As reported by ‘The London Forum of Amenity & Civic Societies’ on 10th July 2025
The 2025 results for the ‘Healthy Streets Scorecard for London boroughs’ have been published.
In its Results Overview, which shows the scores for each borough, the report states “Rising star Newham leaps five places in 2025 and receives special Most Improved Borough award. Accolades also go to overall winner City of London, best Inner London borough Islington, and best Outer London borough Waltham Forest.”
The indicators cover:
1. Borough-wide Low Traffic Neighbourhoods;
2. A default 20mph speed limit on all borough and Transport for London controlled roads;
3. Small-area Controlled Parking Zones borough-wide;
4. Protected cycle lanes on main roads;
5. Traffic-free streets around all schools and safe walking and cycling routes to school;
6. Bus priority on all routes 24/7.
Lewisham has fallen over the last year from 15th place in 2024 to 18th place in 2025.
Full details can be found either on the London Forum website at:
We are saddened to report that Patti (Patsy) Byford, a long-standing member of the Lee Manor Society, has died aged 85.
Patti was a regular volunteer at our Sunday Ice House openings and it was her failure to turn up to a planned opening at the beginning of June that made us aware that she was unwell and had been taken into Lewisham Hospital. Her quiet presence will be sadly missed.
Patti’s funeral will take place at Hither Green Crematorium, Verdant Lane, London SE6 1TP at 1pm on Thursday, July 24th 2025.
Lewisham’s mayor and cabinet have approved plans to extend their Sustainable Streets initiative – involving permit-only parking, street trees and electric vehicle charging points – to streets to the east of Burnt Ash Road. Only three streets are mentioned in the plans given the green light on July 9 although the original proposal unveiled in February covered all the streets on the Dorville Road side of Burnt Ash Road.
Streets referred to in the council plans are Burnt Ash Hill, Cambridge Drive and Upwood Road with no mention of Leyland Road, Dorville Road or Carston Close. In addition, council traffic planners seem to think Burnt Ash Hill, which runs from the south circular to the Lee station bridge, continues all the way to the Lee Green crossroads.
No mention is made of the length of time for which parking restrictions would apply but the changes will be made by extending the existing Lee Green controlled parking zone, covering much of the Lee Manor conservation area, the mayor and cabinet said. Permit parking in this controlled parking zone (CPZ) run from 10 am to 12 noon Monday to Friday suggesting these timings will apply to the east of Burnt Ash Road.
The original plans for the sustainable streets initiative east of Burnt Ash road suggested imposing parking controls from 9 am to 5 pm which apply in some other CPZs. The Society had objected to any such move on the grounds it would make life difficult for carers and tradesmen and the residents themselves.
Consultation of residents in the half-dozen separate CPZ zones that cover Lee showed a general resistance to any extension of the time period covered by parking controls. There was strong support for tree planting and safer crossings and junctions with moderate support for cycle storage and electric vehicle charging points.
Once sustainable measures are installed they will be subject to review after six to 12 months by council officers, not by councillors or the mayor and cabinet. Council officers failed to turn up to a planned meeting with residents in February and refused a Society offer to arrange an alternative meeting.
If the council has confused Burnt Ash Hill with Burnt Ash Road then controls would apply between the Lee station bridge and the Lee Green crossroads. What is not clear is if this would include the narrow parallel road between Leegate and Dorville Road. The Society called for controls on parking alongside the avenue of mature trees along this road to prevent damage and compaction of the soil. No reference is made in council’s paperwork to this issue though tree planting and presumably care is a cornerstone of the sustainable streets policy.
Sustainable streets aims to improve air quality and road safety, reduce noise and traffic congestion and make neighbourhoods greener and healthier by reducing car use. The council wants 80 per cent of all journeys to be by cycle, walking or public transport by 2041. Fifty-five per cent of Lewisham’s streets are covered by CPZs, one of the lowest levels of any London borough.
Many local residents are collaborating with organisations like the Lee Manor Society to plant more street trees. This is helping green our local streets and reduce air pollution. It’s an expensive business putting in new trees so if you’re lucky enough to have a newly planted tree near you, it’s important to help it survive in the current hot weather. So, we are urging you to water these trees every few days with a watering can holding at least 5 litres of water, more if you can manage it.
You may wish to check with your neighbours to see if others are doing this also and agree to share the job. Most street trees are planted with a plastic pipe to pour the water into which goes into down to the tree’s roots. If there is no pipe, then water the area around the tree (not the trunk) as it’s the whole root ball that needs water most.
Top tips:
– The best time to water is in the early morning as this helps to minimise evaporation and gives the tree water to use throughout the day.
– If morning time isn’t possible for you, then water in the evening. Try to avoid watering in the hottest part of the day though.
