Dulwich residents are furious as council experiments with road closures
By Leila Zerai
Dulwich residents are furious at experimental road closures around Dulwich Village, which are making their journeys more difficult.
There are currently closures at Burbage Road, Calton Avenue, Turney Road and Townley Road.
No car travel is permitted between the hours of 8am and 10am, and 3pm and 6pm on Mondays to Fridays.
One disabled resident, commenting on Southwark council’s feedback site, said: “I am disabled and have no choice but to use my car.
“I now have to spend three hours getting to and from the hospital for my dialysis.
“I am beginning to think I can’t live in London anymore due to these measures making my life impossible.”
Other locals feel that the measures are increasing traffic in the area.
“Traffic and pollution for those living on Dulwich Village has become so much worse and the queuing traffic is spilling over into Turney Road and Burbage Road,” said one resident. “The Council was warned this would happen but didn’t listen.”
But one person said: “Thank you for making it safer at Calton Ave/ Court Lane. Please can we have permeable filters on Turney Road too?”
Dulwich Alliance, who are campaigning on behalf of residents, traders and campaign groups, says that locals are not supportive of the scheme.
They have petitioned Southwark council to end the road measures.
“This scheme discriminates against vulnerable people who depend on their cars for mobility,” they said.
Dulwich Alliance says that the road closures are affecting ambulance services, after a series of emails between ambulance services and Southwark Highways Department revealed that ambulance crews were experiencing delays.
“What will it take for Southwark to comply with the Emergency Services’ constant requests to replace planters with cameras?” they said. “The death of a resident because an ambulance can’t reach them in time?”
Signs on the roads are not visible enough, leading to some people unwittingly incurring fines with trade also being badly affected by the road closures.
The Dulwich Village Association, which represents firms in the area, said: “Until these measures were introduced, Dulwich Village had a healthy local high street.
“But the experimental traffic orders have caused enormous damage to trade, resulting in a huge reduction in footfall, sales and income.”
According to the Dulwich Village Association, 98 per cent of their traders have formally objected to Southwark council.
Southwark council began the scheme in November 2020. The council said that Dulwich was a priority due to the amount of traffic passing through the area.
Southwark chiefs hope that the changes will reduce traffic and pollution, and coax people into walking and cycling.
In a letter to residents in June 2020, Southwark councillor Richard Livingstone said: “the Covid-19 pandemic has required us to introduce measures that fundamentally alter people’s travel plans.
“These are all experimental measures. We will be required to conduct a public consultation before any of these are made permanent.”
The public consultation is scheduled for the summer this year, and town hall officials will decide whether to make the measures permanent in the autumn.
Southwark councillor Catherine Rose, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Environment and Roads, said: “We are keen to understand how the road closures are affecting all members of the local community and will shortly launch a full review and consultation to that end.
“We will be inviting all local residents, key services and businesses to share their views, exactly as we would with any new traffic measure, here in Southwark.”
William Stableford, from Upland Road in East Dulwich, was driving through Dulwich Village when he was fined £65 for entering a low traffic zone.
He was not aware of the road closure and is angry at the poor visibility of the road sign. He says he had driven through Burbage Road onto the roundabout leading to Dulwich Village.
“Dulwich Village is somewhere that people have always driven through. It’s a historic thoroughfare,” he said. “The sign was immediate and you had to look up to see it. You’ve got no time to analyse the sign. It was getting dark and the sign wasn’t lit.”
After receiving the fine, Mr Stableford returned to the spot to warn other motorists. He says he saw dozens of people going through, unaware of the restrictions. He was there for more than two hours.
“Many of them thanked me and put their thumbs up and waved,” he said. “Some of them stopped their cars and asked what was going on.
“A nurse in uniform drove through in her car and I thought ‘this is awful’, so I started to wave at people and point at the sign. I thought I ought to stay there because I realised people were oblivious.
“A lot of people passing by congratulated me. One woman offered me coffee at her home, which I didn’t take her up on, but she was very kind. People were watching me and being generally supportive.”
