Southwark Councillors Scrutinize Lower Road Project's Congestion and Bus Delays Despite Cycling Boost
Southwark councillors have raised concerns about the ongoing impact of the Lower Road Project, particularly regarding congestion and bus journey times, despite a significant increase in cycling since its completion.
During a Southwark Council Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting, councillors questioned the effectiveness of the Lower Road Cycleway 4 (C4) scheme, which opened in March 2024. While the scheme has successfully boosted cycling by 81% and improved road safety, with a reduction in the severity of collisions involving cyclists, persistent issues with congestion and bus journey times remain a significant concern.
The 81% increase in cycling is based on a comparison to 2018 levels, with average monthly cycle trips increasing from 1,747 to 3,163 between 2018 and 2025. Spring average cycle counts have also shown a 32% increase northbound and 21% southbound between 2024 and 2025, with over 3,000 cycle trips recorded on average per day along the route. Despite these positive figures, five out of eight bus routes serving the corridor have experienced reduced speeds compared to 2018/19. Notably, Route 1 has seen an 11% reduction in speed, Route P12 an 8% reduction, Route C10 a 4% reduction, Route 225 a 4% reduction, and Route 199 a 1% reduction.
Councillor Stephanie Cryan highlighted worries about a proposed yellow box junction at Redriff Road potentially increasing traffic in Surrey Docks Ward. Councillor Sarah King questioned the design assumptions of the scheme and their application across the borough, given the detrimental effect on bus times. Councillor Victoria Mills proposed an audit trail to understand the changes made to the scheme since 2019 and the reasons behind them. The scheme was reportedly implemented in stages post-Covid, with executive decisions made by officers and an executive member to alter the original plans, leading to the current situation where the gyratory system requires further attention in Phase 2. It was noted that amendments were made without public consultation, and the effectiveness of the current plan is in question.
Officers acknowledged the ongoing congestion issues and committed to working with ward councillors on future proposals. They also detailed a new approach to engaging with ward councillors on future schemes, emphasizing greater collaboration and the incorporation of local knowledge.
Phase 2 of the Lower Road Project is being developed to address these issues, with two options under consideration: retaining the existing gyratory system with performance improvements or removing it to create a bus-only section of Lower Road. However, funding for Phase 2 has not yet been identified. The council is working closely with Transport for London (TfL) to secure funding, exploring various avenues including potential investment from significant developments in the area through Community Infrastructure Levy, designed to enhance road network resilience for increased housing.
Officers, including Michael Ben (Director of Highways and Parking) and Polyvios Polyviou (Head of Highways and Sustainable Transport Policy), provided an overview of the project, acknowledging the challenges and committing to further improvements. Further details on the project and related discussions can be found in the Public reports pack for the Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting on Monday 05 October 2026.