| 1. Walworth Society Meetings We do not have a meeting in August so our next meeting is planned for 7pm Weds 16th September. Full details to follow. The minutes of our July meeting can be downloaded here |
| 2. Large Digital Advertisements across Walworth and North Southwark In order to raise revenue Southwark Council is proposing a series of very large advertisements on main roads across (mostly) the north of the borough. We have counted 10 applications to date. While we are sympathetic to the financial arguments as to why they are needed, the damage that these “freestanding monopoles and digital screens” are likely to cause for the locations that they are proposed in is very considerable and, as a society, we feel that there are strong grounds to object to the ones that are proposed for the Walworth area. Four of the applications affect the Walworth area. The one in Burgess Park has been withdrawn and visualisations of the three that remain are shown below.  We understand that people may think that this is a trade off that the council needs to make at this time but if you would like to object, the society has put together an outline objection in the pdf below that you might like to make use of. Click here Details of the three live applications and their application numbers are listed in the pdf. The three Walworth applications have very few objections to date (compared to the ones in Southwark Park and Rotherhithe) so please do consider objecting if you have time. The main grounds that we are using to object are as follows: Visual clutter: The proposal adds another large commercial structure to an already busy streetscape, creating significant and cumulative visual clutter. Scale: Digital 48 displays and Digital Mega 6 displays are substantially larger than ordinary street furniture and will dominate nearby buildings and pedestrians. Brightness: LED illumination is visually intrusive, particularly during hours of darkness and during the long hours without daylight in winter. Road safety: Rapidly moving or changing images as are proposed here can distract drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, particularly near signal-controlled junctions and crossings. Data shows that there are already high numbers of road casualties in each of these locations all of which are close to a complex junctions; the addition of further distraction will add to pedestrian and cyclist danger. This is contrary to the Vision Zero targets and policies for London and Southwark. Public realm: The proposal commercialises public space without providing a corresponding public benefit. Residential amenity: Nearby homes overlook the display and issues of light spill, glare and changing illumination will affect residents. Cumulative impact: It is important to note that this is one of nine currently live applications for large digital advertisements across north Southwark focused on the Walworth and Elephant & Castle, Old Kent Road and Rotherhithe areas. It is important that they are viewed both singly and cumulatively as, if approved, they are in danger of altering the character of these locations across the borough degrading aspirations of improving the sense of place to highly commercialised, motor vehicle dominated locations which are focused far more on movement only. To object: a) go to the Southwark planning portal: planning.southwark.gov.uk/online-applications/search.do?action=simple&searchType=Application b) type in the application that you would like to comment on: 26/AP/1554 – Newington Butts (3 objections to date), 26/AP/1535 – Draper House (3 objections) and 26/AP/2155 Bricklayers Arms (1 objection). c) Make a comment. Your personal details will not be shown but nowadays you will need to log in to make a comment. Please feel free to make use of our suggestions and add your own thoughts about the impact these advertisements will have. Thanks so much! |
| 3. TfL consultation – changes to the 42 bus route News from TfL about proposed changes to the number 42 bus route: We are consulting on proposals to shorten route 42 so that it no longer operates between Tooley Street and Liverpool Street. This would simplify the network and better match capacity to demand by removing the 42 from a section of route already well served by route 78, which operates up to every 10 minutes. As well as reducing duplication and operating costs, we also expect the changes would provide a more reliable service on route 42 by removing it from Tower Bridge, as buses currently get delayed during Tower Bridge lifts, leading to uneven gaps in service and buses getting cancelled. These proposed changes are part of our work to keep London’s bus network reliable, frequent, and easy to use for everyone. They are designed to make sure services continue to meet people’s changing travel needs, while reducing unnecessary duplication. To find out more about the proposals please visit our website. The closing date for comments is Sunday 20 September 2026. If you prefer, you can also: Email: haveyoursay@tfl.gov.uk ‘FREEPOST, TfL Have Your Say (Bus route 42)’ (no stamp needed) Complete our online survey at tfl.gov.uk/42-bus-tooley-street |
| 4. Object to more flights over south London The consultation about the plans for a third runway at Heathrow is now open. Possible have created an easy to use tool to object to the plans for more flights over south London. Just click here to make use of it  |
| 5. Better Bus Southwark – consultation results If you wanted to see what people have said about local bus services and how to improve them, the results of Southwark’s engagement can be seen here and the full report can be downloaded here  |
| 6. Local News. 1. E&C Railway station to get new ticket gates and here 2. Pembroke House – Academy of Music Fundraising. Help us ensure that every child has the chance to learn music. Click here 3. Petition to Parliament to create community right to buy for empty pubs that are Assets of Community Value. Click here to sign. 4. Southwark Life feature on the history of the Surrey Canal – pages 32 and 33. Click here  |
The Walworth Society 
MCD OMP worryingly normalises parking on Double Yellows when loading full.
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