London Borough of Southwark - Lower Road congestion relief

London Borough of southwark

Lower Road congestion relief

The London Borough of Southwark (Charged-for parking places) (Lower Road congestion relief) Order 2025

The London Borough of Southwark (Free parking places, Loading places and Waiting, Loading and Stopping restrictions) (Lower Road congestion relief) Order 2025

The London Borough of Southwark (Prescribed routes) (Lower Road congestion relief) Traffic Order 2025

The London Borough of Southwark (Width restriction) (Lower Road congestion relief) Traffic Order 2025

1.      Southwark Council hereby GIVES NOTICE that on 4 December 2025 it has made the above Orders under sections 6, 45, 46, 49 and 124 of and Part IV of Schedule 9 to the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, as amended.

2.      The effects of the (Prescribed routes) Order are to:-

(a)     remake an existing prescribed route Order to amend the existing north-eastbound one-way operation for motor vehicles in COPE STREET to include a corresponding 'no entry' from its junction with LOWER ROAD (with 'except cycles' plates to permit cycles to enter using the new mandatory segregated south-westbound contraflow cycle lane); and

(b)     implement a mandatory segregated south-westbound contraflow cycle lane in COPE STREET extending the entire north-west side bounded 1.5 metres south-east of, and parallel to, the existing kerb-line for the use of cycles only travelling in a south-westbound direction in Cope Street. There would be limited exemptions and no exemptions for emergency services vehicles for either of the above restrictions.

3.      The effects of the (Width restriction) Order are to implement a width restriction of 2 metres (6.6 feet) in that part of COPE STREET which lies between a point 39 metres north-east of the north-eastern kerb-line of Rotherhithe Old Road and a point 44 metres south-west of the south-western kerb-line of Lower Road. This restriction would be effective on the entirety of COPE STREET as there would be a physical width restriction (with no turning points) and so there would only be exemptions for emergency vehicles travelling in a north-eastbound direction and of a certain width.

4.      The effects of the (Charged-for parking places) Order are in existing Controlled Parking Zone (‘CPZ’) 'N':-

(a)     in COPE STREET (i) north-west side 22 metres (‘m’) north-east of the north-eastern kerb-line of Rotherhithe Old Road remove 10m in length existing permit-holders’ only parking ('permit'), (ii) north-west side 22m north-east of the north-eastern kerb-line of Rotherhithe Old Road add 16.5m new 'shared-use' (permit-holders’ only and ‘Pay by Phone’) parking that operates Monday – Friday between the hours of 8:00 am and 6:30 pm (‘Pay by Phone’ parking will have a max stay of 4 hours), and (iii) add a total of 66.5m of new ‘stop and shop’ parking in which vehicles may either be left free of charge for up to 30 minutes, or vehicles which have paid the parking charge via ‘Pay by Phone’ may be left for up to 4 hours, the first 30 minutes of each parking session would be free of charge provided no same vehicle may return to a parking place within the same day (Monday to Friday 8.00 am - 6.30 pm) on the north-west side 11m north-east of the north-eastern kerb-line of Rotherhithe Old Road (11m) and 47m north-east of the north-eastern kerb-line of Rotherhithe Old Road (11m) and on the south-east side 10m north-east of the north-eastern kerb-line of Rotherhithe Old Road (5.5m), 24m north-east of that kerb-line (16.5m) 47m north-east of that kerb-line (11m) and 64.5m north-east of that kerb-line (11m) – all parking on the north-west side of COPE STREET will be relocated 1.5m south-eastward, parallel to the existing kerb-line, to accommodate the new segregated contraflow cycle lane;

(b)     in LOWER ROAD south-west side remove a total of 115m existing ‘Pay by Phone’ parking (to be relocated to Cope Street and Rotherhithe Old Road) o/s Nos. 142 – 160 Lower Road (48m) and o/s Nos. 166 – 194 Lower Road (67m); and

(c)     in ROTHERHITHE OLD ROAD north-east side add a total of 45.5m new 'shared-use' parking that operates Monday – Friday between the hours of 8:00 am and 6:30 pm (‘Pay by Phone’ parking will have a max stay of 4 hours) o/s Nos. 41 to 55 Rotherhithe Old Road (23m), o/s No. 33 Rotherhithe Old Road (5.5m), o/s site known as Nos. 17 to 21 Rotherhithe Old Road (11.5m and 5.5m these bays will be an increased 2.5m in width).

5.      The effects of the (Free parking places, Loading places and Waiting, Loading and Stopping restrictions) Order are to:-

(a)     remove an existing 10m in length loading only bay from the south-west side of LOWER ROAD o/s Nos. 162 – 166 Lower Road and relocate this by adding a new loading only place 10m in length in COPE STREET south-east side 6m south-west of the south-western kerb-line of Lower Road which would operate ‘at any time’ every day of the week (no maximum stay restriction);

(b)     (i) remove an existing 6.5m in length 'unlimited stay' Disabled Persons' parking place ('DPPP') in COPE STREET north-west side o/s Surdoc Social Club and relocate this by adding a new 6.5m in length 'unlimited stay' ‘DPPP’ opposite Surdoc Social Club, and (ii) in ROTHERHITHE OLD ROAD north-east side increase the bay length by 1m an existing 'unlimited stay' ‘DPPP’ o/s Nos. 41 to 55 Rotherhithe Old Road (new length 6.6m) and relocate an existing 'unlimited stay' ‘DPPP’ north-westward by 2m and increase the bay length by 1.5m and width by 0.5m (new length 6.6m and new width 2.5m) and located o/s site known as Nos. 17 to 21 Rotherhithe Old Road;

