Southwark Council's Lower Road Project faces scrutiny over funding, consultation, and design changes
During a meeting of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee on Monday, 05 October 2026, councillors discussed the progress and future of the Lower Road Project, a significant undertaking aimed at improving sustainable transport and active travel.
The committee received an update on the Lower Road Project, which has seen an 81% increase in cycling trips since its completion in March 2024. Despite these successes in promoting cycling and reducing collision severity, congestion and bus journey times remain significant issues. Phase 2 of the project, which aims to address these problems, is currently unfunded, prompting questions about the council's contingency plans.
Councillors expressed frustration over the perceived lack of consultation and transparency regarding changes made to the scheme since 2019. The Lower Road Cycleway 4
(C4) scheme, which opened in March 2024, saw significant design changes from the original 2019 proposals. These changes aimed to maximize vehicle capacity
of the existing gyratory, which had created a poor environment for walking and cycling, and to address concerns about road safety, cycling infrastructure continuity, and severance effects created by the historic highway layout.
The C4 scheme was designed to complete the final Southwark section of Cycleway 4, creating a continuous strategic cycling route between London Bridge and Greenwich,
support a long-term shift towards more sustainable and space-efficient forms of travel,
and improve safety and accessibility for people walking and cycling along Lower Road.
Councillor Stephanie Cryan highlighted concerns about a proposed yellow box junction's impact on bus journeys, while Councillor Sarah King questioned the design assumptions. A yellow box junction is proposed to be reinstated at the Redriff Road/Lower Road junction to keep the junction clear and improve safety and traffic movement.
However, the meeting information does not detail how its specific impact on bus journeys will be monitored.
Councillor Victoria Mills called for an audit trail to understand the changes made to the scheme, and Councillor Bill Williams sought clarity on the council's Plan B
for Phase 2 funding. At present, no funding has been identified to deliver Phase 2 of the programme, and its progression is dependent on securing an appropriate funding source. Therefore, projected costs are not available.
Phase 2 is intended to address the remaining issues
and fully address the challenges within the area,
specifically aiming to improve transport for all concerned in the area
by making sure that the second phase of that program which wasn't implemented originally which was in relation to buses and changes to the Zorik East radar is what we're now looking to try and make sure we can move forward to deal with some of the implications of the loss of capacity that there is on lower road.
Officers, including Michael Ben, Director of Highways and Parking, acknowledged the ongoing congestion issues and committed to working with ward councillors on future proposals. They detailed the introduction of a Lane Rental Scheme, set to charge £2,500 per day for works on Lower Road during peak hours, to incentivise faster and more coordinated roadworks. This scheme is aiming to be introduced by spring 2027, with its effectiveness assessed based on evidence from Transport for London's (TfL) scheme, which has shown positive results in reducing work duration and disruption.
Following implementation, feedback and monitoring led to further design adjustments to the C4 scheme, including improved signage, blue surfacing, tactile paving, signal upgrades and changes to segregation layouts.
The decision to make the scheme permanent on September 3, 2026, also included a package of associated safety and operational improvements,
such as reinstating right turns at Culling Road and Ann Moss Way, increasing separation between cyclists and general traffic at key junctions, introducing raised junction tables, adding a yellow box junction at Redriff Road, realigning the cycle track at Orange Place, and adding belisha beacons at floating bus stop crossings.
These changes were influenced by public feedback gathered through the Experimental Traffic Order process
and statutory consultation on the permanent Traffic Management Orders.
The original Equality Impact and Needs Assessment (EINA) for the Lower Road project identified that proposed kerb-segregated cycle infrastructure could restrict vehicle access for some residents, particularly disabled residents, and this segregation was accordingly withdrawn from the design to maintain access.
The Equality Impact and Needs Assessment
was considered in the decision to make the scheme permanent and influenced design amendments.
The committee discussed potential recommendations, including the administration funding Phase 2 with a delivery plan, revisiting the equalities impact assessment, formalising regular meetings with ward councillors, and requesting a clear audit trail of all changes since 2010. More information can be found in the Public reports pack.