Latest news with #Catford
The Sun
16 hours ago
- The Sun
We're fed up of living on ‘Britain's most dangerous road' that's like a scene out of Mad Max with car crashes every WEEK
FURIOUS Lewisham residents are fed up with living on a road dubbed 'Britain's most dangerous,' after years of accidents, traffic and pollution. Locals in Verdant Lane, Catford, say their road is like a scene from 'Mad Max' with crashes occurring on a weekly basis. 6 A frustrated group of neighbours have reportedly been working hard to put pressure on Lewisham Council to bring in traffic calming measures, but say nothing has been done. William Bloomfield, 37, is a filmmaker who has lived on Verdant Lane for over five years with his wife and toddler, and likened the road to the popular action series. He said: 'We are having at least one crash a week - if not more. 'It is terrifying. You get cars blasting down at 60mph. 'It often makes Verdant Lane feel more like a scene from Mad Max than a residential road filled with families and young children.' 6 According to residents, the southeast London residential street is surrounded by busy A roads meaning drivers regularly use it as a shortcut. This has left locals fed up after years of accidents, traffic pollution you can 'taste', and a lack of safe places to cross. William added: 'We are just getting nowhere with the council. There isn't the support that we need. 'We have been talking to them for a year now and nothing has happened.' As well as the regular crashes and residents' safety concerns, William also worries about the large amount of pollution caused. He said: 'The risk to health and life is quite severe. The pollution is so bad. I have a toddler who is coughing constantly.' In a bid to help this problem, the Together for Verdant Lane group raised thousands of pounds to plant some trees along the pavements. However, William claims they were denied permission to plant them as cars 'might crash into them.' He said: 'It's a dangerous situation. 'It is quite scary to live here sometimes.' 6 6 Another fed up resident, Gary Nolan, 37, said: 'There are serious accidents on a regular basis. 'It is a weekly occurrence to see some sort of incident. 'It is frustrating that we are not seeing any action.' Gary has lived on the road for over three years and said the problems are especially frustrating at this time of year as he can't open his windows without letting in the pollution. A freedom of information request submitted by residents revealed that there were as shocking 74 reported crashes on Verdant Lane in the span of just five years, between 2019-2024. This is over three times that of surrounding roads. Lewisham council have reportedly told locals that responsibility for the junction lies with TfL, who residents claim have also done nothing. Gary, who works in a bank, said: 'To me it seems like TfL have lost control of the junction and we aren't seeing any proposals from them on how to overcome the problem. 'I am an able-bodied middle-aged man and even I feel vulnerable here. 'If I was slightly older or had children, I would have to avoid the junction at all costs.' He fearfully added: 'It is only a matter of time before there is a major incident where someone is significantly injured.' Gary is at his wits-end as he went on to explain that the pollution is so bad that layers of black dust form on his windows. He said: 'If we don't see an improvement then we will have to consider leaving the area.' Gary's partner, Aine Walsh, 36, appears equally as disheartened. The pharmacist said: 'You notice the pollution in the house. 'After a couple of days there is a layer of pollution on our door from the traffic. 'Luckily neither of us have asthma but I think if you did or you had kids you would be very worried about breathing that in.' With regards to the safety of the road, she added: 'The main problem is crossing in order to get to the station. 'It can take five or six minutes to cross as there is no pedestrian crossing. 'It is really not safe.' With the council and TfL failing to take action, Aine 'can only see it getting worse.' In 2013, nine-year-old Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, was the first person in the UK to have air pollution recognised as a factor in her death, and lived nearby. She died following an asthma attack with an inquest later revealing that pollution from the A205 South Circular Road 'made a material contribution' to her tragic death. Anna Resier, 34, moved to the area with her husband and toddler three years ago. She expressed her concerns as a mother, saying that she is constantly afraid for her own child. Anna works as a climate change policy worker, and said: 'In the winter my son was quite ill and had a cough and we were worried that we were giving him asthma just by living here.' 6 6 Anna reflected on Ella's passing, adding: 'It wasn't long ago that the first registered death happened from air pollution at the end of the road. 'It is a constant worry. We have had quite serious conversations about moving. "At peak times you can taste the pollution in the air. It is not a pleasant experience.' Residents say that despite their road's coverage in the press which led to it being dubbed 'the most dangerous in the UK', very little action has been taken. A TfL spokesperson said: "Enabling all Londoners to travel on the transport network safely remains our top priority. 'We take people's concerns about road safety seriously and always welcome feedback from local residents. "There are a combination of factors which can cause congestion issues at the A205 junction with Verdant Lane, including a narrowing of the A205 under the railway bridge and the current works at the junction with Baring Road. "We have recently reviewed the signal timings at this location and will continue to monitor roads in the area to ensure the road network works for all." A Lewisham Council spokesperson also said: "We have been working with this group of residents over the past few months, holding regular meetings to discuss the issues they have raised. 'During these meetings, we have also invited representatives from Transport for London (TfL) to hear the concerns first-hand and ensure they are reported for further investigation. "The junction that has raised the most concern is part of the main road network and therefore falls under TfL's jurisdiction. 'As such, we will continue to work closely with them moving forward. "We are currently conducting surveys and traffic counts to assess the number of vehicles using Verdant Lane and their average speeds. 'In addition, we are exploring suitable tree-planting options that will not interfere with existing parking arrangements, dropped kerbs, or underground infrastructure. 'Residents will be kept informed of the outcomes of this work. "The Council remains committed to working with the community to improve safety, reduce pollution, and enhance the local environment."
