Southwark wants to make Lordship Lane and Grove Vale a red route and close Spurling Road at Goose Green to through traffic. The survey closes on 29 November.

Southwark Council wants to turn Lordship Lane and Grove Vale into a red route, with stopping and loading restricted throughout the day. The plan would also close Spurling Road at Goose Green to through traffic and stop drivers turning from Grove Vale into East Dulwich Road.

The proposals cover the road from East Dulwich station to the South Circular. They are part of Better Bus Southwark, which the council runs with Transport for London. The council’s survey opened on 17 October and closes at 11.59pm on Sunday 29 November. By early on 12 November, 423 people had taken part.

Why the council says it is needed

The council says more than 20,000 people a day use the bus stops on this stretch, and that buses are often held up in traffic. It says nearly 90% of visitors to Grove Vale and Lordship Lane come on foot, by bus or by bike. It also says there have been “numerous collisions” at the Goose Green roundabout, and that the road has several dangerous crossings.

What would change at Goose Green

The council’s plan for the roundabout, Sheet 3 of its drawings, proposes:

  • Spurling Road closed to through traffic, except for cycles, with the space turned into new public space
  • no entry into East Dulwich Road from Grove Vale; drivers could still turn left out of East Dulwich Road
  • the zebra crossings moved 12 metres back from the roundabout, and the traffic islands removed
  • a parallel crossing for people walking and cycling, so cyclists heading east or west can avoid the roundabout
  • the disabled bays outside the East Dulwich Tavern replaced by double yellow lines for deliveries, with disabled bays moved elsewhere in Spurling Road
  • a 15-metre bookable loading bay on a pavement loading pad, with no stopping from 7am to 10am and 4pm to 7pm

Along the rest of the road

  • A red route along the whole stretch, with double red lines meaning no stopping at any time in many places.
  • 24-hour bus lanes, widened to 3.25 metres in places. Most now run only at peak times or from 7am to 7pm.
  • A fully signalised junction at East Dulwich Grove, with pedestrian crossings on all three arms.
  • Two new crossings over Lordship Lane, one by Milo Road and one near Court Lane, and a speed table at the existing crossing by Townley Road.
  • Bus stops moved. The Goose Green stop (J) would be split in two and moved, and the Derwent Grove stop (U) on East Dulwich Grove would go. A new stop would serve the 37 and 42.
  • Wider pavements at many side roads, often with a raised road surface.

Southwark has separately proposed making the existing bus lanes on Lordship Lane and Grove Vale run 24 hours, through a traffic order whose objection period closed on 5 November.

Parking and loading

The free parking in the shopping streets would change. Today’s “30 minutes free” bays would become pay-by-phone bays with a two-hour maximum stay, and the first 30 minutes would stay free. The drawings show these bays charging from Monday to Saturday, 8.30am to 6.30pm. The council says they would stay free overnight.

Other changes in the drawings:

  • several new loading bays, mostly on side roads, some of them bookable
  • parking removed from the northbound bus lane between Ashbourne Grove and Hansler Road
  • free, unrestricted bays along the quieter, mainly residential stretches further south, which the council says match today’s peak demand
  • some parking near the South Circular end removed, with Melford Road named as the alternative
  • the Route 12 bus stand in Friern Road moved and resized to hold four buses

What happens next

The council will review the responses and draw up amended plans. These would go to a formal statutory consultation in early 2027, when people can object again. If approved, the council hopes to build the scheme in 2027-28.

What it means for you

  • To have your say: fill in the online survey by 29 November. The council says it takes about 10 minutes.
  • To see the detail for your stretch: the 12 drawings are on the same page. Sheet 3 is Goose Green and Sheet 4 is the East Dulwich Grove junction.
  • To talk to the team: drop-in sessions are at Grove Vale Library on Friday 13 November and Friday 20 November, 1pm to 3pm. You can register on the consultation page.
  • Paper copies are at Grove Vale Library, or email betterbussouthwark@southwark.gov.uk.
  • If you drive to the shops: a short stop in a bay would still be free, but stays of more than two hours would no longer be allowed in the town centre bays.

Sources

  • Southwark Council, Safer travel on Grove Vale and Lordship Lane: proposals, event list, survey dates and participant count, read on 12 November 2026.
  • The council’s 12 consultation drawings for the route (LBS-SD170-CONS-GA), dated 26 June 2026, on the same page.