Mr Stableford is appealing the fine he received. He has yet to hear back from the authorities. He has also informed the local councillor for Dulwich Hill, Maggie Browning. He says he doesn’t have a particular view on the road closures.
“Obviously it’s inconvenient but I think if they are going to shut it, they should make it clear so that people don’t get caught out and fined,” he said. “I was quite shocked, really, that so many people were going through.”
He says he is disappointed at the local council and the way that they have implemented the road measures.
“They take no care for their voters really,” he said. “If you carry on in such a high handed way, then people are going to lose faith in their intentions.
“I’m a Labour voter, always, and I do feel quite disillusioned with the nature of the council and what their intentions are, their lack of care in the way they set this up.
“The elected councillors should get on it and get them to do something about it.”
He doesn’t think that he should have been fined for driving through the road closure.
“If it’s an experiment then the fines should be an experiment too and they shouldn’t be carried out,” he said. “Why are we part of an experiment?
“Why is a nurse, probably on her way home after working in a Covid ward, being fined £65 as an experiment? It makes me quite cross.”
Cllr Catherine Rose, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Environment and Roads, said: “These measures, which are limited time restrictions at certain hours, were introduced to address very high levels of traffic recorded in Dulwich Village. We issued warning notices to anyone illegally taking this turning from 16 November, well in advance of the fines coming into effect on 11 January.
“When we sample checked the addresses and times of those receiving the tickets, it became clear that many were using Dulwich Village as a commuter through route. The number of fines issues since then has dropped significantly.
“We will shortly be starting a monitoring and evaluation process across Dulwich and local residents will be able to share their views and experiences.
“We have fortnightly meetings with all of the emergency services to discuss and actively address their concerns. Working together and at the request of the emergency services, we have developed the right local solutions across the borough, including converting a number of permeable road closures to camera operated controls.
“Immediately after the schemes were introduced, we saw some pressures locally as all motorists adjusted to the changes. However now, some months into the projects, there has been a significant drop in issues reported by the emergency services. We continue to monitor all locations and will continue to respond to their needs and those of our most vulnerable car users.”
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Closing our roads will not improve air quality, this is causing congestion and increase traffic. Have they taken into consideration life after Covid; the frustration and mental pressure this is having on the local residents.
Let’s have our say in the local election, enough a Labour Councils bossing us around
On January 20th in the High court Justice Lang announced that TfL and the mayor were closing roads under the guise of the pandemic and this was predujical to elements of the populace so she declared the closures unlawful. TfL has yet to win an appeal so surely all closures and resulting fines are also unlawful
This is a very interesting point. Something I’d not heard about.
Closing our roads will not improve air quality, this is causing congestion and increase traffic. Have they taken into consideration life after Covid; the frustration and mental pressure this is having on the local residents.
Let’s have our say in the local election, enough of Labour Councils bossing us around
Blocking lovely Dulwich as a commuter through route doesn’t stop the traffic – it just pushes it somewhere else. Now Herne Hill and Lordship Lane are jammed up with traffic all day long. And tough shit if you live in those areas, you now have dirtier air than before because they are full of vehicles standing still.
Total fiasco. Slipped through with minimal consultation when people preoccupied with pandemic. Double whammy for businesses. Lordship Lane and surrounding roads a nightmare. Fumes, congestion, vastly longer journey times, problems for emergency services, road rage, new rats-runs opening up – how does this help clean up the air? And as for cyclists and pedestrians, the chaos makes it worse for them. The so-called consultation https://consultations.southwark.gov.uk/environment-leisure/dulwich-review is a joke. The questions only ask about success in the chosen areas like Dulwich Village. No chance to comment on the impact on surrounding roads or comment holistically. And the survey starts with fatuous, leading Qs of the <> ilk.
