Greenwich Council respond to bus driver petition on traffic & parking problems

Greenwich Council have issued a response to a bus driver petition calling for action on endemic parking issues in Plumstead and particularly those focused near the station.

Bus drivers claim around 130 signatures were submitted though Greenwich have recognised 84. Reasons for the discrepancy is unknown – but even 84 shows the strength of feeling.

The council claim to have significantly stepped up enforcement – though levels of fines still suggest few issued with less than one a day on average since early December.

Sixty have been issued since the start of December equating to around 20 a month or five a week. You’d find that number at any one time on some days. They also claim to have “moved on” 160 cars.

The old line of “we can’t be everywhere all the time” is again seen. Yet being some places some of the time would have been good in areas where the issue is chronic. It’s a spectrum and they have been very much at one end in many, many parts of the borough with very few staff employed to act. Finally 10 agency workers have been brought in. This happened quickly – yet before we were told they had tried and failed to hire more staff!

The response to the petition repeats they are now applying to use CCTV cameras to prevent people parking on zig-zag lines outside schools and those blocking buses. It doesn’t explain why they never have since 2003 when the relevant act was passed and why they were just one of three councils in London not to have done so by 2017 when the issue was discussed at a meeting – and presumably not pursued until now:

Since then a number of accidents have occurred in the area.

Recent accident at the spot

The response also states they are looking at changing the road layout just two years after spending £1.2 million on altering the street. That followed a bodged scheme a decade before on the very same road.

Continual mistakes with street design are evident – yet still they fail to engage again and again with the public. Recent Abbey Wood changes saw two serious accidents within weeks of completion. Again, that scheme replaced one installed a few years before.

Work is also planned imminently at east Greenwich near the infamous Woolwich Road flyover but no consultation is in the public domain. Questions to councillors on social media are not answered and there’s scant evidence many are pushing for engagement and transparency from departments.

Any in-depth detail and design drawings forthcoming on this before it starts? The public and local people could offer guidance before more mistakes are made:

Click to enlarge

What is maddening is not only are millions wasted on schemes which ignore the public and repeat mistakes – but that years of poor enforcement on parking to the detriment of the most vulnerable were simply ignored. Everyone knows how bad the area has been – it’s been covered on here for years. Many have told me they’ve notified the authority to no avail.

Accidents have happened, elderly people and parents have suffered particularly  and revenue lost. So whilst it’s good that changes are now finally happening why did it take so long and why have some elected local politicians been so ineffective for so long at enacting change? Departments – even those deeply failing – can bumble along for years. It doesn’t bode well for other services.

 

 

 

 

 

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J Smith

I've lived in south east London most of my life growing up in Greenwich borough and working in the area for many years. The site has contributors on occasion and we cover many different topics. Living and working in the area offers an insight into what is happening locally.

6 thoughts on “Greenwich Council respond to bus driver petition on traffic & parking problems

  • Moral of the story is the little man/woman doesn’t count. Report things a thousand times and be ignored. Do it in numbers and finally something happens.

    And well done to bus drivers for getting together and organising (certainly not criticising that – I take off my hat to them) but not everyone can do that. A responsive organisation would know that and act not ignore people. A caring organisation would act on behalf of the most vulnerable.

    What happened to the people in charge of this issue for years?

    Reply
  • A big thanks to this site for its continued support on our petition

    Reply
  • I was amazed to see a parking warden in Herbert Road the other evening, First time I’ve ever seen the double yellows clear of cars. Buses actually able to pass easily.

    Reply
  • The trouble with CCTV is that it is a ‘passive’ system that won’t prevent parking in the first place as a lot of drivers won’t even notice. As you say @fromthemurkydepths, send the parking enforcement officers to the trouble spots.

    I think the drivers should keep up the pressure and perhaps not serve the most congested routes at all until there is a marked improvement.

    Reply
  • That section near the bus stops at Plumstead Station is just ridiculous, Sunday morning is hilarious as those attending the mosque use the bike lane as a car park. Always tempted to key a few as I ride past but unlike those in the metal boxes I try to abide my the laws.

    Reply
    • I have seen triple parking at the Plumstead station stops. This not only shows abject laziness by the parkers but complete contempt for everybody else. They are clearly very confident that they will not get a ticket. When cars park in the bus lane or even overhanging it (which is most of the time) buses trying to get off the stop have a lot of trouble getting out (its like getting onto a racetrack on a pushbike) This leads to regular road rage and abuse form the majority of drivers that totally disregard Highway code rule 198 (ex223) and let the bus out. We need ‘nicking’ cameras fitted to buses and actively pursue and charge all those who park in bus lanes and/or regularly carve up buses.

      Reply

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