Since being elected in 2006 East Dulwich councillors have been working hard to make our high street Lordship Lane safer. It’s a particularly busy high street.  We’ve been successful having two new crossing installed early last year, enhanced Goose Green roundabout with all arms having Zebra crossings, most side roads with raised entry treatments. These are the types of measures that the Mary Portas Review recommended “focus on making high streets accessible, attractive and safe”.

The latest progress towards making Lordship Lane safer is to introduce a 20mph speed limit on Lordship Lane between Goose Green and the Police Station at Whateley Road . We applied and awarded £15,000 towards this from the 2012/13 Cleaner, Greener, Safer capital funding. After a year of working with officers they’ve now agreed that physical measures are not required. This is partly from the governments change in national policy january this year making 20mph easier via its new guidance – Setting Local Speed Limits.

As part of the process we’ve had speed surveys done at two points along Lordship Lane – just south of Frogley Road and just south of Hansler Road. They were done during term time in the Autumn.

The surveys were carried out just south of Frogley Road which had a mean speed of 17.9mph and an 85^th percentile speed of 23.9mph and also just south of Hansler Road where the mean speed was 22.1mph with an 85^th percentile speed of 28.2mph.

The new guidance says that if the mean average speed is below 24mph 20mph speed limits can be introduced. It also suggests that  if a large variation exists between the mean average and 85^th percentile speeds then drivers are likely to be confused about what speed to drive at and introducing 20mph speed limits should help reduce this confusion.

The next step is for officers to formally consult on making this happen. Assuming no hiccups I’m hopeful it can be introduced within three months.