Bermondsey’s infamously congested Jamaica Road will see twenty closures for resurfacing at some point next year, the News can reveal.
While an exact date has not been given, Transport for London has assured the works will not happen at the same time as the Tower Bridge closure – which has caused further tailbacks along the road and will last until December 31.
News of the resurfacing works, which will likely last a month, was revealed by TfL to Southwark Liberal Democrat Leader, councillor Anood Al-Samerai.
“In the long running battles with TfL about traffic chaos, Liberal Democrat councillors have learned that Jamaica Road is due to be resurfaced as part of their cycle super highway works,” she said.
“We are alarmed that this may involve even more disruption in the area.”
While a date for the work is unclear, it comes as heavy congestion continues due to the eastbound closure of Tooley Street for work on London Bridge Station and Tower Bridge’s three month closure for vital refurbishment.
Last week the News reported how TfL was not going to open the eastbound bus lane on Jamaica Road to traffic, despite a petition being signed by more than five hundred people.
Tower Bridge is also to close to pedestrians on the weekends of November 26-27, December 3-4 and December 10-11, between 8am – 10pm.
Throughout the closure a signed diversion is in place taking drivers northbound over London Bridge and southbound over Southwark Bridge.
Three London Bus routes that use Tower Bridge (42, 78 and RV1) are affected and TfL has put in a range of measures to help minimise disruption, including:
- A free ferry service on the weekends that it’s closed to pedestrians, to help people cross the river
- Drivers will not incur the Congestion Charge on the signed diversion routes
- And all road works apart from emergency ones will be banned in the area throughout the closure
It’s interesting that those proposed cycle superhighway works, which are already causing considerable congestion throughout central London, are nowhere to be found on Southwark Council or TfL’s websites. Some archive material exists, but it’s all terribly hush-hush. And can I ask what the problem is with using the bus lanes for cyclists along what even Southwark Council admit is one of the most congested roads in London at peak times.