Elephant and Castle new northern roundabout plans receive mixed reviews

The campaigning group Save Our Subways have launched a campaign against the Elephant and Castle roundabout redevelopment plans, branding the scheme a “bodge”.

The group say in a recently released video that the £4bn plan to overhaul the layout of the notoriously dangerous roundabout has not taken into account Londoners’ views.

Details of the Southwark Council scheme to overhaul the rundown area were published in February promising improved facilities, including 4000 new businesses and 5000 new homes.

The new layout of the roundabout has promised safer access for pedestrians and cyclists and more accessible routes for motor vehicles. However recent statistics released by TFL have shown otherwise. Their results show that pedestrian journey times will increase by 17% and road users by 10%, meaning more pollution and more hassle.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has supplied £200,000 to the scheme, explaining that the “smarter design of our roads and public spaces, exemplified by our radical plans for Elephant & Castle, will play a key role in ensuring that London remains the best big city to live, work and invest.”

Nonetheless there are still questions on Southwark Council’s ability. The recent publicity regarding the local discarded works on Draper House in 2012 highlight when redevelopment plans can go wrong, as the residents of the building have been left forgotten under blue netting and scaffolding for two years.

Watch the Save Our Subways campaign video here.