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Vauxhall Cross row continues

London SE1 website team

A row has erupted between Lambeth Council and Transport for London over the roadworks at Vauxhall Cross.

Lambeth Council last week installed signs placing responsibility for the congestion with Transport for London, described by the council as "the scene of the capital's most notorious roadworks".

The council claims that it is beseiged by hundreds of phone calls each week from irate motorists who believe the council is to blame for the "traffic chaos" at the key junction.

"Lambeth is getting a bad name through TfL mismanagment and through its failure to install courtesy boards informing people who is responsible and how they can complain, " said Councillor Andrew Sawdon, Lambeth Council executive member for transport.

Peter Heather, Director of Operations at TfL's Street Management division responded to this charge: "We are astonished that Lambeth Council are washing their hands of the scheme they originally came up with. As Lambeth was unable to raise the necessary funds to implement their project at Vauxhall Cross, they came to TfL asking us to implement it. TfL has not only undertaken this massive project but also funded it.

"We have improved the scheme from the original plans, including increased traffic capacity and the proposed bus station. We are also close to completing the roadworks at Vauxhall Cross. These will be finished by Christmas.

"We do have large signs identifying the work as ours, including contact numbers, but if Lambeth want to put up more signs assisting the public we would be more than happy."

The new Lambeth Council signs read: "The work at Vauxhall Cross is being undertaken by Transport for London, which is responsible to the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone. Lambeth council is not involved. If yo want to raise any issues about these works please ring Transport for London on 0207 941 2010 (sic) or the Greater London Authority on 0207 983 4000 (sic)."

Details of the new bus station and transport interchange are available on the TfL website.

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