Current Issues:

Transport

Blackheath is blessed in many respects with good public transport options. There are numerous bus routes in and out of the Village and at the heart lies the railway. The Society's office is based in Chapman House which is actually the old station master's house so next time you are on Platform 1 by the Way Out sign, look up and you may just see the window!

Chapman House - the side you don't see on Platform 1

The Society takes a keen interest in transport and its aim is to maintain a balance between improving environmental amenity and improving accessibility.

London Bus services are provided by service providers contracted to the London Buses division of Transport for London. If you have any comments or complaints, you can contact them by email at customerservices@tfl- buses.co.uk .

Local rail services are provided by GOVIA.  The Station building itself is owned by Network Rail but leased to the train operator. Day-to-day station maintenance and upkeep is the responsibility of the train operator but new investment (e.g. disabled access) is the responsibility of Network Rail who also own and maintain the track.

The A2 which dissects the Heath in two is a trunk road maintained by TfL Street Management  www.tfl.gov.uk/streets  whereas the smaller roads in the area are the responsibility of the respective local councils - Lewisham www.lewisham.gov.uk and Greenwich www.greenwich.gov.uk .

Aircraft Noise
The Government decision on the Third Runway has been heavily publicised. The important outcome from the point of view of Blackheath and Greenwich is that the Government are not now proceeding with mixed-mode. If they had decided to implement mixed-mode, the effect on both areas would have been severe. The introduction of mixed-mode was opposed very heavily by the Blackheath and Greenwich Societies, by HACAN, by the 3M Group, by our MP, Nick Raynsford, and by many others. Therefore in future aircraft noise over Blackheath from planes landing at Heathrow is likely to remain at about the same level as it is at the moment.

The Society also opposed the building of the Third Runway.  That will in theory go ahead but there seems little prospect of the project proceeding in practice.   The Society will continue to oppose the Third Runway.   If it were ever built, it could affect us, but the consequences for others would be dire.

Current Issues

THE NEW SERVICES BLACKHEATH/LONDON. 

"Non commuters should note that while Southeastern has made much of  the fact that there are to be six trains an hour to Charing Cross or Cannon Street during the day, you will now have a maximum wait of 21 minutes for a train to up to town (or 25 if you are going to Charing Cross and don't want to change), rather than 16 mins.  In the evenings, if you miss a train, you will have to wait either two minutes or 28!   You have been warned!

To download the New Timetable please click on the link.

Proposed Closure of the Exit from Platform 4 at Lewisham Station
With the support of many members and local councillors, the Society is protesting against this plan.