's very encouraging to see these issues placed so high up Lewisham's to-do list and we hope not only that TfL provides funding but that the Council's plans will deliver real change for Brockley Cross, sorting out the traffic chaos, parking problems and tatty streetscape once and for all.