Verbal abuse and punch-ups in road drivers use as rat-run

By Joe Coughlan, Local Democracy Reporter

Residents have labelled their road “traumatic” to live in given the amount of verbal abuse they receive from drivers.

Greenwich council has outlined plans to consider adding a speed limit to Larchwood Road after receiving a petition.

Residents said in the petition that they felt Larchwood Road was being excessively used by speeding cars and lorries.

They added that more than 200 vehicles could use the residential road in a 45-minute period during rush hour, with residents experiencing aggression from drivers as a result.

The topic was discussed at a highways committee meeting for Greenwich Council on September 20.

Conservative councillor Matt Hartley, who represents the Mottingham, Coldharbour and New Eltham ward, said at the meeting that the traffic situation in the road was “intolerable” for residents.

He said drivers often used streets such as Larchwood Road to avoid traffic at the junction of Southwood Road and the A20.

Sean Martin has lived in Larchwood Road for 25 years. He said people were becoming increasingly frustrated with the amount of noise from vehicles using the road.

Mr Martin said at the meeting: “As far as the residents are concerned, it’s very traumatic living in that road.

“It’s the noise, the speed, the concern for us crossing the road. We have children and pets and cats.

“There have been several that have been killed, that probably nobody hears about. It’s not something that goes away any time soon, so we still have to live with it.

“The abuse is ridiculous. It comes to blows sometimes and we’ve had enough.”

Another resident of the road, who wished to remain anonymous, said everyone who lives there was in agreement that new measures were needed to control the traffic.

The highways committee decided at the meeting that there was currently not enough justification to add traffic-calming measures to the road ahead of other areas prioritised by the council.

However, the committee outlined that the area would be considered for a 20mph zone and to be included in the Low Traffic Neighbourhood scheme next year.

Pictured top: Larchwood Road, as seen from Southwood Road in New Eltham (Picture: Google Earth)