Junction Review : East Dulwich Grove and Townley Road

The junction at East Dulwich library isn't great but the next one on my route at the junction of East Dulwich Grove and Townley Road isn't all that much better. Some of the features are similar; ASLs, lights, lots of pedestrians, but DG:TR also has schools, railing-controlled pedestrian crossings and, from west to east, a gently sloping hill.

Here it is:



I mostly approach this junction from the north or south and only rarely from the west so it's difficult to get the full picture of just what it's like to ride across. South to north generally isn't too bad although you do have to contend with the normal problems of ASLs - drivers stopping beyond the stop line (almost as if they didn't know the rules of the road) or trying to push past you when you pull away.

North to south, though, is strangely worse. To the north the road leads quickly to Green Dale cycle path, a dead end for motorists, and so there are seldom southbound cars waiting at the lights. Northbound cars turning right generally do allow cyclists to cross the junction but it's a bit dicey and definitely something that could intimidate a novice cyclist; some drivers do seem to be in a hurry to get away at the lights and stopping to allow oncoming bikes to cross the junction sometimes appears to be an afterthought.

It would be nice to remove the railings that impede pedestrian movement, add cycle lanes in both directions, maybe allow simultaneous green lights for cyclists.