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Tram Working Group makes good progress

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.

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We need [tram] depot study

�I was intrigued by your article “Put tram line and says Shawcross” (Southwark News, 25th January). Whilst reserving my comments on the pros and cons of a tram tunnel under the park, it is great to see that Val Shawcross is asking for serious alternative considerations of the tram
depot locations. In Peckham Vision our campaign has been rightly pressing for a review of all possible tram depot locations. In order to correct the flawed way in which the proposed depot site right in the heart of Peckham town centre was chosen, the review must include an accurate and transparent comparison in public, of the merits and ‘dismerits’ of each site. So, I urge Val Shawcross and all those who want to see good decision making on the tram, to press for transparent feasibility study, including Environmental Impact Assessment, not only of Burgess Park but all other possible tram depot locations along and around the whole of the proposed tram route.

Alfred Banya (Peckham Vision)

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A lot has been going on…

A lot has happened since the last blog. Here are some of the latest developments. More to follow.

COMMENTS DEADLINE 30 JANUARY

If you are interested in the cross river tram – have you had your consultation brochure yet? If not get a copy from TfL at Freephone 08002 346 004 email crt@tfl.gov.uk www.tfl.gov.uk/crt The deadline for comments is 3O January.

TRAM TERMINUS & TRAM DEPOT

The main consultation about the depot will happen later. But this brochure shows two options for the terminus – 1. going down Clayton Rd, Consort Rd and through the proposed tram depot site; 2. going down Cerise Road ending at the Multi storey car park. Both equidistant from Peckham Rye train station, but the Cerise Rd one is shorter and has less effect on houses and traffic, and could happen without a depot in Peckham.

TRAM DEPOT CAMPAIGN

Peckham Vision is suggesting people mention their concerns about the depot plans in the space for comments in the tram route consultation reply form, and support the call for a comprehensive review of all possible sites BEFORE the tram depot consultation. TfL are looking at a number of other sites, but this needs to be transparent and accurate unlike their previous site selection processes. The review needs to asses the technical issues, the costs, and the accurate positive & negative impact on each & every possible location, and the results made known before or at the beginning of the tram depot consultation.

TRAM ROUTE OPTIONS BURGESS PARK TO PECKHAM

Meeting with TfL on Thursday 1 February 7pm – 9pm at Willowbrook Centre, 48 Willowbrook Road, SE15 (Peckham Hill St opposite Bird in Bush Road). Organised by the Friends of Burgess Park. Get your queries answered by TfL, and discuss with others the issues of various options.

PECKHAM, NUNHEAD & PECKHAM RYE COMMUNITY COUNCILS’
TRAM WORKING GROUP

Proposed by Peckham Vision, this has now been set up, and is open to anyone interested in making a contribution. There will be a series of meetings over the next few months at the town hall to discuss the details across a number of topics covering the route options, the depot, and the benefits and disbenefits of the tram and the depot on Peckham. If you want to be involved in this, you need to be on the Council mailing list – email: liza.morshead@southwark.gov.uk phone: 020 7525 1018.

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Planning Committee supports call for ‘comprehensive and fair’ review of tram depot locations

A Peckham Vision deputation to the Planning Committee Tuesday 5 December asked them to support the call for a comprehensive review of the tram depot locations. As a result the Committee have agreed to ask the Executive to make every effort to urge TfL to do a ‘comprehensive and fair’ assessment of all the possible depot locations.

Eileen Conn for Peckham Vision said “We are delighted as this acknowledges that the original assessment was not comprehensive and fair. Now we hope that the Executive will also agree to press TfL to do this comprehensive review, so that the decisions about the right places to locate the tram depots can be taken on accurate information instead of the ‘misinformation’ that the Peckham site was ‘derelict’.”

Peckham Vision have requested a deputation to the Executive at their meeting on 12 December to ask them to support the PLanning Committee’s call.

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Tram depot needs proper examination

Letter to Southwark News

You report (23 November ‘first showing of the tram route plan’) the Peckham Vision view that “local businesses will go to the wall if the depot displaces them”‘. This is very true, and dozens of artists and several churches would go with them.

But in addition to that, there is yet another very important issue. This site, in the heart of Peckham Town Centre, is of strategic importance to its future. The significance of this has never been examined. Indeed, as we know, the Planning Inspector said that the decision to locate it in Peckham had been a ‘defective’ decision based on ‘misinformation’ that the site was ‘derelict’. The current successful uses just hint at the significant potential of the site to revive Peckham town centre; potential that would be lost for ever if the depot goes ahead. It all just needs to be properly examined, before it is too late. That is why it is essential that TfL gets ahead urgently with the comprehensive review called for by TfL’s own consultants’ report. We are glad to see that Val Shawcross supports the call for that comprehensive review.

Eileen Conn
pp Peckham Vision

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Letter of the week in the South London Press

A Peckham resident won Letter of the Week in the South London Press (SLP) (24 November). She has recently moved to Peckham and been shocked to discover the plans to decimate the centre of Peckham for the tram depot.

The SLP has asked readers what they think about the depot plans and their impact. Peckham Vision encourages everyone to write in and give their views to help the debate: send your letters by email to newsdesk@slp.co.uk

Peckham Vision has replied:

Dear Editor, South London Press

Your Letter of the Week (24 November) drew attention to the devastating impact of the plan to put the tram depot in the heart of Peckham Town Centre. Thank you for seeking readers’ views on this, as it is essential there is a well informed debate about the issues this raises before final decisions are made. Peckham Vision, a group of local residents, traders, and artists, came together to do just this.

It has become obvious that this site may have significant potential for a whole new approach to Peckham Town Centre. The current uses are a mix of small start-up businesses, creative arts, and community centres in churches, and they give just a hint of the potential role the site could play at the heart of an integrated regeneration of Peckham town centre.

The significance of this has never been examined. Indeed, as we know, the Planning Inspector said that the decision to locate the depot in Peckham had been a ‘defective’ decision based on ‘misinformation’ that the site was ‘derelict’. It could be that the site is a priceless asset for a different future for Peckham town centre, a future that would be lost for ever if the depot goes ahead. This is not necessarily to be against the depot at this stage. But it all just needs to be thoroughly examined. That is why it is essential that TfL gets ahead urgently with the comprehensive review called for by TfL’s own consultants’ report.