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News and Comment March 2016

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24 March (Part 2) - Harrow Manorway to get cycle tracks and bus lanes - probably

I wasn’t able to get to Peabody Housing’s last exhibition come consultation session on what they were planning for South Thamesmead, the date clashed with something long forgotten so last night when another opportunity to hear about their plans cropped up I decided to sacrifice the Bexley Council’s Transport Users’ Committee meeting instead. Don’t worry if you think you may have missed the Peabody presentation, it was a special arrangement for a small local group of which I am a guest member.

I didn't catch the Peabody man's name except that it was Ken, I suspect he was Ken Baikie their Director of Thamesmead Strategy and very impressive his slide show and talk was too.

However the bit I wanted to bring to your attention was the plan for Harrow Manorway, maybe you know about it but it was new to me.

It has been recognised that once the Crossrail station opens at the end of next year, Harrow Manorway will be totally inadequate for the projected traffic, it sometimes isn’t adequate now.

From the new Sainsbury’s through to the A2016 Eastern Way the Manorway will be widened to four lanes. Well more than that really, a footpath, a dedicated cycle track, a bus lane and a proper road going each way, separated by a central reservation which on the drawing at least will be tree lined.

The section right outside Sainbury’s will be a pinch point so negotiations are in hand to hopefully acquire some of the land associated with the petrol station and the industrial units.

The flyover itself is also a pinch point if footways and cycle lanes are required. It was built 41 years ago to accommodate four carriageways only, albeit of reasonably generous proportions. No answers were forthcoming on how it might be improved.
Harrow Manorway
It was said that Transport for London recognise that Abbey Wood station is effectively inaccessible to those who live north of Eastern Way because the bus routes from Thamesmead Central all meander east and west and none take the direct route.

No decisions have been taken but this is likely to be put right and some routes diverted to the station. This prompted the question of where would they go from there. There is no easy route onward to Bexleyheath which is a longstanding problem for Abbey Wood residents. The speculation was that diverted buses might go round the Knee Hill roundabout and back the way they came.

To the right of the bus in the picture above is Coralline Walk which has acquired an unfortunate reputation, burglary, drug taking and prostitution all got a mention last night, and it is scheduled for demolition - but not just yet.

In the meantime a substantial fence is being erected around it. This has provoked the rumour that demolition is imminent but Peabody is anxious to make it clear that the fence is for security purposes only.
Fence
The Peabody housing charity seems to be unafraid to spend money on improving their tenants’ lot; on the other hand Twitter users often suggest the opposite. But even Wolvercote Road, untouched for nearly 50 years is on the programme for improvement.

 

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