In spite of the failure of TfL to turn up to two meetings of the Tram Working Group since it began in January, residents and councillors are forging ahead together to examine the detailed issues of the tram route options in Peckham. There has been a visit to the Croydon depot, which confirmed how it bears no comparison with the plan for a depot in Peckham. In Croydon the depot is on the edge of the city, on a site which had been empty, and is surrounded by large sprawling sheds and warehouses. Inside the depot there is a huge maintenance shed and the stabling yards are a flat empty space for the trams to be parked. In Peckham, behind some high security facades a wide expanse of the town centre would in effect be empty space. There is much more work for the Group to do to examine the effects of this on the future of Peckham town centre.
The Working Group is also examining the details of the route options coming through north Peckham into Peckham town centre and across town to the proposed depot site. Several issues were flagged at the meeting on June 5th and include risks to children outside three primary schools, effects on residents in Kelly Ave and Jocelyn Street, effects on the Town Square, impact on traffic flows in the central High St and Hill St, and the widespread effects of congestion at the Consort Rd railway bridge as a result of the turn into the proposed depot site. These will be the subject of a walkabout on Thursday 14th June. If you want details contact info@peckhamvision.org.