I think examples like the one you have posted are the trickiest.
You (and I don’t mean you Michael) are effectively choosing between a more optimal pavement space, saying no parking there for residents, or perhaps making the road one way and widening the pavement that way. I suspect option 2 would be hugely unpopular with residents and I would agree with them.
These ones will have genuine arguments from opposing sides.
If it were me (and I’m glad it’s not) I’d want to understand what issues people using the pavement were facing on that side, and then look at what solutions -assuming issues were identified - might be possible (eg how much extra pavement space might be needed to resolve any issues, is the pavement on the other side of the road suitable, are other routes possible etc).
Perhaps the people who are going to build the tunnel under Forest Hill could also build some underground car parks…
I am 99% sure pavement parking is not allowed on Woodcombe Crescent but I’ve asked officers about it and asked for an enforcement sweep of the area @Runner_Rich.
As you can see, I have asked some public questions to our Cabinet Member for Transport about pavement parking in an attempt to get in on the agenda. It looks like LBL are currently instigating a ‘review’ of footway parking.
When i worked and parked in Sangley Rd Catford they had alternate parking one side to the other from one day to next as it had a bus route running down there at the time.
Was clearly signposted and worked well in the two yrs i was there.
Perhaps American street cleaning could answer three of our problems: keeping our streets clean, discouraging long term parking and getting Lewisham some extra revenue.
I think the schemes generally work by designating one day of the week to clean either side of the street when you have to move your car or get a ticket. It would be relatively easy for residents to move their cars at night when there is less demand for parking but harder for people who live further away and just dump their car on the street. It would be cheaper than a CPZ and have the advantage over a School Street LTN that it would displace traffic for just one day rather than 24/7.
Personally though with Covid and working from home, I have started to appreciate the benefits of long term parking outside your window. If one car sits there then you get less pollution but if the space has a short-term occupant, it could change about 8 times a day with all the resultant pollution whether it is a petrol/diesel/electric car.
Back to parking cars on pavements, we should think of the usage by pedestrians, if 10 cars sit on a pavement for one day, it will benefit 10 individuals whereas if the pavement is open to pedestrians in a busy area, it will probably benefit a few hundred a day. Closing off pavements by making it uncomfortable for pedestrians makes an area less vibrant and sociable, reducing casual conversations as people don’t have the space to stop and have a chat.
Here’s one on Woodcombe where cars are king. 2 wide lanes so the 1000s every day can speed through the rat-run without any hindrance, 2 lane wide pavement so residents and commuters can park their cars without any any risk of getting damaged by the other cars.
That red car’s parking is classic! Not only the double whammy of blocking access to a fire hydrant AND parking on a pavement, but is the telecoms cabinet accessible? With the car for sale and the owner’s phone number displayed in the back window, is this one some kind of set up? Surely no one could be that arrogant and/or dim?
Maybe a bit of disruption and inconvenience here would reduce traffic through Perry Vale and on through Forest Hill? As it stands it’s a through route of dreams - you get drive 2 miles without any traffic lights or any real disruption.
Perhaps Lewisham could organise play pavements and pavement partys like they do currently with streets to allow for temporary closure of the pavement to cars so kids and adults can use and enjoy the pavement.
On a more practical note, perhaps residents getting together to plant more vegetation and trees on the pavement might be a long term solution and give more of a sense of the pavement being something to care about.
The one outside FH Cars might be alright. Depends whether that darker paving is part of the property in which case they’re good to go. Though those few inches into the public pathway from the front right tyre might be an issue.
Funny you say that… I have been thinking today that Woodcoombe is about 250m long and the pavements used for parking are say 2m wide on both side, which i think works out as a sq/km of land in Forest Hill dedicated to parked cars. Could have have an amazing community garden or something there.
It’s a good route but you can probably shave off 10 seconds by using Westbourne Drive and Canonbie Road rather than the slow main roads and pesky zebra crossings. It is a particularly good route if you have 4 wheel drive so that you don’t need to slow down for humps.