In response to Southwark Council Information Request Ref: 2516947 for the total revenue raised by Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) arising since the introduction of The Emergency Traffic Measures at the following locations:
– Dulwich Village at the junction with Burbage Road – a northbound camera enforced restriction
– Burbage Road (South) at the junction with Dulwich Village – a northbound camera enforced restriction
– Burbage Road (North) at the junction with Turney Road – a northbound camera enforced restriction
– Turney Road at the junction with Burbage Road – an eastbound camera enforced restriction
– Townley Road at the junction with Calton Avenue – a northbound camera enforced restriction
See below table for response:
BURBAGE ROAD JUNCTION GALLERY ROAD (NORTH WESTBOUND) £60,060.00
BURBAGE ROAD JUNCTION TURNEY ROAD (NORTH WESTBOUND) £0 (new camera, info not yet available)
DULWICH VILLAGE (NORTHBOUND) TOWARDS PICKWICK ROAD £695,300.00
TOWNLEY ROAD JUNCTION CARLTON AVENUE (NORTHBOUND) £207,025.00
TURNEY ROAD JUNCTION BURBAGE ROAD (NORTH EASTBOUND) £67,210.00
Grand Total £1,029,595.00
Not a bad haul for an “emergency measure”, right?
Dear Sarah Bater
Re: Your request for information: 2516344
Thank you for your request for information that was received on 16 March 2021 in which you requested:
I am emailing to request information relating to a new/temporary vehicle access restriction.
Location – Dulwich Village (Northbound) towards Pickwick Road.
Contravention code -33e using a route restricted to certain vehicles.
Information required – a total of how many vehicles have been ticketed / photographed turning off at this roundabout, Dulwich Village northbound towards Pickwick Road at this camera (see image below), since its installation on Monday 16th November 2020
8,982 warning notices
24,929 Penalty Charge Notices
Correct as of 16/04/21
Trying to live and drive in Southwark in now near impossible. Low Emission Neighbourhood, Bus Gates, road closures to improve air quality, its seems Southwark and many other local authorities have found creative ways to top up funding cuts made by central government, but don’t forget and take comfort knowing Southwark are only doing this for the good of our lungs. The money made from these temporary measures granted under emergency C19 powers ( over £1000.000 and counting ) is just the medicine we must all take to let Southwark Council keep us healthy.
I almost pay a second mortgage each month in alleged parking and moving traffic offences moving around Southwark.
At least Dick Turpin looked you in the eye before taking your money,
quite literally HIGHWAY ROBERRY
What a Joke. Just been finned!
Haven’t driven down this road since before covid. Lived in the area for 10 years. Had to find this article to work out what I had done wrong. The image on the fin and notice is so unclear. Sick of these traffic measure put on whilst on lockdown. When traffic is back to normal there will be grid lock just on other streets.
exactly the same Matthew. Came home just now to find a penalty notice. I had to drive my son to his place of work at a house on Dulwich Village and just drove down Gallery road as I used to do years ago. I never saw a sign and, frankly, such signs need to be BIG RED ONES!
I have just received a ticket for driving down Townley Road/Carlton Avenue. I didnt see a sign saying the road was restricted. Having got the ticket and doing a trawl online ive now found out these cameras were installed since covid restrictions. Fundamentally something is wrong if an alert driver commits a driving contravention and he does not have a clue he has done so. I question the signage at these locations in Dulwich. Has anyone appealed on these grounds and won appeal by any chance? Thanks
I wrote to Southwark council. Under the freedom of information act, I asked how many vehicles had received fines or warnings for driving through the restricted area – pickwell road, where the sign is placed inappropriately (don’t see it, turning off roundabout!)
From November 16th 2020 to April 16th 2021 – 283 vehicles a day!
I have it in writing from Southwark council.
This is one camera; pickwell road camera.
Signage placed to see ONLY as turned into the road.
Disgusting. I will not be paying my fine.
Didn’t see the sign.
Been driving this route for 30 years.
I never saw the sign. I just drove down gallery road off south circular and had to drop my son off at the very end of Dulwich village by East Dulwich grove. Why am I now fined 65 quid ?
This sign is mot visible and cannot be seen when turning into Burbage Rd. It is placed too high and not in red as most warning signs.
