Marlene Heron
Cllr Sam Cumber, Cllr Ruth Dombey and Chris Hawton working hard for Sutton North all year round Learn more
by Sam, Ruth and Chris on 27 July, 2020
The pandemic and the resulting lockdown has had a massive effect on our community and across the country. In Sutton it has also meant less traffic and better air quality. The Council is proposing to create what is often called ‘low-traffic neighbourhoods’ to cut the volume and speed of traffic in the area by reducing cut-through traffic.
The proposals will progress on the Cycleway scheme from Sutton to Morden, through Benhill Wood Road, Elgin Road, Grennell Road and through Greenshaw Wood. The Council has consulted on this over the last two years. There was very low attendance at the residents’ consultation meetings held in March this year, when people were asked to identify traffic pressure points.
The 20 mph zone and road closures will be trialled for six months, to see what the impact on traffic will be. The closures in Sutton North will be at:
A fourth closure is planned in Sutton Central Ward:
The closures will involve a lockable bollard in the middle of the road, supported by other bollards, which allow cyclists (and of course pedestrians) through. They will not block accesses to residents’ driveways. Maps showing the specific closure are in the links above.
A traffic survey conducted in 2017 when the cycleway was first proposed showed 5,000 traffic movements a day through the area, with nearly 80% cut-through traffic. That amount of traffic is too high for safe cycling to be promoted. The road closures will re-route the traffic onto the main roads.
A residents’ survey undertaken at the same time showed 65% of respondents thought there was too much traffic in the area, 70% thought the borough should be doing more to address air quality and 87% thought the borough should be doing more to encourage walking and cycling to school.
We also want a borough that is so well-connected by public transport (buses, demand-responsive buses, trains etc) that people don’t feel the need to jump in their car for every journey they make. Sutton receives the lowest amount of public transport funding per resident in London and has done so for many years. We are continuing to use every opportunity to make the case to the Conservative Government and Labour Mayor that Sutton residents cannot continue to be ignored. We need better public transport infrastructure urgently!
The new measures will be introduced in September and be reviewed after six months. During this period they will be monitored with further traffic surveys and by asking residents to submit their views. At the end of the six months, the measures will be taken out or changed if they do not show the necessary reduction in traffic in the area. Any further changes will take place next summer.
Our view is that this is not the way to introduce such schemes. Our plan with the cycleway project was to have another round of consultation on specific proposals before going ahead. However, the government has removed funding for these schemes. And it has channelled available resources into this new approach, and they require trial schemes to be set up rapidly, without consultation.
The scheme will be monitored over the six month trial to see how well it works and you will be able to comment on the trial as it progresses with a dedicated section on the Council website. If it is successful and residents feel it is making a positive difference to their road, then funds may be sought to make the scheme permanent. Do let us know what you think during the trial.
62 Comments
I have just read your email regarding closing roads. I live in the south end of Grennell Road so once north of me Grennell will be shut off and All Saints will be shut from Calthorpe gardens so for me to get to the main road Rose Hill I will have to go into All Saints then down Wood End then Aultone Road. This will just send so much traffic down these two roads that already have problems.
My daughter lives in All Saints road & all that will happen is the school traffic will clog other roads, the throughput traffic less suited to the other roads will still be omnipresent but cause further pollution in the surrounding areas. This idea as a resident & keen cyclist is ridiculous creating problems elsewhere whilst causing residents living in those streets further obstacles to their daily lives. It’s nearly as hair brained as the coning off of road space in central Sutton adding to congestion whilst adding no advantage to covid restrictrions which are largely incoherent & badly thought out & rushed in. If the meetings were poorly attended one might humbly suggest that is a PR issue as until this issue was drawn to my attention I too was ignorant of it.
“Safer,active greener streets for Sutton”
what a joke !
We’ve lived in Woodside Road for 22 years and since Monday 14th September have been unable to have any windows open due to traffic fumes !! I walk around all the surrounding roads with my dog and Oakhill Road, the open end of Allsaints Road, Aultone Way, Woodend and Woodside Road have heavier traffic than ever! Woodside Road is narrow and cannot cope with the amount of traffic being forced there due to these closures. It’s a normally quiet road although we have parking problems, but now we have vans, lorries school traffic speeding down from very early morning ! The congestion it’s causing on Oakhill Road is ridiculous, it’s always been fairly difficult to get out on to the high street but so much worse now in fact people will have to leave home a fair bit earlier just to get out on to the high street. I wouldn’t ever go that way I would always avoid but have no choice now ! Allsaints Road has lanes and the can cope with the traffic and the houses are set back further, the only time it’s really busy is school pickup times and even then it’s not that bad and the lollipop lady helps with that as it slows traffic down too ! Woodside is narrow and vans and cars are slaloming down, an accident is imminent!
