Give Lewisham’s pedestrians the right of way! Safe crossing at Waldram Place & Perry Vale
The Issue
The roads I have to cross to get to Forest Hill station are some of the most dangerous I've experienced in London. Crossing the road at Waldram Place and Perry Vale means waiting for a kind driver - often this is rare. Then you have to hope that drivers coming the other way understand that someone already crossing has priority. This is why I'm asking for a safe crossing at Waldram Place & Perry Vale.
Recently, a driver refused to give way while I was crossing with my son in his pram. This is one of the most popular routes to the station, and it’s used by school children walking without their adults. At the moment there is nothing to give pedestrians a safe chance to cross. We are relying on chance and goodwill.
This is not just our experience.
Since January 2022, the Highway Code told drivers to give way to pedestrians when turning into or out of side roads. But the rule isn’t enforced, and it relies largely on driver courtesy.
This danger is not shared equally. Disabled people are 5 times more likely to be injured when walking and wheeling than people without disabilities. People who are blind or partially sighted can’t make eye contact with a driver, and children and people with neurodevelopmental conditions can struggle with informal “negotiation” at a crossing. And lack of a safe pedestrian crossing directly undermines TfL's Vision Zero strategy by forcing vulnerable pedestrians to risk their safety, as they travel to the numerous schools, shops and services in the area.
But there is a proven, low-cost fix!
Side road zebra crossings are simple painted stripes across the mouth of a junction, with positive results. They give pedestrians clear priority exactly where they want to walk. At Edgware Road station in Westminster, the share of drivers giving way rose from 20% to 80%. And a 2023 trial in Cardiff also found a significant increase in drivers giving way, with no evidence that the simplified crossing was riskier than a full one. They are also cheaper. London side zebras start at around £5,000, versus £120,000 for a traditional zebra with beacons.
Dear TfL - we need this in Lewisham so we can prioritise walking, wheeling and cycling, improve our health, reduce pollution, and tackle climate breakdown.
This is for everyone. Polling for Living Streets found that 76% of parents would be more likely to walk their children to school if there were zebra markings at side roads. Safer crossings mean more people with different needs walking, more people leaving the car at home, and stronger, healthier communities.
We are calling on...
- TFL to install a safe, priority crossing here. This could be a side road zebra or another option such as a raised or controlled crossing.
- Review other dangerous hotspots in Lewisham, working with council officers, councillors and TFL to encourage the roll out of safe crossings.
I’ve lived here for six years, and I want my son to grow up in a borough where walking to the station or to school isn’t a gamble - for all of us. Please sign and share!
Thank you,
Grace Shotbolt
References:
2
The Issue
The roads I have to cross to get to Forest Hill station are some of the most dangerous I've experienced in London. Crossing the road at Waldram Place and Perry Vale means waiting for a kind driver - often this is rare. Then you have to hope that drivers coming the other way understand that someone already crossing has priority. This is why I'm asking for a safe crossing at Waldram Place & Perry Vale.
Recently, a driver refused to give way while I was crossing with my son in his pram. This is one of the most popular routes to the station, and it’s used by school children walking without their adults. At the moment there is nothing to give pedestrians a safe chance to cross. We are relying on chance and goodwill.
This is not just our experience.
Since January 2022, the Highway Code told drivers to give way to pedestrians when turning into or out of side roads. But the rule isn’t enforced, and it relies largely on driver courtesy.
This danger is not shared equally. Disabled people are 5 times more likely to be injured when walking and wheeling than people without disabilities. People who are blind or partially sighted can’t make eye contact with a driver, and children and people with neurodevelopmental conditions can struggle with informal “negotiation” at a crossing. And lack of a safe pedestrian crossing directly undermines TfL's Vision Zero strategy by forcing vulnerable pedestrians to risk their safety, as they travel to the numerous schools, shops and services in the area.
But there is a proven, low-cost fix!
Side road zebra crossings are simple painted stripes across the mouth of a junction, with positive results. They give pedestrians clear priority exactly where they want to walk. At Edgware Road station in Westminster, the share of drivers giving way rose from 20% to 80%. And a 2023 trial in Cardiff also found a significant increase in drivers giving way, with no evidence that the simplified crossing was riskier than a full one. They are also cheaper. London side zebras start at around £5,000, versus £120,000 for a traditional zebra with beacons.
Dear TfL - we need this in Lewisham so we can prioritise walking, wheeling and cycling, improve our health, reduce pollution, and tackle climate breakdown.
This is for everyone. Polling for Living Streets found that 76% of parents would be more likely to walk their children to school if there were zebra markings at side roads. Safer crossings mean more people with different needs walking, more people leaving the car at home, and stronger, healthier communities.
We are calling on...
- TFL to install a safe, priority crossing here. This could be a side road zebra or another option such as a raised or controlled crossing.
- Review other dangerous hotspots in Lewisham, working with council officers, councillors and TFL to encourage the roll out of safe crossings.
I’ve lived here for six years, and I want my son to grow up in a borough where walking to the station or to school isn’t a gamble - for all of us. Please sign and share!
Thank you,
Grace Shotbolt
References:
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Petition created on 1 November 2026