Councillors Join Forces to Stop Rat Run Becoming Permanent

Borough and Bankside Councillors have joined Lambeth Liberal Democrats Councillor Donna Harris and local residents to call on Lambeth Council to stop a rat run on the Lambeth-Southwark border near Southwark Station becoming permanent.

The Council introduced an Experimental Traffic Order during the pandemic and will on Friday, 4th August, make a decision on whether to make it permanent.

The current scheme has proven to be a disaster for residents, with HGVs and other disruptive vehicles now forced to drive through a residential conservation area. Shocking videos produced by residents show how HGVs regularly get stuck attempting to navigate the narrow streets with tight turns.

The so-called "Waterloop" has also led to signs and lamposts being damaged, and has even caused some cyclists to be injured.

With emergency services regularly being called to attend to stuck vehicles and injured locals, the prospect of this arrangement becoming permanent is clearly worrying for the residents of Ufford Rd and Mitre St.

The grounds for action is clear - with the impacted area containing a children's play park, and transport officials themselves recognise the increased volume of clearly inappropriate traffic through the affected areas.

Cllr Harris and Cllr Von Wiese are calling on the Council to rectify the situation urgently. They propose a range of alternative measures including the restriction of coaches and HGVs from entering specific roads, the implementation of modal filters, and enhanced traffic management through clear signage and traffic management orders.

Commenting, Borough and Bankside Liberal Democrat Councillor Irina Von Wiese, said:
"The impact of the Experimental Traffic Order has been nothing short of a disaster for the residents of Ufford Road. I'm pleased to be able to join Cllr Harris across borough borders to support residents in their campaign to put an end to the nonsensical traffic situation."