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
Terror of living on 'Britain's most dangerous road': Residents say they are fed up of living on 'Mad Max' street where there are crashes every week
Residents living on a road dubbed 'Britain's most dangerous' say they are fed up after years of accidents, traffic and pollution you can 'taste'. Locals on the residential road in southeast London compared their street to being like a scene from 'Mad Max'- with crashes on a weekly basis. Verdant Lane in Catford is surrounded by busy A roads meaning drivers constantly use it as a shortcut, according to residents. A group of neighbours have been working hard to put pressure on Lewisham Council to bring in traffic calming measures but they say nothing has been done. William Bloomfield, 37, who has lived on Verdant Lane for over five years with his wife and toddler, compared it to the action series Mad Max. The series of five dystopian movies are famous for their high-speed chases, brutal vehicular combat and a total disregard for road safety. An FOI request submitted by residents revealed that there were 74 reported crashes on Verdant Lane between 2019-2024, which is over three times that of surrounding roads. Lewisham council have reportedly told locals that responsibility for the junction lies with TfL, who residents claim have done nothing. Mr Bloomfield said: 'We are having at least one crash a week - if not more. It is terrifying. 'You get cars blasting down at 60mph. It often makes Verdant Lane feel more like a scene from Mad Max than a residential road filled with families and young children. 'We are just getting absolutely nowhere with the council. There isn't the support that we need. We have been talking to them for a year now and nothing has happened.' The filmmaker says the traffic is so bad it can take him up to half an hour to drive to the end of his street. The constant flow of cars is also causing a large amount of pollution, which Mr Bloomfield says is leaving black dust all over his home. To counteract this, the Together for Verdant Lane group raised thousands of pounds to plant some trees along the pavements. However, Mr Bloomfield says they were denied permission to plant them on the grounds that cars 'might crash into them.' He added: 'The risk to health and life is quite severe. The pollution is so bad. I have a toddler who is coughing constantly. 'It is a dangerous situation. It is quite scary to live there sometimes.' Gary Nolan, 37, who has lived on the road for over three years, added that there are serious accidents on a 'regular basis' wot it being a 'weekly occurrence to see some sort of incident'. 'It is frustrating that we are not seeing any action,' he said. 'To me it seems like TfL have lost control of the junction and we aren't seeing any proposals from them on how to overcome the problem. 'I am an able-bodied middle-aged man and even I feel vulnerable here. If I was slightly older or had children, I would have to avoid the junction at all costs. 'It is only a matter of time before there is a major incident where someone is significantly injured.' Mr Nolan, who works in a bank, says that the problems are especially frustrating this time of year, as he can't open his window without letting in pollution. He continued: 'When the traffic builds up you can feel the pollution in the air.. If you leave your windows open for a day there will be a layer of black dust. 'If we don't see an improvement then we will have to consider leaving the area.' His partner, Aine Walsh, added: 'You notice the pollution in the house, it leaves a layer of dust on all the surfaces. After a couple of days there is a layer of pollution on our door from the traffic. 'Luckily neither of us have asthma but I think if you did or you had kids you would be very worried about breathing that in.' The 36-year-old pharmacist says that her main worry is trying to cross the road which she claims can take up to six minutes. She said: 'We knew it was a relatively busy road when we bought the house, but it seems that it is getting worse over time. 'The main problem is crossing the road in order to get to the station. It can take five or six minutes to cross as there is no pedestrian crossing. It is really not safe. 'People often get irate waiting in the traffic and break the rules which causes accidents. The pent-up frustration from how busy the road is causes crashes. 'I can only see it getting worse if the council don't do anything. It is dangerous.' Nine-year-old Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, who was the first person in the UK to have air pollution recognised as a factor in her death, lived nearby. In 2013 she died following an asthma attack and an inquest later found pollution from the A205 South Circular Road 'made a material contribution' to her death. Anna Reiser, 34, who moved in three years ago with her husband and toddler said that having the young girls grave near her home means she is constantly afraid for her own child. The climate change policy worker said: 'There is so much congestion. I continue to be worried about the health impact that has. 'In the winter my son was quite ill and had a cough and we were worried that we were giving him asthma just by living here. 'At peak times you can taste the pollution in the air. It is not a pleasant experience. 'It wasn't so long ago that the first registered death happened from air pollution at the end of the road. She is buried in the graveyard just opposite our house. 