I live in Lymington Court, All Saints Road. Your proposed plans have put the road blockage directly outside my maisonette. If I can’t park my car (which is the usual situation) in the very limited spaces outside, then I will now need to drive down Monksdene Gardens, Angel Hill, Aultone Way, Woodend and back onto All Saints Road. All of this so I can access a parking space which would have been a 5 metre drive initially.
How is this reducing traffic and air pollution?
Monksdene gardens has yellow lines and driveways, so this is not a reasonable solution for people that live in our block of maisonettes. The majority of us are families too which adds to the importance of parking close to our homes.
What will you do for the residence that live in Lymington Court that need to use Calthorpe Gardens on a regular basis due to limited spaces outside our maisonette? Will you allow us to park outside the school all day or change our huge waste of space front gardens into drive ways?
This plan means all of the cars in our block will be adding to the usual traffic whilst finding a space, and it will just bottleneck traffic down other roads, which is completely unnecessary.
Is this actually serious?!
I like on all saints road & they will be putting the blockage right in front of my house. If I can’t get parked outside on the main road I park down calthorpe. Which would mean I would have to go all the way round just to get to it!
This is the first I’ve heard of it.
They need to rethink this as it will effect residents & people parking.
Where can we appeal?
This idea is ludicrous…you will push ALL traffic that needs to access Rosehill down Woodend and Aultone Way…both roads are quiet narrow residential roads…you MUST make Woodend and Aultone Way no entry also to stop this happening
This is a concern and if traffic displaces like this the council need to be quick to act and close this rat run off
We’ve raised this before (Get Sutton Cycling & council officers) and they’ve said they will monitor and adjust during the 6 month trial
This seems to be a rather ill thought out proposal. Surely these works should only be carried out once the traffic lights at the junction of Angel Hill and All Saints Road have a proper pedestrian crossing installed as has been mentioned before. More traffic will be forced through that junction and impatient drivers already jump the red lights there and I fear that this will only happen more and it will only be a matter of time before someone gets seriously injured there or worse. This is an already dangerous crossing for children walking to and from All Saints Primary School. There will be more idling engines too as waiting times will no doubt be increased there causing more pollution not less.
This is ridiculous and will cause more congestion in other areas.
Where was the consultation and how do myself and others reject and appeal? This is the first I have heard of the proposed changes?
I live in the local area and have children that attend All Saints school. This plan will only make already busy routes worse. Your argument for pushing this through without consultant is just not acceptable.
The traffic will just relocate onto other residential roads. It won’t just vanish!! And the detours needed will add to pollution. Well done the genius that thought this one up!!
This is an absolutely ridiculous idea and a complete waste of money. Many residents such as myself will have to use a circuitous route to get anywhere and minor roads which are currently little used will suddenly experience increased volumes of traffic from residents within the affected areas. Much more traffic will be using the main roads through the centre of the town and journeys will become longer, leading to greater exhaust pollution.
Has the Council considered how the large lorry delivering meals to Greenshaw School will be affected?
I’m afraid this will only create a bigger problem. It will do nothing for the traffic as it will be pushed elsewhere, closing roads but not offering faster routes will be a disaster. Angel Hill is already congested and not suitable to take anymore traffic. It will be impossible to get to work or collect children from school at busy times. It will also create problems for local residents, longer commute to work, parking problems etc. Not a good idea, one that needs rethinking.
The scheme is part of the Low Traffic Neighbourhoods initiative being pushed through by the national government which recognises that there is insufficient time for consultation due to Covid-19.
Such schemes often meet initial opposition but then are widely accepted after a trail period. This is what Neil Garratt, Conservative cuncillor for Belmont, said at a recent council meeting about a similar scheme in his area.
“On the (road) closures, which I think are the most controversial, what is most striking to me is in
Belmont ward we have a road closure which blocks off a huge area of the ward between Dorset
Road and Brasted Close and occasionally there have been concerns as to whether that closure
might be removed and I can tell you that it would be incredibly unpopular. The idea that these
closures have a very negative impact when you look at where they have been in for a long time
residents absolutely love them, if you tried to take that out and turn that area into a rat run it
would be very unpopular”
It’s not permanent but just for six months. It can then be dropped or made permanent with tweaks made gained by the experience of the trial period.
Let’s at least give it a chance!
I’m in favour of actions that reduce the number of cars on residential roads. If cars have to do a slight detour to get somewhere, it seems to me that is what cars or for- driving. And local motorists will be sharing the road only with other local motorists. Local roads should be as quiet as possible and should never be through roads. Neighbourhoods should be separate from the main roads. The air will be cleaner. Look how delightful it was to be out through lockdown. Houses will become more desirable too in areas with less traffic, less noise and cleaner air. Normally you have to pay loads more to live in a residents-only road.
