Because there is so little meaningful evidence (monitoring or data) behind the current road closures and restrictions, we need powerful factual statements from individuals or organisations to show the Council how the measures are affecting everyday life.
If this scheme is having a negative impact on your health, your livelihood, your family life or your general mobility, please let us know.
“Air quality is a real concern”
“Standing traffic is becoming an issue at certain times of the day, which makes it unpleasant for our customers to sit at pavement tables. The fumes in the morning make it almost unbearable. Air quality is a real concern.”
Dulwich Village business
“People are confused by the restrictions”
“Morning sales have been affected significantly. If the closures and restrictions remain, these will not improve. Deliveries are consistently avoiding restriction times. I have recently spoken to businesses on Lordship Lane and the Village now has a nickname of ‘the DEZ’ – the Dulwich Exclusion Zone. People are confused by the restrictions and are therefore avoiding it entirely.”
Dulwich Village shopkeeper
“Four hours of the trading day lost”
“Our morning trade has been decimated as this coincides with the entry restrictions. We regularly hear from customers that their shopping habits are changing because of the Village becoming inaccessible from the south and east. The after-school trade we once enjoyed has now gone too – essentially this is about four hours of the day when Dulwich Village becomes very quiet indeed – four hours of the trading day largely lost.”
Dulwich Village shopkeeper
“They will shop elsewhere”
“When Covid restrictions are lifted and more mainstream shopping resumes, the true impact of the displacement of both car and pedestrian traffic will be felt. It is a simple scenario – deter shoppers from shopping in a certain area, they will shop elsewhere and make Dulwich Village even more irrelevant.”
Dulwich Village shopkeeper
“It is detrimental to our livelihoods”
“We are a friendly, family-run automotive business, specialising in a wide spectrum of car servicing, from MOTs and repair services to bodywork.
“Since the road closures occurred, it has caused a lot of stress and impracticality. The traffic that these closures have created has completely disrupted our business. Many customers living in Dulwich and those from neighbouring areas have routinely voiced their frustration given the time it takes to drop off or collect their vehicles. Similarly, since the start of the pandemic we are operating a “collection and drop off” service to a lot of our customers, namely to those who are vulnerable and shielding. The additional 15/20mins each way is reducing our productivity on site and in the workshop, given it requires two members of the team to assist.
“The congestion and pollution from the traffic is another serious cause for concern. It seems that the nicer suburban roads of Dulwich are now quieter, less busy and less polluted, which is fortunate for those residents and businesses but for those of us living and working on main roads, pollution, noise, congestion and daily frustration is becoming the new norm – which we cannot allow.
“I hope the council will recognise the negative impact it is having on trade within the community and moreover the fact that this is more than an issue of inconvenience to many of us. It is detrimental to our livelihoods.”
Local garage
YOUR STORIES MATTER
Please send us your story (up to 500 words, or a short video) by contacting us at dulwichalliance@gmail.com or by submitting this form. You might be a resident or business-owner, a carer or medical professional, a keen cyclist or someone who relies on public transport – all that matters is that you are happy for us to publish on the Dulwich Alliance website your personal testimony of difficulty or hardship caused by the road closures.
Published contributions can be anonymous, and we will keep your information confidential. However, we would be grateful if you would include contact details in the first instance, so that we can check we’ve got all the details correct before we publish.
Please note that by submitting information to the Dulwich Alliance you are consenting to it being used in line with the privacy statement below.
Thank you for your help. We look forward to hearing from you.
Your privacy is important. Any information you share with us will only be used in connection with the Dulwich road closures and restrictions. Your story, name and contact details will not be disclosed by any Dulwich Alliance supporter, or anyone associated with the Dulwich Alliance, unless you give us permission to do so. All personal and identifiable information will be held securely and deleted at the end of the objection period. You can request for your information to be deleted at any time by emailing dulwichalliance@gmail.com.