Herne Hill Junction Regeneration: The Facts
For too long, Herne Hill Junction has been a mess. It is poorly designed. It causes long traffic tail-backs, bus delays, encourages dangerous and illegal traffic manoeuvres, makes life difficult and very hazardous for pedestrians and provides an entrance to Brockwell Park that is unworthy of one of London’s premier open spaces.
See links below to view and download the latest designs, showing the proposed upgrades to Railton Road and Brockwell Passage; as well as all the other improvements that the project will bring to the Park entrance and elsewhere in the centre of Herne Hill.
Download artist's impression: jpg file, 108 KB
Download latest design for the Park Entrance and Railton Road, September 2009: Adobe pdf file, 3.16 MB
This project, a joint exercise by Lambeth and the local Herne Hill community, is designed to help solve these problems. The aim is to provide a holistic solution that incorporates high-quality design and environmental improvements, that will act as a spur to economic regeneration and that integrates the Park with the urban centre. It will benefit everyone – residents, visitors, traders, shoppers and public transport users.
In addition to local residents and traders, the project has the support of leading national and local politicians, cyclists, Transport for London and English Heritage. It meets the requirements of Transport for London, the main source of project funding, to improve bus flows.
This comprises the toilet block that has been out of action for years and is scheduled for demolition in any case, some tarmac surfaces, the walled area and the raised flower beds. Some of that area will become an attractively landscaped island in the centre of the Junction. And demolishing the ugly, disused toilet block and other structures will return green space to the Park. Overall the project will increase the amount of open space accessible to the public.
Main Features
- Closing and pedestrianisation of the end of Railton Road
- Southbound traffic out of Dulwich Road turning right into Norwood Road
- One-way traffic northbound in Hurst Street and southbound in Rymer Street
- Designing out illegal and dangerous vehicle movements
- A slip road to improve traffic flow between Norwood Road and Dulwich Road
- Speed tables and surface treatment of the slip road to ensure that all vehicles travel along it slowly
- An additional bus lane southbound in Norwood Road and a northbound bus stop in Norwood Road
- Light-controlled crossings of all roads at the Junction
- An additional pedestrian crossing in Milkwood Road
- Forward cycle stop lines throughout the Junction
- Many more cycle racks
- An open space, ‘Island Green’, to provide an attractive link between Herne Hill centre and the Park; and to make it safer for people entering and leaving the Park at large events
- High-quality townscape design throughout
- Widening and other improvements to Brockwell Passage to make it safer and more pleasant for pedestrians
- Additional parking bays and more short-term parking
- Parking provision for people with disabilities
- Additional tree planting in Railton Road
Design Proposals
Detailed analysis and modelling have been carried out for alternative designs for the Junction. These are:
* the agreed proposals on the basis of which the project is being taken forward (Option A);
* moving the slip road four metres further towards the Junction (Option B);
* moving the slip road 12 metres further towards the Junction (Option C); and
* there being no slip road, but a left-turn only lane for vehicles going from Norwood Road into Dulwich Road (option D).
The results of this exercise were as follows:
Option D will not improve pedestrian safety and will reduce the capacity of the Junction to handle vehicle flows, leading to longer tail-backs than at present. The level of vehicle saturation will increase to 117%, leading to greater tail-backs than at present, with all the consequent impact on the environment, pedestrian comfort and safety.
Option B will result in a smaller pedestrian island, reducing its capacity to handle crowds of people at large events and the scope for high quality landscaping. Less effective sight-lines will reduce vehicle and pedestrian safety. And the resulting slip road curvature will require a potentially dangerous ‘negative’ camber or an inconvenient step up for pedestrians going to and from the park.
Option C will provide less scope for introducing or improving pedestrian crossings; and inadequate site-lines and reverse road cambers will compromise vehicle safety. The residual small island will neither provide scope for landscaping improvements nor improve pedestrian access to the Park. Roads will continue to dominate the area.
Option A provides the most benefit in terms of improving bus flows, pedestrian and cycle safety and the scope for landscaping the Junction and Park entrance.
It offers the best site-lines for drivers and pedestrians; facilitates the introduction of pedestrian crossings at all roads; enables the slip road to be set at the same level as the pavements (shown to slow vehicle speeds and improve pedestrian safety); gives a pedestrian island that can be landscaped in a character sympathetic to the park thus providing an attractive ‘bridge’ between the junction and park. Its simple shape and clutter free design allow for free movement with optimum visibility for both vulnerable road users and vehicles.
Option A provides the most benefit in terms of improving bus flows, pedestrian and cycle safety and the scope for landscaping the Junction and Park entrance. It offers the best site-lines for drivers and pedestrians; facilitates the introduction of pedestrian crossings at all roads; enables the slip road to be set at the same level as the pavements (shown to slow vehicle speeds and improve pedestrian safety); gives a pedestrian island that can be landscaped in a character sympathetic to the park thus providing an attractive ‘bridge’ between the junction and park. Its simple shape and clutter free design allow for free movement with optimum visibility for both vulnerable road users and vehicles.
Option A gives the best balance between the needs of Park users, pedestrian, cyclist and vehicle safety, bus priority and accessibility, the environment, regeneration, local residents and businesses. It has received overwhelming backing from Herne Hill residents and traders. Our MP, Tessa Jowell, our GLA member Val Shawcross, all Herne Hill Ward Councillors, Village Ward Councillors as well as traders representatives have expressed their strong support.
What our MP and councillors say
What next?
The planning application for the required changes to the Park boundary has been approved, the necessary permission for change of use of Metropolitan Open Land has been obtained and Conservation Area consent granted.
Landscape design is well advanced and work has begun on some of the peripheral parts of the scheme. However, there is still time to submit comments and we would welcome ideas and suggestions from as many people as possible (see below for contact details).
This is the best chance for years to get the Junction improved, and to reverse the continuing decline of Herne Hill centre and Norwood Road. If we lose this opportunity, the Junction will stay unchanged for many more years – a blight on Herne Hill, its residents and its businesses.
If you would like more information on the project, please email John Brunton.
