Traffic Scheme Analysis Programme
NORTHEND ROAD JW BRIDGE ROAD
JUNCTION MODIFICATION - ADDITION OF TRAFFIC LIGHTS
Undertaken together with
Colyers Lane
Positive Points! In 2001 we wrote to Bexley Council requesting a roundabout at this location to aid traffic flow in and out of Slade Green, help relieve congestion on the dual carriageway, and relieve traffic density around residential side roads, not fit for purpose. All positive points, we thought, especially as to get into Slade Green via Bridge Road from the Crayford direction it is exactly one mile out of your way, to have to loop back around the Larner Road roundabout and come back up the dual carriageway, before you can turn into Bridge Road.
What A Mess! In 2016, at considerable expense and inconvenience to everyone in the location, work has been done to modify this junction, adding traffic lights and a right turn out of Bridge Road, it seems simply to suit the buses. No thought was given to our suggestion of a roundabout, or to the residents and workers on Slade Green, and as usual, when the authorities pander to and privilege the buses, it comes with a whole host of disadvantages for everyone else. What a mess!
Very Poorly thought out. Causing considerable additional problems.
- Inefficient, certainly not the best solution on offer
- For the majority of traffic, worse than what we originally had
- Causing considerable additional time delays and more difficulty exiting Slade Green
- Still no right turn into Bridge Road. Access to Slade Green still one mile out of your way
- Access to Slade Green over that one mile now compounded by 5 additional sets of traffic lights
- Wastes people's time. Causes more congestion. Green unfriendly!
- Traffic management idiocy
Photograph looking up Bridge Road, trying to get on to Northend Road, stuck in tailback congestion that never used to be there.
Correspondence regarding our traffic scheme enquiry programme and the above scheme
14/02/17
Re: Junction Modification and Addition of Traffic Lights
Northend Road jw Bridge Road and Northend Road jw Colyers Lane, DA8
Dear Sir or Madam,
I recently wrote to Transport for London asking if they could provide the information regarding the recent works and modifications on Northend Road jw Bridge Road and Northend Road jw Colyers Lane. It was indicated by my local councillor some time ago that these impending modifications were down to TfL, which is why I wrote to them first regarding these schemes. However, TfL have now kindly written back to say that these junction modifications have been undertaken by Bexley Council. If this is the case, would you please be so kind as to provide the information on the enclosed Traffic Scheme Enquiry Forms relating to these schemes? If it is not the case, could you please provide the contact details for the department responsible? Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
Mr DJ Tarrant
TRAFFIC SCHEME ENQUIRY FORM
14/02/17
Dear Sir or Madam,
Re: Junction Modification and Installation of Traffic Lighting
Northend Road jw Bridge Road, Erith, DA8
Could your department please provide the following information regarding this scheme?
1) What was the intended purpose of the scheme?
2) Why was the scheme deemed necessary?
3) Who requested / suggested the scheme?
4) Who authorised the implementation of the scheme?
5) How much did the scheme cost (please include any subsequent modification costs)?
6) How was the scheme paid for?
Resident / Public Consultation
1) Were any residents / members of the public directly consulted about this scheme?
2) If so, which / how many residents / members of the public were directly consulted?
3) Out of those directly consulted, how many responded to the consultation?
4) Out of those that responded, how many were in favour of the scheme?
5) Out of those that responded, how many were not in favour of the scheme?
6) Was there any other general public notification of this intended scheme undertaken?
28/03/17
Re: Junction Modification and Addition of Traffic Lights
Northend Road jw Bridge Road and Northend Road jw Colyers Lane, DA8
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing further as I have had no response yet regarding our enquiries dated 04/02/17 relating to the above recent junction modifications. For the sake of our research, I would be grateful if someone could provide the information requested, please.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Yours faithfully,
Mr DJ Tarrant
04/04/17
Dear Mr DJ Tarrant,
RE: Junction Modification and addition of traffic lights at Northend Road jw
Bridge Road and Colvers Lane
Thank you very much for your letter dated 28 March 2017. This has been allocated to an individual Engineer to investigate and you will receive a response in due course.
Kind regards,
Marissa Golby, Technical Assistant
Engineering Services and Road Safety | Regeneration, Communities and Customer Services
08/06/17
RE: Junction Modification and addition of traffic lights at Northend Road jw
Bridge Road and Colvers Lane
Dear Ms Golby,
Thank you for your reply dated 04/04/17, regarding the above junction modifications. Unfortunately, despite the assurance that an individual engineer would investigate and we would receive a response in due course, we have still had no response. The original request for this information was sent to Traffic Services in February over three months ago. Is there some reason as to why we have not had a reply?
As this is our third request, I would be extremely grateful if you could look into the matter and let me know what is happening and if possible, expedite proceedings please. I enclose two additional forms in case the others have been misplaced or discarded. Bearing in mind these schemes were undertaken at the same time, I also enclose a combined enquiry form in case there is any problem in differentiating and separating the costs of the combined works.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Yours faithfully,
Mr DJ. Tarrant
13/06/17
Dear Mr DJ Tarrant,
RE: Junction Modification and addition of traffic lights at Northend Road jw
Bridge Road and Colvers Lane
Than you for your letter dated 8th June 2017 received by Traffic Services.