I have also just received a ticket for driving down Townley Road/Carlton Avenue. I didnt see a sign saying the road was restricted. Having got the ticket I couldn’t understand why I was fined and only found out by reading this article today! I also question the signage at these locations in Dulwich. I think when there is a newish change such as new traffic signage there should be clear notice to derivers that changes have been implemented and alert drivers. I have never experienced an entire road closure only being shown by a blue bus lane sign with times! Totally misleading and a money making initiative. I am happy to join a joint appeal!
I appealed on the basis that any sign of such highly restrictive nature should be a “proihibitve” sign, i.e. a round sign with red background (such as “No entry” or “No motor vehicles” sign). A blue road sign under the Highway Code is a sign that “gives a positive instruction”. Any new sign of such a restrictive nature should be red with an exception, not blue. I am happy to take it to a tribunal, and happy to be joined by anyone who feels the same.
I so agree with you. Such signs need to be big and red. I drove from gallery road, hit the roundabout and went straight on, as I always have done. It’s appalling that this is such a nondescript sign if you’re coming from gallery road
Roman I am with you on this one. Please keep me posted as i am in the process of appealing
Hi Roman,
Did you have any success with this? Or just best to pay the fine?
Thanks,
Charlie
My husband got a ticket for driving back from the Dulwich Picture Gallery via Burbage Road. Something we’ve always done. Neither of us spotted a sign !
Will use the South Circular Road in future unless they decide to close Gallery Road too ! !
I am also appealing! Totally agree with Roman, the sign should be much clearer and definitely prohibitive, who has time to process the sign that’s there whilst driving off the roundabout and rightfully looking at the road!
I came home to one of these fines yesterday! Like comments above, I am also here to try and understand what I did wrong. What are you supposed to do if you happen to take note of that sign while your on the roundabout…wouldn’t that cause ‘other’ problems?!
Thanks for the comments, will help with the appeal.
Thank you Roman for ‘prohibitive’ information. I also received a fine for £65. I have no idea where the signs were indicating restricted vehicles into Pickwick Road. It must be as you turn into the road, but if I am turning left into a residential road my priority is looking out for pedestrians crossing the road, not looking up to search for signs! I think I will appeal too. The more who do, perhaps will create an impact.
I am a Dulwich Resident and would drive my dog to Belair Park for a walk. On the way there there are absolutley no signs warning of these new road restrictions. The way back the signage is extremely unclear and the signage there is is confusing. I have received 3 fines now and not one courtesy warning notice. I have tried to appeal but have been refused and am now being forced to pay 3 x £130!! It is an absolute disgrace. I work as an ITU nurse at King’s College Hospital and simply do not have this kind of money. I would be extremely grateful if anyone could give me some advice for further actions. Here is what the London Tribunals responded with:
Adjudicator’s Reasons
This is one of several appeals I am considering together arising out of Penalty Charge Notices issued
for the same contraventions, by the same vehicle, at the same location, on different occasions.
A contravention can occur if a vehicle is driven so as to use a route restricted to certain vehicles.
There appears to be no dispute that the vehicle was at this location, as shown in the closed circuit
television (cctv) images produced by the Enforcement Authority.
The vehicle is seen to seen to pass the sign which, the evidence shows, clearly indicates that the
route is restricted to buses, taxis, and pedal cycles only on Monday to Friday at specified times,
including when the Appellant’s vehicle was observed.
The Appellant’s case is that he is a long-term resident in the area and was not aware of the new
restrictions and also saw no adequate advance warning signs.
I certainly accept this evidence but it does not of itself amount to a valid ground of appeal as it it does
remain the responsibility of the motorist to check carefully at all times whilst driving their vehicle, so as
to ensure that they do so only as permitted. This includes making sure that they comply with all
restrictions and prohibitions indicated by the signs. There is no specific requirement for advance
warning signs and the signs that the vehicle is seen to pass are illuminated and on a roundabout, so a
driver could continue to the next exit.
The sign, on each side of the carriageway, is that prescribed by Diagram 953 at Item 33 in Part 2 of
Schedule 3 to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016, being a permitted variant
thereof, as indicating ‘route for use by buses, pedal cycles and taxis’.
