Peckham High Street has been known to the authorities and TfL as a death trap for years. But it has taken nearly six years, and four pedestrian deaths, to even start a public consultation on what exactly can be done to make the road safer.
The delays are simply unacceptable, and hugely frustrating to grieving families who have had to see others go through the same ordeal.
Even with the modified layout, safer crossings, and a lower 20mph speed limit they suggest, many people feel the only solution is to stop people from crossing outside designated areas.
Many people have campaigned to have the removed railings that used to line the road reinstated. Especially at junctions, railings are often removed to make the road safer for cyclists who are at risk of being crushed.
Although the circumstances of each fatality on the road will be different, they were all pedestrians and we know the three formally named knew the road well.
Now the delayed consultation has started, it is so important that everyone who has signed the petition to reinstate railings, or has witnessed collisions, comes forward with their views and shares them with TfL.
Longer-term, Vision Zero is City Hall’s commitment to end serious accidents and deaths on our roads in the next two decades. This wider strategy is partly about identifying danger hotspots and fixing those roads and junctions – like Peckham High Street.
But it also acknowledges that even in the safest places, at any time pedestrians and drivers can make mistakes or take risks not worth taking.
People who live in Peckham, and those who regularly travel in the area, will know which sections of the road pose the most risk and what times of the day get particularly congested.
Your knowledge can help save lives – and be a fitting tribute to those who have died and their bereaved families.
Click here to see the full plans and share your views with TfL.