By ROBERT FOLKER
Residents living on a road dubbed 'Britain's most dangerous' say they are fed up after years of accidents, traffic and pollution you can 'taste'.
Locals on the residential road in southeast London compared their street to being like a scene from 'Mad Max'- with crashes on a weekly basis.
Verdant Lane in Catford is surrounded by busy A roads meaning drivers constantly use it as a shortcut, according to residents.
A group of neighbours have been working hard to put pressure on Lewisham Council to bring in traffic calming measures but they say nothing has been done.
William Bloomfield, 37, who has lived on Verdant Lane for over five years with his wife and toddler, compared it to the action series Mad Max.
The series of five dystopian movies are famous for their high-speed chases, brutal vehicular combat and a total disregard for road safety.
An FOI request submitted by residents revealed that there were 74 reported crashes on Verdant Lane between 2019-2024, which is over three times that of surrounding roads.
Lewisham council have reportedly told locals that responsibility for the junction lies with TfL, who residents claim have done nothing.
William Bloomfield, 37, who has lived on Verdant Lane for over five years with his wife and toddler, compared it to the action series Mad Max
An FOI request submitted by residents revealed that there were 74 reported crashes on Verdant Lane between 2019-2024. Pictured: A damaged car on Verdant Lane
A group of neighbours have been working hard to put pressure on Lewisham Council to bring in traffic calming measures but they say nothing has been done
Mr Bloomfield said: 'We are having at least one crash a week - if not more. It is terrifying.
'You get cars blasting down at 60mph. It often makes Verdant Lane feel more like a scene from Mad Max than a residential road filled with families and young children.
'We are just getting absolutely nowhere with the council. There isn't the support that we need. We have been talking to them for a year now and nothing has happened.'
The filmmaker says the traffic is so bad it can take him up to half an hour to drive to the end of his street.
The constant flow of cars is also causing a large amount of pollution, which Mr Bloomfield says is leaving black dust all over his home.
To counteract this, the Together for Verdant Lane group raised thousands of pounds to plant some trees along the pavements.
However, Mr Bloomfield says they were denied permission to plant them on the grounds that cars 'might crash into them.'
He added: 'The risk to health and life is quite severe. The pollution is so bad. I have a toddler who is coughing constantly.
Mr Bloomfield said: 'We are having at least one crash a week - if not more. It is terrifying'
Pictured: A car has smashed through the front of a property on Verdant Lane
Gary Nolan, 37, who has lived on the road for over three years, added that there are serious accidents on a 'regular basis'
'It is a dangerous situation. It is quite scary to live there sometimes.'
Gary Nolan, 37, who has lived on the road for over three years, added that there are serious accidents on a 'regular basis' wot it being a 'weekly occurrence to see some sort of incident'.
'It is frustrating that we are not seeing any action,' he said.
'To me it seems like TfL have lost control of the junction and we aren't seeing any proposals from them on how to overcome the problem.
'I am an able-bodied middle-aged man and even I feel vulnerable here. If I was slightly older or had children, I would have to avoid the junction at all costs.
'It is only a matter of time before there is a major incident where someone is significantly injured.'
Mr Nolan, who works in a bank, says that the problems are especially frustrating this time of year, as he can't open his window without letting in pollution.
He continued: 'When the traffic builds up you can feel the pollution in the air.. If you leave your windows open for a day there will be a layer of black dust.
Verdant Lane in Catford is surrounded by busy A roads meaning drivers constantly use it as a shortcut, according to residents
An FOI request revealed there were three times the amount of crashes on Verdant Lane between 2019-2024 than surrounding roads
'If we don't see an improvement then we will have to consider leaving the area.'
His partner, Aine Walsh, added: 'You notice the pollution in the house, it leaves a layer of dust on all the surfaces. After a couple of days there is a layer of pollution on our door from the traffic.
'Luckily neither of us have asthma but I think if you did or you had kids you would be very worried about breathing that in.'
The 36-year-old pharmacist says that her main worry is trying to cross the road which she claims can take up to six minutes.
She said: 'We knew it was a relatively busy road when we bought the house, but it seems that it is getting worse over time.
'The main problem is crossing the road in order to get to the station. It can take five or six minutes to cross as there is no pedestrian crossing. It is really not safe.
'People often get irate waiting in the traffic and break the rules which causes accidents. The pent-up frustration from how busy the road is causes crashes.
'I can only see it getting worse if the council don't do anything. It is dangerous.'
Aine Walsh says that her main worry is trying to cross the road which she claims can take up to six minutes. Pictured: Gary Nolan and Ms Walsh
Nine-year-old Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, who was the first person in the UK to have air pollution recognised as a factor in her death, lived nearby.
In 2013 she died following an asthma attack and an inquest later found pollution from the A205 South Circular Road 'made a material contribution' to her death.
Anna Reiser, 34, who moved in three years ago with her husband and toddler said that having the young girls grave near her home means she is constantly afraid for her own child.
The climate change policy worker said: 'There is so much congestion. I continue to be worried about the health impact that has.
'In the winter my son was quite ill and had a cough and we were worried that we were giving him asthma just by living here.
'At peak times you can taste the pollution in the air. It is not a pleasant experience.
'It wasn't so long ago that the first registered death happened from air pollution at the end of the road. She is buried in the graveyard just opposite our house.
'It is a constant worry. We have had quite serious conversations about moving.'
Ella Kissi-Debrah, nine, died in 2013, after three years of seizures and 27 visits to hospital for treatment to breathing problems
The residents say that their road has often been reported by press as 'the most dangerous road in the UK.'
But, the group say despite this coverage there has been very little action to fix the dangers.
A TfL spokesperson said: 'Enabling all Londoners to travel on the transport network safely remains our top priority.
'We take people's concerns about road safety seriously and always welcome feedback from local residents.
'There are a combination of factors which can cause congestion issues at the A205 junction with Verdant Lane, including a narrowing of the A205 under the railway bridge and the current works at the junction with Baring Road.
'We have recently reviewed the signal timings at this location and will continue to monitor roads in the area to ensure the road network works for all..'
A Lewisham Council spokesperson said: 'We have been working with this group of residents over the past few months, holding regular meetings to discuss the issues they have raised.
'During these meetings, we have also invited representatives from Transport for London (TfL) to hear the concerns first-hand and ensure they are reported for further investigation.
The residents say that their road has often been reported by press as 'the most dangerous road in the UK'
But, the group say despite this coverage there has been very little action to fix the dangers
Lewisham council have reportedly told locals that responsibility for the junction lies with TfL, who residents claim have done nothing
'The junction that has raised the most concern is part of the main road network and therefore falls under TfL's jurisdiction.
'As such, we will continue to work closely with them moving forward.
'We are currently conducting surveys and traffic counts to assess the number of vehicles using Verdant Lane and their average speeds.
'In addition, we are exploring suitable tree-planting options that will not interfere with existing parking arrangements, dropped kerbs, or underground infrastructure.
'Residents will be kept informed of the outcomes of this work.
'The Council remains committed to working with the community to improve safety, reduce pollution, and enhance the local environment.'
Facebook Conversations