Lewisham - Loampit Roundabout Is Going
Pufftmw
Posts: 1,941
Even though I live in the borough, I was unaware of this and the scope of the forthcoming changes.
Loampit Roundabout is where the A21 and the A20 converge to become just the A20 on its way into London. Its not the nicest junction in the world, doesn't look exceptionally pretty but it works most of the time. In cycling terms, there are worse junctions as there are better ones but I don't think its too bad.
They've been starting works recently so I looked up the proposal on the interweb and found http://www.newlewisham.com/ Reading through the pages I discovered http://www.newlewisham.com/Construction/transport.html which is an outline of the new road layout.
So, they are removing a roundabout (single junction) and replacing it with 2 junctions that cyclists will have negotiate (in the case of using A20 in/out) both of which are right angles, which means pinch points. Better in the case of the A21 coming in maybe but I can forsee RLJ heaven at the lights. There's another right angle to go under or come from the bridge and what looks like either a bus exit or entrance, so another set of lights?
The below is a link to the planning policy document. Page 37 for layout.
http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/myservices/p ... 20Plan.pdf
Although lip service is paid to cycling, looking at the image on P37 doesn't show any mention of cycling friendly road junctions.There's some lip-service paid to "cycling friendly routes" along pathways/river walks though & some mention of cycle parking for shops.
As a commuter that uses the A20 through Loampit, I am concerned that the new route that is planned has not been thought about for cyclists and that the "redesigned" junctions are in fact going to be more dangerous for cyclists than the existing, albeit poor, junction.
As a resident, I can forsee that using my car is going to be more of a pain as well and with the amount of through traffic that roundabout gets, its not going to be pretty. Squeeze cyclists into that, amongst all the coaches and HGV traffic and recipe for disaster imho.
Loampit Roundabout is where the A21 and the A20 converge to become just the A20 on its way into London. Its not the nicest junction in the world, doesn't look exceptionally pretty but it works most of the time. In cycling terms, there are worse junctions as there are better ones but I don't think its too bad.
They've been starting works recently so I looked up the proposal on the interweb and found http://www.newlewisham.com/ Reading through the pages I discovered http://www.newlewisham.com/Construction/transport.html which is an outline of the new road layout.
So, they are removing a roundabout (single junction) and replacing it with 2 junctions that cyclists will have negotiate (in the case of using A20 in/out) both of which are right angles, which means pinch points. Better in the case of the A21 coming in maybe but I can forsee RLJ heaven at the lights. There's another right angle to go under or come from the bridge and what looks like either a bus exit or entrance, so another set of lights?
The below is a link to the planning policy document. Page 37 for layout.
http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/myservices/p ... 20Plan.pdf
Although lip service is paid to cycling, looking at the image on P37 doesn't show any mention of cycling friendly road junctions.There's some lip-service paid to "cycling friendly routes" along pathways/river walks though & some mention of cycle parking for shops.
As a commuter that uses the A20 through Loampit, I am concerned that the new route that is planned has not been thought about for cyclists and that the "redesigned" junctions are in fact going to be more dangerous for cyclists than the existing, albeit poor, junction.
As a resident, I can forsee that using my car is going to be more of a pain as well and with the amount of through traffic that roundabout gets, its not going to be pretty. Squeeze cyclists into that, amongst all the coaches and HGV traffic and recipe for disaster imho.
1997 Gary Fisher Big Sur
2009 Scott Spark 60
2010 Ghost 5000
2011 Commencal Ramones AL1
2012 Commencal Meta AM1
2009 Scott Spark 60
2010 Ghost 5000
2011 Commencal Ramones AL1
2012 Commencal Meta AM1
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Comments
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It's a busy roundabout alright, and a bottleneck to boot. The disruption is going to be HUGE... haven't read the entire document but eggs are eggs Lewisham have naused it up from a cycling point of view.0
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Yes I'm not sure there's going to be much improvement as far as cycling's concerned. They've very much focused on opening up the station to pedestrian access from Lewisham HS and shops in Lewisham. At the moment if you're walking to Lewisham shops from the station or even from where I live in Brockley you end up have to cross major dual carriageways at least once so it looks like it'll improve access for peds but cyclists seem to have been left out completely...Do not write below this line. Office use only.0
