Better Bus Southwark - Proposals for Section 3 - Camberwell Green to East Dulwich Station

Bus travel is the main way that people in Southwark get around. We rely on safe, regular, convenient bus routes for work, leisure, school, shopping, healthcare and visiting friends and family. People have told us how much they value their bus services, but also where those services are letting them down.

The roads between Camberwell Green and East Dulwich are heavily congested.

Buses on this corridor travel much more slowly than they should, with average speeds of less than 8mph. Delays are often caused by vehicles parking or loading in bus lanes, as well as road layouts that do not prioritise efficient bus movement.

Some stretches of this corridor experience significant safety issues, with serious accidents and injuries to pedestrians and cyclists.

In addition, many of the pavements are inaccessible, narrow and cluttered, creating a poor environment for people walking, wheeling or waiting for a bus.

The proposals in this consultation have been informed by extensive engagement and feedback, including:

• 2023-24 Streets for People engagement which identified people's travel and accessibility concerns throughout the area
• Spring 2026 Better Bus Southwark Phase 1 engagement, where over 700 bus users shared their views about the current service and issues with the route
• Spring 2026 business survey - face-to-face conversations with businesses along the route
• a Healthy Streets audit of the route, looking in detail at everything that impacts on safety and accessibility
• Ongoing BBS feedback form which is capturing passengers' experiences in real time.

The engagement with residents and bus users has confirmed our observations that congestion and poorly designed bus lanes cause buses to run slow and services to be unreliable.

They have also helped us identify safety concerns, and issues such as overcrowding at Denmark Hill Station.

The proposals aim to improve bus journey reliability while balancing the needs of people who live, work in and visit the area.

To achieve this, we are proposing changes to waiting, loading and stopping arrangements along the route. Existing double yellow lines would become double red lines, and bus lanes would operate 24/7. These measures would help keep the route clear for buses and reduce delays.

We are also proposing a range of complementary improvements, including new and improved loading facilities for businesses, longer bus stops to accommodate more buses, and safer, more accessible conditions for walking and wheeling along the route.

The changes we are proposing will all help to deliver the council's Streets for People Strategy.

Streets for Journeys - faster, more reliable bus travel and improved interchanges; easier and safer walking and cycling routes; faster connections to NHS hospitals

Streets for Community - safe, accessible pavements and places to relax and spend time. Easier crossings to link communities together. Regular places to sit, especially on hills, for those who can't walk so far

Streets for the Economy - more customers reaching high streets more easily, better places for them to spend more time; business needs prioritised

Streets for Nature - more trees and planting providing shelter and drainage to help tackle the impacts of the climate crisis and create a more pleasant environment