Champion Hill No Entry Trial

Overview

We have some plans to reduce the through traffic in Champion Hill, to create a safe and pleasant environment for walking and cycling, and we’d like to hear your thoughts on a proposed 'No Entry 'trial measure. The trial aims to reduce the dominance of motorised vehicles to support Healthy Streets principles, especially as part of this street is a quietway, which aims to encourage walking and cycling for people from all walks of life.

Why the trial?

The council engaged  1179 local residents in October 2015, seeking their views on traffic and road safety concerns on Champion Hill and on measures to improve conditions for walking and cycling. The results of this consultation are available in a PDF document below. Residents told us then, and continue to tell us, that there is too much through traffic on Champion Hill.

Our traffic survey from 2015 (attached below) shows that most of the traffic on Champion Hill is through traffic, avoiding Grove Lane, Champion Park and Denmark Hill, particularly north-bound in the morning peak. The trial is intended therefore to restrict the morning through traffic, travelling westwards/northwards through Champion Hill to Denmark Hill, so that the area is safer and more pleasant for walking and cycling creating Healthy Streets for everyone in Champion Hill. We believe this will also reduce traffic dominance on Grove Hill Road around Dog Kennel Hill school.

The layout of this proposed trial measure is shown below. We are not proposing any changes at the Dog Kennel Hill junction as part of the trial.

The trial will be in place for 6 -12 months to ensure teething problems are resolved and impact carefully reviewed during the year.

What do we want to monitor?

During the trial we intend to monitor impact of the trial on the following:

• Road safety/traffic dominance on Champion Hill
• Road safety/traffic dominance around Dog Kennel Hill Primary School
• Road safety at the raised table in Champion Hill
• Access needs for local residents
• Traffic displacement onto adjacent residential roads
• Traffic on Dog Kennel Hill, Grove Lane, Champion Park and Denmark Hill 

How will the trial impact on local access?

Residents of Champion Hill and its side roads will still be able to enter and exit the area with both arms remaining two-way. However, northbound entry to the Denmark Hill arm of Champion Hill will be restricted so people living here will need to take a short detour via Grove Lane/Champion Park to access their homes via Denmark Hill.

Through traffic will need to take alternative north-bound routes and we will monitor the area to analyse any impacts on local roads. While we hope most through traffic will stay on or switch to the main roads, due to the banned right turn from Grove Hill Road into Grove Lane traffic may potentially be displaced onto the surrounding roads of Bromar Road, Ivanhoe Road, and Pytchley Road to access Dog Kennel Hill/Grove Lane. While we hope that traffic eventually adjusts to using main roads instead of residential roads, we will closely monitor the traffic, allowing for at least six months of settling-in.

How will the trial be enforced?

There will be a physical traffic island that will enforce the ‘No Entry’ restriction. Cyclists will be exempted.

Our traffic enforcement team can enforce no-entry contraventions.

How will the Trial be monitored?  

Please refer to the monitoring and evaluation plan, programme, and loactions of traffic monitoring sites, attached below. Traffic survey data will be collected prior to commencing the trial. At the end of the trial period we will collect further traffic data to assess the impact. Feedback from local residents during the trial period will also be collated.

We intend to start the trial in spring 2019 for a period of 6-12 months.

How will a final decision be made?

Following the trial period there will be a formal consultation with findings of the trial and evaluation results shared with residents. The results of the consultation will be carefully considered by the council before a decision is made to proceed with making the scheme permanent.

Why is your view is important for the trial?

There is no legal requirement for formal consultation to implement the trial as the trail acts as a live consultation in itself. However, we want to make sure that your views on how the trial might affect you are carefully considered at an early stage and that we are aware of any potential issues before the trial begins. We want to ensure the trial meets the needs of local residents and its intended purpose of reducing through traffic in the area.

We would be grateful if you could take the time to review the proposed trial and monitoring plan and programme attached below and let us know what you think using the online questionnaire by 22 October 2018. If you would like to discuss your concerns with us in person, please come along to the drop-in session Thursday  27 September 2018 (4pm to 8pm), Albrighton Centre, 37 Albrighton Road, East Dulwich Estate, SE22 8AH.