The Enforcement Authority did, in exercise of their discretion, reoffer the reduced penalty period in
their Notice of Rejection and whilst I note all that the Appellant says regarding the circumstances, the
Adjudicator is only able to decide an appeal by making findings of fact on the basis of the evidence
produced by the parties and applying relevant law. The Court of Appeal has affirmed that the
Adjudicator has no power to consider mitigating circumstances of any description
Considering all the evidence before me carefully I must find as a fact that, on this particular occasion,
a contravention did occur and the Penalty Charge Notice was properly issued.
Accordingly, this appeal must be refused.
And another £65 for a route I’ve been driving for years, I didnt see any signs and I drive for a living. It just smacks of money raising and just pushing the conjestion (and pollution) to the main roads instead as I need my van for tools and equipment which just won’t fit on a bike.
Literally just got back to 4 PCN’s from the Southwark council.
All within Dulwich.
College Road. There is a sign stating “restricted access ahead”, but that’s it. Is it on the South Circular? College Road south? North? it’s up to you to find out.
Obviously, as you take the turn into college road, you see the red sign and your only exit is the way you came from. If their aim is to make the air cleaner they obviously missed the point if cars still go through most of their way through Dulwich Village only to turn back around.
Gallery Road. Yeap same deal! Thanks for coming!
I think the most insulting one is the Townley road one. Literally getting fined for 20 meters. That is almost criminal.
Just had a look at google maps, and the additional travel you need to do in order to get from the corner on the South Circular where the ToolStation/Tile Giant is to the Dulwich North train station ranges from +70% to more than double the distance.
If they want to impose such moronic “experimental restrictions” better do them up north where they have something more when it comes to public transport than an overground that comes through every half hour and Southern that decided to cancel all their trains today because there were the wrong types of leaves on the tracks.
I have appealed, but looking at Andrew Duckley’s response from the Tribunal it looks like they really don’t give a rats ass.
I wonder whether “There is no specific requirement for advance warning signs” would be the correct response if you were to give the person who made the decision a knuckle sandwich.
Sorry, just had to vent.
I’ve just fallen foul of the Townley Rd camera and had to search to work out what I’d done wrong.
I don’t object to the restrictions, I applaud them in the face of the all-powerful road lobby; the evidence shows that if you make it harder for people to drive, cars will not just move to other places, the number of journeys will be reduced. Ultimately that’s a good, if sometimes inconvenient, thing.
However the implementation of these changes around Dulwich is obscene: the restrictions are clearly catching law-abiding motorists due to inadequate, inappropriate and misleading signing. The point made above regarding the highway code and blue signs “Signs with blue circles but no red border mostly give positive instruction” is damning. This sign is the wrong sign, it’s too little, it’s too late.
Many motorists are also cyclists, pedestrians and residents of traffic filled neighbourhoods. If Southwark council wants the support of all road users, it should make some effort to do a good job of introducing the restrictions rather than alienating potential support.
How many hours of my life am I supposed to waste getting to and from many hospital appointments per year at King’s, the ‘long way round’ ????. But it doesn’t matter does it because I’ll be dead soon due to breathing in all the extra pollution that’s being caused by static traffic around the periphery of the restricted areas (i.e. along Alleyn Road, Park Hall road, going towards Norwood – roads which are used as a ‘rat run’ by commuter drivers but now they can’t move due to road closures so they sit there for hours with engines running). Can’t even go for a ‘healthy’ walk without getting lungs full of exhaust fumes. And BTW I can’t use a bicycle due to a hip injury/metal pins. Thanks Southwark Council, and also Lambeth Council for the similarly insane ‘cycle route’ restrictions on Rosendale Road which have made the road so narrow it’s now dangerous to *all* users.
Just got one of these too – for turning left from Burbage rd into Dulwich Village – I was absolutely astounded!
