Pedestrians should not be sharing space with cars in Kirkdale 6 July 2015

We have objected to the idea of pedestrians, cyclists and cars sharing the space in Kirkdale. This is one of the proposals put forward in the recent consultation about improvements to Kirkdale and Dartmouth Road. We welcome parking bays, planting more street trees and improving the look of the ‘High Street’ area of Kirkdale.

However the proposal to lower the kerb to create a ‘more shared space’ around the mini roundabout has been queried by Forest Hill Libdems. We have also asked the council to explain what evidence there is that this will make the road safer. Libdem campaigner, Margot Wilson, regularly uses this stretch of road while taking grandchildren to school. She points out that there are currently four Primary schools and one nursery in the area. It is helpful if children can be trained to stop and look for traffic at the kerb, so it needs to be clear where it is.

A report in the Independent on Saturday 4 July 2015,highlighted the unpopularity of a ‘shared-space scheme’ in Exhibition Road in Kensington. It quotes the survey done by the only member of the House of Lords who is blind. Paralympic swimmer, Lord Holmes, said that people feel terrified to go into such areas.

This is not what we want in revitalising the High Street part of Kirkdale.