A group of 47 traders in Herne Hill staged a protest last Thursday against a ‘dangerous’ traffic junction which they claim is harming business.
The traders claim the volume of traffic in the area has made Herne Hill a dangerous and unpleasant place to shop. They said six million cars drive through the junction each year.
The group are calling for the council to implement safer crossings, wider pavements, better drainage and more air pollution monitoring of the junction area.
According to Transport for London road data, 48 people have been injured in collisions around the junction in the last five years. Of those people injured, 21 were seriously injured.
Liam Plowman, from wine shop Wild + Lees, said: “We believe our shops offer significantly more to our community than online shops, but we feel the volume of traffic residents have to navigate to visit us is extremely unhelpful.
“It makes a trip to the shops noisy, stressful and polluted.
He added: “Vehicles mount the narrow pavements, or drive the wrong way along Milkwood Road, to bypass the traffic lights. And all the while thousands of shoppers and families are trying to go about their normal life.”
There are also concerns about air pollution. “We have five members of staff, and we feel responsible for their wellbeing,” said Adi Daly-Gourdialising, from Macatia & Coffee, a specialist coffee shop.
“We know that people who are exposed to air pollution for long periods of time are more likely to suffer from its ill effects. We think more needs to be done to reduce it in the junction.”
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Sam Jessop from gift shop Forget Me Not & Green agreed, saying: “We’re very proud of the vibrant, diverse and competitive offering of our independent shops.
“We work hard to ensure our customers can shop locally and conveniently.
“We employ local people, and believe our shops are an essential part of a community and add an important layer of social glue.
“But it can take several minutes to walk from one part of the high street to the other, crossing several roads. It is inconvenient, unsafe and unpleasant.”
