Changes to the South Circular Road (Catford Road)

We propose to move the South Circular Road (Catford Road) to run through the existing Canadian Avenue car park at Laurence House where it will then cross the A21 Bromley Road at a redesigned junction and join directly with Sangley Road. This creates more pedestrian space for the public within the town centre.

The proposals aim to:

• Create a largely car-free town centre with improved pedestrian access to shops, leisure facilities and other local amenities - vehicle access for servicing/deliveries will remain as it is now
• Simplify the road network by removing the one-way system around Plassy Island, making it two-way
• Improve walking and cycling infrastructure with new segregated cycle lanes, pedestrian crossings and wider pavements
• Provide a new public space with trees and greening
• Accommodate Lewisham Council’s Catford Town Centre Framework aspirations to transform Catford

Changes for cyclists

The new section of the South Circular (Catford Road) would feature a new two-way cycle lane along the south side of Catford Road. We also propose to make improvements for cyclists through the town centre. This includes:

• A new two-way segregated cycle lane along the new section of Catford Road
• New segregated cycle lanes along Rushey Green between Catford Road and Brownhill Road - new bus stop by-passes will provide pedestrian access to the bus stops
• A wider northbound bus lane on Rushey Green between Brownhill Road and Wildfell Road
• A new shared facility on the widened southern footway of Sangley Road
• New toucan crossings to improve access between the town centre, stations and the wider area
• Advanced Stop Lanes (‘bike boxes’) and signalised early release for cyclists at the new junction of Catford Road, Sangley Road and Bromley Road

Changes for pedestrians

We want to make Catford town centre a more comfortable place to get around for those on foot. Our proposed changes include:

• Wider footpaths between Catford Bridge Station and the town centre
• A new light controlled pedestrian crossing over Catford Road at Catford Bridge station
• New light controlled pedestrian crossings over Catford Road near Thomas Lane, over Canadian Avenue and over Plassy Road at Sangley Road
• Improved light controlled pedestrian crossings in the town centre
• New light-controlled pedestrian crossings on all arms of the new junction at Catford Road, Sangley Road and Bromley Road
• Simplifying the junction of Rushey Green and Brownhill Road to introduce new ‘straight across’ pedestrian crossings to make crossing the A21 Rushey Green easier for pedestrians

Changes for bus passengers

We would need to relocate some bus stops in the town centre, which may affect journeys for people who travel to or through Catford town centre by bus. Removing the need for some bus routes to travel around the gyratory system will also make some bus journeys quicker. Some bus passengers may have a shorter walk, while others may have a little longer walk from the bus stop to the shops and leisure facilities than they do now.

We have produced a document summarising the changes to bus routes which travel through Catford Town Centre.

While it is not possible to predict exactly how Catford town centre might look should the scheme go ahead, we have provided some computer generated ‘artist’s impressions’ to help people visualise the possible changes.

Rushey Green

This image shows Rushey Green looking northwards towards Lewisham with new pedestrian crossings and cycle facilities.

Catford Road

This image shows Catford Road looking eastwards towards Eltham, and the proposed alignment of the road to the south of Laurence House.

Improving London’s Air Quality is a priority for the Mayor of London. The Mayor of London has an Air Quality Strategy aimed at improving our air and environment including ambitions to reduce vehicle emissions and the number of vehicles on the roads, and encouraging more walking, cycling and use of public transport. This includes implementing the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).

The scheme would reduce exposure to poor air quality in the town centre by moving traffic on the South Circular away from public areas and shops. We anticipate that the improvements to walking and cycling infrastructure will encourage more people to travel on foot, by bike or on public transport, helping to reduce the number of car journeys and associated vehicle emissions.

The expansion of the ULEZ in 2021 to the boundary of the South Circular Road has had a positive impact on air quality so far. In August 2023 the ULEZ will be expanded further, beyond the South Circular Road to cover the whole of Greater London, helping to further improve air quality in this area and across London.

We hope that the physical changes proposed here combined with the policy changes being implemented through the ULEZ expansion will improve air quality in the town centre, and we are currently undertaking assessments of the proposals’ impact on air quality and noise. This work is ongoing and will be completed later this year.

The new road layout would incorporate a small section of the St Dunstan’s College Jubilee Ground at the existing vehicle access to the sports ground on Canadian Avenue. We have been working with St Dunstan’s College to mitigate the impact of the new road layout and to ensure the sports ground can function effectively throughout construction, and once the scheme is complete. We are working with the College to provide an alternative vehicular access to the sports ground.

In designing the scheme we have sought to minimise, the number of trees that will need to be removed. To compensate for any trees which need to be removed, the proposals include new trees and landscaping within the town centre. We will work with Lewisham Council to deliver a net increase in trees in Catford Town Centre.