Hundreds of fed up drivers have signed a petition to have the eastbound bus lane on Jamaica Road opened to all during “busy periods”, as Bermondsey was branded a “car park”.
The petition has been flooded by supporters just days after the closure of Tower Bridge, with demands that the bus lane on the UK’s slowest road is opened as it often sits empty.
Supporter Harry Chapman commented on the petition: “Bermondsey is now one massive car park and this bus lane must be opened for the public to use at all times.”
Calls for the changes comes as the 122-year-old Tower Bridge shut for “essential maintenance” work at the beginning of the month, leading to more traffic jams.
It has been signed more than 350 times, with supporter Eddy Walsh saying it’s “stupid that this is 24/7 buses only”.
Danny Marshall, another supporter, said: “Traffic is ridiculous and Saturday gone I spent over two house in traffic travelling from Southwark Park Road to Lower Road and back again – a journey that should take ten minutes!”
Authorities came under fire soon after Tower Bridge closed to traffic last weekend as Hollywood blockbuster Transformers 5 was seen being filmed on the road as people were stuck in traffic.
One driver, Raymond Shields, took to social media to write a song: “Tower Bridge is closed for now, closed for now, closed for now. Tower Bridge is closed for now and Bermondsey is at a standstill.”
The bridge is closed to traffic for three months and to pedestrians on the weekends of November 26-27, December 3-4 and December 10-11, between 8am – 10pm.
Throughout the closure a signed diversion is in place taking drivers northbound over London Bridge and southbound over Southwark Bridge.
Three London Bus routes that use Tower Bridge (42, 78 and RV1) are affected and TfL has put a range of measures to help minimise disruption, including:
- A free ferry service on the weekends that its closed to pedestrians to help people cross the river
- Drivers will not incur the Congestion Charge on the signed diversion routes
- And all road works apart from emergency ones will be banned in the area throughout the closure
TfL was contacted for comment.
To sign the petition, visit www.chn.ge/2dEL9Gq
Opening this bus lane will not do anything but snarl up the bus routes. There are choke points further down the road which cause the congestion, you could build another 4 lanes here and they would still be congested due to the choke points which are unable to deal with the overflow traffic from the bridge.
Looks like those people driving a ’10 minute journey’ should find an alternative method, sitting angrily in your car while busses, cyclists, motorcyclists and perhaps even people walking stream past you isn’t a fun way to spend your morning.
Remember, you’re not stuck in traffic. You ARE the traffic.
Why is Danny Marshall taking their car on a ten minute journey in central London? Surely public transport or a bike might be more suitable?
Southwark Park Road to Lower Road is quite literally a walk in the park. I’m amazed at so many similar comments on the petition.. “it’s a 10 minute walk but took me an hour in the car”.. well WALK THEN! If you don’t you’re adding to the problem as well as wasting time and money and polluting our air.
So when you say ‘open’ the bus lane you mean clog it up with cars so that those who travel by bus can’t get to work, school or shops. Just so we can follow the cryptolect.