This seems like a shameless attempt to grab money from motorists! I am a cyclist too and in general its a good idea to try and get more people to leave the car at home when possible, but clearly it often isnt for immobile people and people who need to carry tools and travel a big distance for work.
OK – now for the bit which really makes me think there is SOME CORRUPTION GOING ON HERE!
I was directed this way by Google maps on my phone, like loads of people you would think if you are directed that way by Google maps then it must be fine – they know everything!
Clearly they didnt know about this, but………have a look at that junction on Google maps and try to go on street view (as you might do if for example you were trying to check the validity of these fines)….. that section of Google maps is not available for Street View…………just the little bit right there around this restricted area!
So someone must have asked / told Google to take away street view on that specific area, now if that is the same people who dont want you to appeal a fine, then perhaps they could have also mentioned the restrictions so that Google maps doesnt take you that way when the (well hidden) restriction is in place.
But no, this is legalised theft, on occasions when I have overstayed in a parking space I can accept that, I just pay the fine as its my own stupid fault. In this case I really didnt have a chance!
I have just got one of these. Never driven through area in my life before so not know area. Briefly saw a sign of sorts but NOT a red/beware/ do not enter one as committed to turn – following google. Had car behind me – how do you explain how suddenly braked or ran into child/dog /cyclist whilst craning neck to read sign (that I never had chance to read. Daylight robbery – a good thump would sort out the cowardly little turd who came up this
Came up to help move my son and just received the fine, never noticed the closure sign, it is on you before I had a chance. The worse thing is I went back three days later to continue my help and will no doubt receive another £65 fine. As a visitor to the area you have no chance of knowing until you are fined, utterly disgusted. By the way on my second visit I was carrying a disabled person but who cares!!!
They have made well over 1.6 million pounds if everybody paid the £65.00
Utter disgrace, if the pubs and shops want trade they will suffer!!
NIMBY culture!!
Good to find this thread – I also just got one of these £65 fines from that £1m tax raising camera in Dulwich Village which I couldn’t understand until I found this article – driving my Dad back from King’s hospital down a route I’ve used for 25 years – the signs are totally inadequate, it clearly needs more to warn drivers that they are not allowed down there.
I’m going to appeal using this article as backup, not that it will do me any good but we should continue to raise these issue.
I too received a Penalty Charge Notice today for “transgressing” Dulwich Village (Northbound) towards Pickwick Road – on my way, as I had done many times in the first 6 months of 2020 (but not recently), to Kings College Hospital to pick up my daughter and her premature baby after a check-up. I had also stopped and visited a couple of local shops in the village – so they got some passing trade. Having seen this thread of complaints and a picture of the ridiculous new “permissive ” sign for buses, cyclists and taxis – not fit for purpose given the size of the lettering and its position immediately beyond the roundabout when motorists are concentrating on negotiating it safely while watching out for pedestrians who cross there (by the way why do taxis always seem to qualify for special treatment – they are not “public transport” – they are just cars with 1 or 2 people in them), it is obvious that the sign is not really warning motorists to avoid the Village because of pollution etc (which is a legitimate enough reason) – if alternative routes are offered and clearly signed. Once you hit the roundabout, there is no time to adjust and change course safely if you do in fact see the sign at all – and, if the Council really do want to divert traffic away from there, they should be giving advanced signage at the South Circular to warn motorists when the route through the Village is prohibited and advising alternative routes. The way this scheme has been implemented is no more than a money raising scam dressed up as a “clean air public good” for Dulwich Village.
Has anyone had success with appeals?
Just been fined too, sent there by google maps and signage completely insufficient. Clearly just a tool to help raise income for the council, totally corrupt and immoral.
