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New Sydenham Road improvement scheme starts in January

Ring-fenced capital means that the long-awaited improvements to Sydenham Road between the roundabout and Mayow Road can still go ahead. Designs are currently being finalised and work on the scheme will begin in the New Year. Fourteen trees 3m tall, with a maintenance contract, will be planted along the high street and in the planned pocket squares at Venner and Queensthorpe Roads and the ridiculed wobbly roundabout will be re-profiled to minimise its slope (and greened, we’ve been promised). The areas of the pocket squares, outside the Naborhood/Sydenham Centre and Station Approach (also in the pedestrian improvement plan) will be paved in York stone, whilst the rest of the high street will have reinforced concrete pavoirs. The area around the Post Office and the Naborhood/Sydenham Centre will also be re-modelled to sort out the changes in the various levels.
Lamp columns have been chosen and these will carry the road signs, traffic signals and other street furniture where possible and dis-used phone boxes will be removed. The large circular advertising column will go but other Deceaux advertising panels will, in some cases, be relocated but, because of a long-term contract, cannot be permanently removed.
Puffin (Pedestrian User Friendly Intelligent) crossings will be installed at the Greyhound, Venner and Queensthorpe Roads. These can detect both waiting and crossing pedestrians and adjust the timing of the lights accordingly. Traffic light controlled crossings will be in operation at Newlands Park and Mayow Road, allowing a pedestrian phase on all roads. Detailed modelling of before and after traffic movements indicate, by using an adjustable linked system of traffic control, journey times on the main road will be 15% faster than currently.
Network Rail has given permission to demolish the low wall next to the estate agents office on the bridge and the toilet block will also be removed. Approaches will be made to Transport for London to see if a toilet facility can be made available within the station building. There will be an undercover bin store built for residents of the flats in Station Approach thereby removing one of the most unattractive aspects of the area greeting visitors to Sydenham.

Lewisham has made a bid to TfL for funding for Phase Two of the Sydenham Road improvements for that part of the road between Mayow Road and Bell Green. The outcome of this bid is awaited.

Somerfield returns to Sydenham

For those with long(ish) memories, Sydenham had a branch of Somerfield on the site now occupied by Lidl. With the sale of Safeways, first to Morrisons and subsequently to Somerfields, things have come full circle and this supermarket will have a presence on the high street once again.

Many will remember Somerfield as a rather downbeat store, an impression reinforced by the company’s purchase of the old KwikSave chain not so long ago. But times have changed, and Somerfield is busy reinventing itself with new formats and an emphasis on fresh food. The re-vamp of its Lordship Lane shop into a ‘Market Fresh’ store shows the way the company is going, with attractively laid-out interiors with a tempting array of produce.

Regeneration
With regeneration of the high street in mind, the Sydenham Society has written to the Somerfield management stating that SE26 is a prime location for a refurbished Market Fresh-style store. We have stressed that the high street benefits from the services of a town centre manager and has a flourishing traders organisation; that Sydenham has a range of good quality housing stock with a mix of families and young professionals; that the area has attractive parks and green spaces; and that, in the longer term, the arrival of the East London Line will help revitalise the area.

Long term might be market fresh
In the short term, Somerfield are planning a quick refurbishment in early February – the store will be shut and the new range of goods installed. Longer term they have told us that a final decision about its format will depend on their own retail analysis of shopping patterns in the area. In the meantime, you can make your views known on what kind of store you would like to see by writing to Somerfield, details below, or you can visit their website and fill in the customer feedback form. You can also join in the debate on Safeway/Somerfield by going to the forum on the Sydenham Town website.

It’s up to us
The more interest Sydenham shows in Somerfield the better. Remember, their retail analysts are watching us!
You can visit the Somerfield website, or contact them by post:
Somerfield Stores Ltd
Somerfield House
Whitchurch Lane
Whitchurch
Bristol BS14 0TJ
New Year 2005