I can confirm that your letter has been passed to an engineer in Highways (formerly Engineering Services) to investigate and you will receive a response in due course.
Yours sincerely
Lucy Percival
Technical Assistant
Traffic Services
06/07/17
RE: Junction Modification and addition of traffic lights at Northend Road jw
Bridge Road and Colvers Lane
Dear Ms Percival,
Thank you for your reply dated 13/06/17, regarding the above junction modifications. I am writing further to ask if you could provide the following additional information please.
First of all, is it possible that you can give me a reason as to why we have not had a reply to this enquiry up until now, given that our last letter was the third time of asking and the department has now had over four months to source and provide the information?
Also bearing in mind the length of time now involved, is it possible that you could define for me what the Council actually means by ‘in due course’, and perhaps give me an actual timeframe as to when we can expect this enquiry to be properly dealt with, please?
Could you also please provide the name and address of the Engineer in Highways that this enquiry has been passed to so that any further necessary correspondence can be addressed directly to him?
Thank you for your cooperation.
Yours faithfully,
David J. Tarrant
TRAFFIC SCHEME ENQUIRY FORM
12/07/17
Dear Mr Tarrant,
Re: Junction Modification Northend Road jw Bridge Road & Colyers Lane
Thank you for your letters concerning the above. I have combined the response as you have asked the same questions for each and they were delivered as part of a single scheme.
The responses to your questions are as follows:
1) What was the intended purpose of the scheme?
The purposes of the scheme was to improve movement around the area by permitting right turns out of these side roads. This would significantly shorten bus routes, as the need to turn left to the roundabout and come back through the same junction would be removed, and so offer great savings and more reliable journey times for passengers. The same would apply for all other vehicles and reduce delays at the two roundabouts.
2) Why was the scheme deemed necessary?
The scheme was to resolve the congestion at the two roundabouts by removing traffic going right round them to travel back the way they came due to the central barrier preventing right turns from Bridge Road and Colyers Lane. This was to benefit bus services by reducing delays and improving reliability.
3) Who requested / suggested the scheme?
The scheme was put forward as a priority by TfL Bus Delivery Team and the Council was keen to support the idea given congestion along the route and the expected developments for the Slade Green Area as part of the Council Growth Agenda.
4) Who authorised the implementation of the scheme?
The scheme was developed by Bexley in conjunction with TfL, with the overall decision made by the council’s Cabinet Member for traffic schemes.
5) How much did the scheme cost (please include any subsequent modification costs)?
The scheme which included both elements cost approximately £950,000
6) How was the scheme paid for?
TfL funded the majority of the works to suit its aims for improving bus services, Bexley provided some section 101 developer funding in order to increase Bridge Road from a single lane to a two lane exit, so that the route will be able to cater for increased development traffic in the area.
Resident / Public Consultation
1) Were any residents / members of the public directly consulted about this scheme?
Yes.
2) If so, which / how many residents / members of the public were directly consulted?
Letters were delivered to around 700 properties the area, and in particular the shops on Bridge Road. In addition, in line with traffic order changes required, notices were displayed on site and press adverts published.
3) Out of those directly consulted, how many responded to the consultation?
Six
4) Out of those that responded, how many were in favour of the scheme?
Two
5) Out of those that responded, how many were not in favour of the scheme?
Four
6) Was there any other general public notification of this intended scheme undertaken?
As mentioned above, public notices in the local press and on-street notices were posted on site. In advance of the actual works, 650 business in Erith/Slade Green were informed of the scheme and works so they could plan their deliveries etc, and press releases issued on the local papers and on our web site alerting drivers to potential delays during the works.
I hope this answers your questions.
Andrew Bashford
Head of Highway Services
Summary
This really is a poor show. Nearly a million pounds has been spent the two schemes at Bridge Road and Colyers Lane. The schemes come with many disadvantages for the ordinary people and compared to roundabouts, yield absolutely no benefit for workers and residents on Slade Green or through traffic. They present more and more traffic lights, compound congestion build-up, prevent people from using their common sense and waste people's time, forcing people to stop when there is otherwise absolutely no need. They are, therefore, highly green unfriendly!
Although the schemes allow the buses to turn right, people that lived on the old routes around the roundabouts now have to walk further to get to a bus stop and absolutely no thought was given to allowing right turns into the junctions, which would have been of significant benefit. However, the simplest solution, that would have ticked all the boxes and would have been efficient at all times of day and night would have been a roundabout, as we requested in 2001. What do we have to do to get some common sense into traffic management and our local authorities and stop them from implementing, poorly though out, inefficient, green unfriendly schemes?
It can be seen from the above Traffic Scheme Enquiry Form that even though only six people replied out of those asked, the vote against was 2 to 1, and yet at great inconvenience and cost, the scheme still went ahead. Bexley Council's track record, which is now literally laid in stone, shows that public opinion doesn't really count anyway. They simply do what they like regardless and keep messing it up at our expense!
Apparently, this scheme was brought about by the bus drivers complaining about the congestion on the Thames Road jw Northend Road roundabout. This congestion never used to be there and is a direct result of Bexley Council putting traffic lights on the roundabout. The roundabout no longer works efficiently, and now suffers from log-jamming caused by articulated lorries and other large vehicles being held up by the lights, blocking other vehicles from getting through, even though they have the green light. This is something else we have complained about, but Bexley Council just don't get it!