I am just another severely disabled person who has been forced to pay this unfair penalty notice under duress. I only have my benefits to rely on and now have to go hungry to seriously adjust my already overstretched budget. I did not even see the warning sign before I had already entered Burbage Road. It is so blatantly obvious that this is nothing more than daylight robbery. Dick Turpin had more morals, principles and courage than whoever is responsibly for this money-making scam. Hiding behind an automated camera system to steal peoples hard-earned money or people on lower incomes is hardly helping local people. Forcing us to drive 1-2 miles extra to avoid the area creates more traffic and polouution. Anyone who has seen the arrest of a community support officer, Badge number LH 2269 from Lambeth will know the so-called high calibre of its carefully selected staff is nothing short of pathetic. OK, he was from Lambeth, not Southwark, but what difference does it make? At least that “Sick” Geoff LH 2299 community support officer is behind bars for stalking young children. An absolute disgrace. Shame on those responsible.
My second trip through Dulwich Village and my second fine!!. What makes it worse is because it took a few days to receive the first fine I still wasn’t aware of this unfair fine, now I have two!! No chance of appealing when if you fail you pay the full amount. I hope all those businesses in the area are happy with this, I won’t be going anywhere near Dulwich Village again!
Same experience as all the above. Not from the area but visited the gallery on June 3, then following Google maps, drove up Gallery Rd and turned left into Burbage Rd completely unaware that there were any restrictions. Was astonished to receive a Penalty Notice with a picture showing the small blue bus signs. No obvious indication of limited left turn from Gallery Rd.
this is an appalling restriction of liberty. we took our diabled mother in law to Dulwich Park at a lawful time and then when leaving, we know there were roadworks on the south circular so diverted up through the village, without there being a sign that we could not lawfully go that route!
This is absolutely invidious and Southwark councillors need to know this has electoral consequences. Yhey have a responsibility when restricting access that they make it absolutely clear at every point, as with the Central London congestion zone. This damages local democracy and will do the Labour Party no good at all
And the PCN goes on! June 2021.
Unbelievable reading all the data and grief here.
My sympathies to all that have received this fine.
Similar to previous posts, didn’t see the sign at the roundabout. Will investigate, on foot or by bike.
Here’s my definition of irony: I spent ages selecting a fully electric car with zero emissions to comply with ULEZ and help the environment and got zapped twice (might get a third, I think I’ve driven through there more than twice) with a penalty notice for driving through Dulwich Village (Northbound) the so called ‘experimental’ measure to curb pollution!
Ahh well! I’ll appeal, “electric vehicle = no pollution”, but don’t rate my chances.
Wish me luck!
Any luck with the electric car argument?
If this is what a Labour council will do to raise taxes by the back door, what would a Labour government do?
Where is Boris when you need him?
I have been so paranoid driving through dulwich looking for these signs. I have no choice but to drive and currently.have to drop my child off at Alleyns everyday for summer. I’ve nearly caused accidents looking for these signs!! I have searched online to see a list of roads and specific restrictions. I cannot find anything except one map with areas A,b and c in nice pastel colours but it doesn’t say anything about the restrictions! Today I chose to park off lordship Lane and then walk to Alleyns. Looks like most ppl had the same idea. The traffic to get onto lordship Lane was backed up to dulwich college!! Feel really sorry for people who live in these areas. This scheme hasn’t had any effect of pollution. Its just pushing pushing traffic in other directions. This is an Incredibly short sighted solution. I understand the drivers for it but really don’t think it was thought through. And as for fines… given its been so badly communicated, the first “fine” should just be a warning, accompanied with a clear list of roads and restrictions.
I have received 10 PCN’s in total and was only driving through Dulwich Village because my son had been selected to attend Alleyns Summer School as a child from a low income family. We drove over Dulwich Roundabout from Monday to Friday without realising we were prohibited to do so.
