First time poster! I was wondering if anyone else has noticed that since the recent Thames Water works on Waldram Crescent, the reinstated traffic lights seem to have a significantly longer phase between the green and red pedestrian crossing signal? It would make more sense to me if the green signal was a little longer, as I now often see people waiting when they could have crossed. Not sure if this is managed by TfL or locally.
Ah yes, I have noticed. I normally start walking when the road traffic light tuns red. On that crossing recently I will have completely crossed the road before the green pedestrian appears. So I think the green man could light up sooner, but perhaps TFL donāt trust drivers to stop for a red traffic light until itās been there for a few seconds.
Sorry if I was unclear, but I actually meant the gap between the green man and the red man - there now seems to be a long āblankā phase between the two. Maybe youāre long gone by that time! In any case, it looks like the timing overall has been changed, and in my experience it seems to be quicker to go red for traffic after pressing the button. Just wondered if anyone knew more about how these timings are set.
I think itās a delayed switch from red man to green man. Pedestrians are waiting for green, several seconds after the road traffic has stopped for a red light.
Interesting discussion. I spotted something about this the other day. As you walk down the road towards the crossing from the station, you can get an idea if you might be able to get across, and I remember being surprised that the crossing light was off / blank for longer than I expected (Iāve had 20 years of getting used to it, so I guess thatās why we notice it). I didn;t think much of it at the time, but I think you are right.
I will see if I can get some answer to this from TfL, but I doubt it is a local issue. I suspect that research has been done to show that turning off the green sooner, stops users from starting to cross who might get caught part-way across.
Iām guessing that the logic is that if it turned to red earlier, and we got too used to there being a long pedestrian red before cars get a green light, it might be tempting to ignore it and try to dart across more often. The blank space is effectively your āamberā warning.
Maybe all such crossings should have timers instead.
Iāll see if TfL will share any information as that crossing needs re-evaluation anyway, and I also agree that it feels like the delay between green crossing lights has also been extended which leaves people frustrated and therefore likely to try to get across with the traffic, which is dangerous because of the hoarding blocking the view from one side.
To be honest, I largely jump those lights. I know thereās a small phase between being able to cross the road from London Road to the traffic island before cars start coming from Dartmouth Road.
I remember when I was on the Transport Committee of the FHS and we were discussing it back then which must be at least 10 years ago? That whole Waldram Crescent, London Road, Dartmouth Road crossing needs a revamp. Personally Iād dump the traffic island especially the Waldram island with a single crossing instead of that tiny traffic island which I think will be safer and encourage pedestrians to stay at either side of the road.
I think this is referring to the crossing on the other side of the station, at the end of Perry Vale. Waldram Crescent runs under the bridge but ends at Devonshire Road. The station crossing on the town side is actually across Devonshire Road.
Both crossings are still on the Transport Committee radar, and have been raised with councillors, so maybe we can finally see some pressure on TfL to change these
For the avoidance of doubt, I believe this is the crossing that the original post refers to:
Apologies for quality of pics, I was in a hurry.
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Oh yes! It was late when I posted about the Devonshire Road lights.
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Yes, I meant the crossing pictured! I think all of the crossings near the station could do with a rethink, as well as the junction of Perry Vale and Waldram Place, where drivers so often fail to give way to pedestrians on both sides.
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Iād also like to see a zebra crossing by the subway on Perry Vale, but if I recall itās too narrow there when it was last discussed.
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Iām going to throw a guess in there and say the gap is of the same timing that you would usually see of a countdown on a crossing. Green goes off, countdown starts, red comes on.
Iām gonna guess that the software is updated but the hardware doesnāt support it.
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That was the perceived wisdom but I think things are different now that it is a 20mph zone. The new zebra crossing on Woolstone Road would have been impossible before the 20mph zone as it is too close to the junction. Similarly the crossing at the Perry Vale side of the underpass is perfectly viable in a 20mph zone and with a raised cushion, just to the south of the underpass.
Perhaps it is time for another petition to the council - which seemed to work on Woolstone Road (under the previous control of the council).
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Snapped this quick clip to explain what I meant about the timings on the lights. I get the impression there will be a countdown timer added at some point. Otherwise the wrong software has been loaded onto the crossing which assumes it has one.
I hope youāve sped that up, or else it seems a bit of a trap for pedestrians crossing with a fast countdown like this 
I think you may be right about the missing countdown timer though
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We may well be in a 20mph zone but I reckon a large number of drivers donāt stick to the speed limit in SE23..Just this evening after Iād crossed London rd by Sainsburys a car went roaring towards Dulwich at at least 50mph.
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Lol I did indeed speed it up, I know what peopleās attention spans are like these day. 