'It is a constant worry. We have had quite serious conversations about moving.' The residents say that their road has often been reported by press as 'the most dangerous road in the UK.' But, the group say despite this coverage there has been very little action to fix the dangers. A TfL spokesperson said: 'Enabling all Londoners to travel on the transport network safely remains our top priority. 'We take people's concerns about road safety seriously and always welcome feedback from local residents. 'There are a combination of factors which can cause congestion issues at the A205 junction with Verdant Lane, including a narrowing of the A205 under the railway bridge and the current works at the junction with Baring Road. 'We have recently reviewed the signal timings at this location and will continue to monitor roads in the area to ensure the road network works for all..' A Lewisham Council spokesperson said: 'We have been working with this group of residents over the past few months, holding regular meetings to discuss the issues they have raised. 'During these meetings, we have also invited representatives from Transport for London (TfL) to hear the concerns first-hand and ensure they are reported for further investigation. 'The junction that has raised the most concern is part of the main road network and therefore falls under TfL's jurisdiction. 'As such, we will continue to work closely with them moving forward. 'We are currently conducting surveys and traffic counts to assess the number of vehicles using Verdant Lane and their average speeds. 'In addition, we are exploring suitable tree-planting options that will not interfere with existing parking arrangements, dropped kerbs, or underground infrastructure. 'Residents will be kept informed of the outcomes of this work. 'The Council remains committed to working with the community to improve safety, reduce pollution, and enhance the local environment.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Six injured and five in hospital after crash in Catford
Six people have been injured and five taken to hospital following a crash in Catford. The ambulance service and police were called to the junction of Brownhill Road and Torridon Road around 5.30pm yesterday (June 9). Pictures of the scene show two cars with heavy damage behind an emergency cordon. Two paramedic crews and officers arrived and six people were treated for their injuries. Three of those were taken to hospital by ambulance with one discharged at the scene. It is understood that two other people were taken to hospital by the police. A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: 'We were called at 5.31pm yesterday (9 June) to reports of a road traffic collision at the junction of Brownhill Road and Torridon Road, SE6. 'We sent resources including two ambulance crews and an incident response officer. 'We treated six patients at the scene and took three of them to hospital.'
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Yahoo
Mystery surrounds South London car 'break in' after owner finds 'strange liquid' on seat
A 'strange liquid' left by a South London thief has a car owner baffled - with some suggesting the mystery fluid could be a bizarre 'calling card'. Chris McCartney warned Catford locals about the odd substance after accidently leaving his car unlocked on his driveway on Aldermoor Road earlier this year. A doorbell camera caught two opportunists stealing Mr McCartney's coat from the back seat at around 12:30am on March 23. When he went to check the vehicle in the morning, Mr McCartney said he found an unusual wetness which reminded of him another occasion when a single pound coin was stolen and the back seats were 'soaked'. Video footage of the coat theft shows the stealers walking past the vehicle and one of them testing the door. Once he gains access he can be seen leaning down inside the car, searching for items. The video gives no clue to how any secretions were left on the seat. READ MORE: 867-home South London scheme to be decided by Planning Inspectorate after developer got restless READ MORE: 'I'm a lot happier': Croydon woman tells abusive ex who assaulted her life is better without him Posting on Lewisham Catford Community, Mr McCartney wrote: "Hello everyone, I stupidly left my car unlocked last night (kind of have the flu) on our driveway on Aldermoor Road. "This pair rifled through the car at half past midnight (one kept lookout) and got away with my coat that I had left on the back seat. They also left a strange liquid on both front seats, presumably drool. Police noted it down but seemingly nothing they can do. "This happened before at after midnight when I last left it unlocked. They took a pound coin, but also left the doors slightly open and soaked the back seats. The same guy came back a week later and tried the doors on all the cars down the street. Not expecting anyone can help, just a heads up that it is happening and when if general does. Crime reference: 01/7297103/25." In the comments, some neighbours said the substance could be urine, while one suggested it could be a calling card. Historically, calling cards have been used by high-profile criminals. It's thought some burglars also leave chalk signs in front of houses that are worth targeting. Other residents gave useful advice, like keeping car key fobs at the back of the house so crooks cannot hack into to them as easily. Another resident suggested turning off the keyless feature, which can be done on most keyless vehicles. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said there have been no arrests. Got a tip, a court date, or some gossip? Please email or WhatsApp 07580255582. Don't miss out on the latest crime stories from across London. Sign up to MyLondon's Court & Crime newsletter HERE.