As others had said the blue signs indicate a positive instruction and not a prohibition! The sign on Thurlow Park Road “No through road” rectangle red sign is slightly misleading as it is not actually on Gallery Road. I did not see this sign until after I received the first ticket on the Friday of that week. It was then that I returned to the area and saw the sign, only because I was looking out for signs. Before that I did not see this sign. If the Council really wanted to warn road users of the restriction, this sign should be somewhere on Gallery Road, it is a long enough road and there is no indication of the prohibition whatsoever on Gallery Road on the lead up to the roundabout. The only sign I understood was not to turn left onto Burbage Road, which I did not do. In driving over the roundabout everyday so Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday I received 2 PCN’s each day. On the Friday I still took this route and on returning from taking my son to Alleyns, I received the first 3 PCN’s. I was totally shocked and worked out that I would be in receipt of more. I then decided to ride my bike along with my husband and daughter to collect my son from school. My husband had to put my son on his bike to get back home. One of my PCN’s is on Townley Road. I am still unclear why I only received one PCN for this location as I drove the same route everyday for 5 days? So, it was an offence on the first day but all the other days it was not!??? It is disgusting that the Council can be so cruel. If I had received the PCN’s earlier, we would have taken the long route via Lordship Lane to Alleyns or rode our bikes. I have appealed my PCN’s and all have been rejected. I did seek advice from a company who appeal PCN’s and was initially quoted £290, once I provided all the information I was told it would cost £400. If the appeal was unsuccessful at the London Tribunal I would receive a third of my money back. When I emailed the Council to check if there were any further PCN’s outstanding as I feared I would have more on Townley Road, the Council responded stating that I only had the 10 PCNs recorded on this system, 7 of which were still at £65 and 3 had gone up to £130. I do not understand how some had increased and others remained the same considering I appealed them all at the same time??? At present, all the PCN’s are at £130 and I cannot pay them. I am unemployed as my small business has been ruined due to the pandemic. My husband is self employed as a market trader and due to the pandemic is only working part time hours. It wouldn’t be so bad if the Council requested us to pay for the first two tickets and cancel the one on Townley Road and the further 7 at Dulwich Village as it is obvious that we did not know we were at fault. Why would someone continue to drive through the restricted area if they were aware??? I have no idea how this is going to pan out. Citizens advice are not able to help as the appeal is at the London Tribunal stage and I am furious and totally dumbfounded that the Council are allowed to continue tricking road users to fill their already hefty purse. When will this end!!! I have been back to the location on numerous occasions to film the location of the Dulwich roundabout and people are still unknowingly driving through the area and receiving fine. You would have thought that after all this time, the Council would have put some clearer signs on Gallery Road but, they are happy fooling us all. It is disgusting!
Thought it would be nice to support a local trader and take my daughter (who has recently started a new job in North Dulwich) for lunch in Dulwich Village. It never even occurred to me that I wasn’t allowed to drive down that road!! My contravention, which cost me £65, occurred at 3.45pm. Had to read this article to figure out what i’d done wrong. Won’t be doing that again, so cheerio all the small traders in Dulwich Village who need our support – blame Southwark Council if you don’t get it!
I too got fined for driving through Dulwich Village I only realised what I’d done after going through as it took me time to digest but it was too late. I have driven that route for 30 years so never even thought about it when I drove past the roundabout. I used to enjoy going to the coffee shops in the village and I attended local art groups in the area. However the restrictions have put paid to these activities.
I was served a PCN in March 2021 for driving through Carlton-Townley Road. I didn’t receive the notice until October 11th 2021 as the notice was sent to my old address. Now the gave the collection to an enforcement agency who did proper search to get my correct address. The PCN people didn’t bother to find out whether I received the notice or not and were adding more charges. DVLA was aware of my change of address since 2019.
Now, these restrictions contradicts our fundamental rights of access to roads for which we are paying road taxes.
I think those restrictions should be removed now that most of London, Including Dulwich, are under the ULEZ zone.
I received one of these £65 penalties at the Townley Road/Calton Avenue junction last week (visiting my son from out of town). Interesting that after making >£1.5m, the council can only afford a sign the size of a peanut that did not draw my attention.
Why not either paint the road, or as previous correspondents have said put a red sign up (which other councils use)?
I too was unhappy and extremely disgusted to be given a draconian £65 fine for what was a momentary lapse in concentration driving through Dulwich early morning. I was understandably stressed while on my way to visiting my Partner in Kings College Hospital nearby.
The signage was poor and despite me making an immediate appeal due to these clearly mitigating circumstances, it was cynically declined.
Not a good advert for TFL…SHAME ON YOU..!!