(c)     in COPE STREET north-west side on the side of No. 160 Lower Road (i) relocate an existing 6m in length free ‘solo motorcycles only’ parking place north-eastward by 8.5m and (ii) relocate an existing 8.5m in length free ‘short stay’ parking place south-westward by 6m – effectively swapping the locations of these two existing parking places – these bays will be relocated 1.5m south-eastward, parallel to the existing kerb-line, to accommodate the new segregated contraflow cycle lane;

(d)    in ROTHERHITHE OLD ROAD (i) remove a total of 47m existing ‘timed’ waiting restrictions (single yellow lines ‘SYLs’) on the north-east side to accommodate new parking, and (ii) add 4.5m new SYLs (operating Monday – Friday 8.00 am to 6.30 pm) south-west side o/s Nos. 46/80 and 48/82 Rotherhithe Old Road;

(e)     convert existing SYLs to new ‘at any time’ waiting restrictions (double yellow lines ‘DYLs’) in ROTHERHITHE OLD ROAD north-east side 5m opposite Nos. 44/78 and 46/80 Rotherhithe Old Road and 10m o/s No. 33 Rotherhithe Old Road;

(f)      add 5m of new DYLs in ROTHERHITHE OLD ROAD north-east side opposite Nos. 46/80 and 48/82 Rotherhithe Old Road;

(g)     add new 'at any time' loading restrictions (double kerb blips ‘DKBs’) on existing DYLs at the junction of COPE STREET and ROTHERHITHE OLD ROAD - a total on both sides of 13m in COPE STREET and a total of 11m in ROTHERHITHE OLD ROAD on the north-east side;

(h)     in COPE STREET (i) on the north-west side remove a total of 12m existing DYLs, and remove a total of 70m of existing DYLs with contiguous DKBs on the north-west side (9.5m) and on the south-east side (60.5m) to accommodate all the parking changes, and (ii) south-east side remove a total of 14.5m existing DKBs (leaving just the existing DYLs) 15.5m and 25m north-east of the north-eastern kerb-line of Rotherhithe Old Road (8.5m and 6m respectively);

(i)      add new DYLs with contiguous DKBs in LOWER ROAD south-west side o/s Nos. 140 – 146 Lower Road (15m), o/s Nos. 156 – 160 Lower Road (15m), o/s Nos. 162 – 168 Lower Road (14.5m), and o/s Nos. 192 – 194 Lower Road (5m);

(j)      add new DYLs with contiguous ‘timed' loading restrictions (single kerb blips ‘SKBs’) which would prohibit loading between Monday – Friday 7.00 am to 10.00 am and 4.00 pm to 7.00 pm in LOWER ROAD south-west side o/s Nos. 148 – 156 Lower Road (20m) and o/s Nos. 170 – 192 Lower Road (59.5m);

(k)     amend existing DYLs with contiguous DKBs at the junction of COPE STREET and LOWER ROAD  to accommodate a new kerb-line build-out in COPE STREET at this junction;

(l)      in COPE STREET on the north-west side between a point 4m north-east of the north-eastern kerb-line of Rotherhithe Old Road and a point 21.5m south-west of the south-western kerb-line of Lower Road relocate any existing DYLs and DYLs with contiguous DKBs (3 separate lengths) 1.5m south-eastward, parallel to the existing kerb-line, to accommodate the new segregated contraflow cycle lane; and

(m)    the Council will also make a change to existing ‘SYLs’ on both sides of ROTHERHITHE OLD ROAD in the map-based schedule of the Traffic Management Orders as an administrative exercise to set the operating hours to match the existing CPZ ‘N’ (Monday – Friday 8.00 am to 6.30 pm) - please note that there will be no physical changes to the street for this change.

NOTES: (1) ‘permit’ refers to parking places for holders of valid parking permits within the Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) listed; ‘pay’ refers to parking where ‘Pay by Phone’ paid ticket holders are permitted to park within the permitted hours. (2) ‘at any time’ means at all hours on every day of the week. (3)  ‘SYLs’ refer to timed waiting restrictions, ‘DYLs’ refer to 'at any time' waiting restrictions, and ‘DKBs’ refer to 'at any time' loading restrictions. (4) ‘stop and shop’ parking place sessions must be registered with the Council’s ‘Pay by Phone’ provider to obtain the 30 mins free of charge parking in addition to a longer charged-for stay. The ‘Pay by Phone’ provider will calculate the total parking charge for the parking session payable automatically upon registering. (5) ‘DPPP’ refers to Disabled Persons’ parking places which may only be used by vehicles displaying a valid Disabled Persons’ 'blue badge'. (6) All measurements are in metres ‘m’ and are approximate. (6) Parking charges are listed on www.southwark.gov.uk/parking 

6.      Copies of the Orders, which will come into force on 8 December 2025, and of all other relevant documents are available for inspection at Highways, Southwark Council, Environment, Sustainability & Leisure, 3rd floor hub 2, 160 Tooley Street, London SE1 2QH, by appointment only. E-mail traffic.orders@southwark.gov.uk or call 077 3132 4742 for booking details.

7.      Any person desiring to question the validity of the Order/s, or of any provision contained therein, on the grounds that it is not within the relevant powers of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 or that any of the relevant requirements thereof or of any relevant regulations made thereunder has not been complied with in relation to the Order/s may, within six weeks of the date on which the Order was made, make application for the purpose to the High Court.

Dated 4 December 2025

Polyvios Polyviou  Head of Highways and Sustainable Transport Policy - Highways, Environment, Sustainability & Leisure