Transporting Camberwell to the future

Camberwell roundel The two local authorities that cover Camberwell; Lambeth and Southwark, like all boroughs across London, are currently in the process of drawing up their local transport plans. These strategies (also known as local implementation plans) show how transport in the boroughs will develop over the next few years setting out the priorities within the overall framework of the Mayor of London’s transport strategy.

The two transport strategies contain interesting information on transport locally and the challenges faced.

The Southwark strategy acknowledges that transport facilities in Camberwell could be improved and pledges the council’s continuing support for bringing the Bakerloo line to Camberwell as well as the role of sustainable transport such as cycling and walking in the borough.

The Lambeth strategy covers similar transport issues with several mentions of the decline in services on the Denmark Hill train line as well as the aspiration of creating better neighbourhoods less dominated by motor transport.

Both strategies acknowledge the similarlity of the two boroughs where there is low levels of car ownership, high levels of deprivation, comparatively high levels of cycling and walking. They also acknowledge the problems faced by local town centres such as Camberwell which must fulfill a conflicting role as both local shopping areas and as major routes into London.

Whilst they provide very interesting reading on the local transport situation and issues in themselves their main purpose is as consultation documents. If you would like to take part in shaping the future of transport locally please send back a consultation response saying how you feel transport should be improved locally.

I’m sure most of us would broadly agree on transport priorities for Camberwell: from the aspirational: reopening of the railway station, future Camberwell tube station and inclusion of Camberwell in any future tram scheme to the more mundane (but achievable): taming of the multi-lane roads that dominate the town centre, improvements to bus services and inclusion of Camberwell in the Mayor’s Cycle Hire scheme.

Both boroughs allow local residents to send in their responses online — fill in the Lambeth online form and/or the Southwark online survey — for both the deadline is approaching so do it soon!

If we start telling the policy makers what we want now the planning can start for future transport improvements and we can judge developments according to the aspirations set out in the strategies.

18 thoughts on “Transporting Camberwell to the future”

  1. I think it’s either the Bakerloo Line or a future Tram — it won’t be both if at all…

    A tube will be more cheaper — North London is already well covered by tube…so extending the tram there would be seen as slightly superfluous by some. £15 Billion is a large sum…extending the Bakerloo by 3–4 stations in a southbound direction through Camberwell,Peckham and Lewisham would be a lot cheaper.

    If there is to be a tram in South London then I can see it slowly extended north from Croydon and Wimbledon rather than the cancelled project.

  2. Peter@

    Cage Fighting?

    I can’t even begin to get my head around that one.

    I wonder what our councillors and M.P think about that?

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  4. Big Band Monday!

    We’ve got stonking big band jazz galore this week in Camberwell starting tonight (yes Monday night) with the brilliant Dan Spanner Big Band from 8 till 10.30pm. Free entry. It’s a 17 piece big band covering arrangements by Sammy Nestico, Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson and many more! They are a precursor to the fantastic Bad Ass Brass this on Friday at The Crypt.

    Drop everything and come by the Sun and Doves tonight. No need to go home, catch
    food served till 10pm.

    The Sun and Doves
    61–63 Coldharbour Lane
    Camberwell
    SE5 9NS

    http://www.sunanddoves.co.uk

  5. 17-piece band sounds alright. How was the first night?

    Vegan micro-brew ale is back at the Victoriana on Bellenden Road. That place is still packing ’em in.

    Rode to work via Walworth Road today. Mentalist drivers and riders all over the place.

  6. @Gabe.

    If you want to avoid the Walworth Road, I’d recommend using Portland Street instead. It runs parallel to the Walworth Road about 70 yards to the west and has no traffic and no traffic lights. It starts just north of Burgess Park and is a much more pleasant ride. It will also take you to the Elephant and Castle cycle bypass so you don’t have to tangle with that madhouse either.

  7. Portland Road has its own dangers: demented costermongers coming at you with barrows and an indecisive Lollipop woman. Better than Walworth Road though.

  8. True, Florian, look out for market stalls and customers down there. It’s also east of Walworth Road, not west as I mentioned previously…

  9. I cycle up the Walworth Rd and back every day. I would love to find a better route to the West of Walworth Rd but every time I try I get completely lost. Portland Rd is too much of a detour as I live on the west side of Camberwell. Really I need something mid way between Kennington Park Rd and Walworth Rd.

  10. Did anyone see the G2 main piece on the Heygate? Excellent. Stunning landscape picture of a long, long block with the London skyline behind. Also excellent in-depth analysis of the design of the estate.

  11. The band is GOOD! Very tight and precise with a lot of big band swing. Looks like they’re going to do Monday evenings regularly from now on. I wonder how accurate or revisionist the in-depth analysis of the design of the estate is.

  12. @ Stephen Rex

    For cycling through West Walworth from Camberwell, you might go:
    — Kimpton Road, past the Magistrates’ Court
    — Lomond Grove
    — across New Church Road to Kitson Road
    — left at the end, leaving Addington Square behind you
    — Bethwin Road up to John Ruskin Street
    — right onto John R Street, then immediately left onto Cook’s Road, which turns into Kennington Park Place. That takes you up to Kennington Park Road.
    This is a pretty good route if you’re heading west: it’s not as twisty as it sounds.

  13. Matt, cheers. I mostly take the back route up Portland Street. The costermongers and lollipop ladies are all good. Bit of variety. West of Walworth Road is trickier thou.

    The backstory to the Heygate Estate — which everyone knew at the time, apparently — is that it was built the way is was to make a shed load of dosh for the construction companies, who’d been lobbying their politco mates. It was bent, basically, and Southwark still hasn’t paid off the debt!

    Strangely, just as community was getting properly established they decided to borrow more money to knock it all down and start again.

  14. Hi It’s Tracy Allen here. Back in town and looking for a new venue for Arts exhibition Space and Bar.

    Looking for rental agreement or lease. Anybody interested?? or know of anyone with a suitable premises (empty licensed premises) please get in touch.

    Thanks.

    077929 72959 or allentracy@​hotmail.​com

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