HEALTHY NEIGHBOURHOOD PROPOSAL
DRAG has been working tirelessly to achieve a safer, less polluted, greener route through the heart of Telegraph Hill.
We had been developing proposals to achieve this and had campaigned to be part of Lewisham Council and Transport for London’s Healthy Neighbourhood Programme. However due to COVID-19, the funding for this has been suspended. While this was very disappointing, DRAG have been in discussion with Lewisham Council about what we can do in the short term which is cheaper and quick to deliver, but will make a big impact.
As part of measures to enable social distancing and encourage more cycling, the Council introduced a ‘modal filter’ at Kitto Road under emergency COVID-19 powers. This was intended to reduce through-traffic across the hill and to encourage more walking and cycling. Unfortunately, the effect of this was to INCREASE traffic on Drakefell Road and therefore DRAG objected to the proposal.
However, while we considered the Kitto Road filter on its own to have negative impacts, the principle of developing a Low Traffic Neighbourhood across the Hill is a sound one. DRAG has always sought to build a consensus to reduce traffic not only through the heart of our community on Drakefell and Gellatly Roads, but to reduce all through-traffic while of course giving residents and visitors access to their homes.