I fully support the principle of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods for the Borough. I drive, walk, cycle and use the train so cannot be seen as a single-mode traveller.
1. In Waltham Forest such schemes have helped improve the health of the population – improved life expectancy.
2. children have been able to cycle safely where they otherwise might not
3. active travel improves the health of the nation.
4. too many short journeys are being made by private car when walking and cycling are feasible
5. it has been great to see families with young children out on their bikes during lockdown.
Let’s try and improve life for everyone, not just a few.
Thus is not a good idea. This will block traffic from both sides on Grennell Road during school hours. This will increase traffic on smaller roads from people detouring to go to Rose Hill.
I think this is absolute madness. I live on Edinburgh road and have to travel via Rose Hill towards Modern Mon -Fri – all this wll do is make traffic go on other residential roads. As someone else said, longer journey, more fumes, more congestion, not sure how that helps the enviroment. Also not sure how that will improve the health of the residents that live on those roads, seems unfair. I also have to access Vermont Road to pick up a wheelchair users at weekends – not sure how I will get there now.
I am pleased others have said that they received no warnings/notification as I know we didn’t. I would have attended a meeting if I had. I strongly appose this, but feel councils do what they want when they want in the end no matter what residents say. I have yet to meet anyone who agrees with the proposed new hospital but they say they are going a ahead with that (sorry I know different subject) All I can say is think very carefully next time you vote
Duke of Edinburgh Rd > Whitby Rd > Wrythe Lane > Rose Hill roundabout
What about the school drop offs? I don’t think parents will suddenly stop those. And as far as I can see if they come up aultone way they will end up having to do u turns or getting blocked in. Creating more pollution!
From comments I can see it’s taking spaces or making it more difficult for residents too. Are they adding yet more lines to the roads as well like a few years ago?!
Shame for the school and residents.
You would have been better off concidering some form of one way system to reduce traffic keep the flow of traffic moving rather than sitting idle now on drop offs.
Hello, who has come up with this ridiculous idea, sounds like someone is trying to justify their job by coming up with ill thought out pathetic ideas that will cause a huge amount of stress and extra driving all around side roads up and over poxy speed humps with actually cause more pollution as you have to slow down and then accelerate again , come on and think about this, i bet the people that have these stupid ideas live miles away or wouldn’t even be affected by ill thought out rubbish trying to please cyclists
I welcome the idea of reducing traffic through the area and making it feel safe for the kids to cycle to school, our roads should be for those that live in them not for others to use as a short cut to get from Sutton up to Wrythe Lane or to the East.
Leanne Simmonds mentions school drop offs, why is that even a concern? the whole point of this is to incentivise active travel, drop the kids 5 mins walk away (and leave 10 mins earlier) if you must use a car for an onward journey. If that’s your problem you are selfish and lazy.
Lee Gentry goes off tangent about speed humps, this is about making the streets access only to motor traffic, I reckon the ideas dove tail nicely, some people just want to moan!
I very much support this proposed, six-month, trial. By reducing cut-through traffic, through the use of ‘traffic-filters’ (not ‘road closures’ – full access will be maintained), I predict that the distinctive areas of Benhilton and Sutton Garden Suburb will, as a result, be calmer, more inviting, and even better places in which to live.
Clearly, when the trial is underway, some residents, when driving to and from their homes, will have to use alternative routes. In doing so, they may drive on roads that they do not currently use. In some cases, this may marginally increase journey times. No one likes that. However, given that up to 80 percent of traffic currently driving through the area is not local, it is unlikely that any roads within the area will see traffic levels increase as a result of changes in the re-routing of local-only traffic due to the ‘traffic filters’.
Furthermore, and particularly in the longer-term, the slight inconvenience that people will experience when driving in the area will, hopefully, be considered a price worth paying given the likely overall benefits the trial will bring. As another respondent has already noted, in an area where a ‘traffic filter’ has been introduced (citing Dorset Road and Brasted Close in Belmont) the idea or removing it would cause as much disquiet as introducing it presumably did.
Inevitably, the proposed ‘traffic filters’ will result in the displacement of some non-local traffic onto surrounding main roads (which is where through-traffic needs to be, in my view). Again, though, experience from elsewhere has shown that concerns around the degree of chaos and mayhem that will occur as a result are often over-stated. The impact will be greatest at the outset, especially on a rainy day at the start of the new school year in September. After six months to a year, though, traffic patterns on main roads tend to settle back to roughly where they were before. That is why it is important for the trial to run its full length.
Of course, if it really is the case that main roads are at capacity, and that grid-lock will ensue as a result of removing cut-throughs on residential roads, then we really do have a problem. Maintaining the status-quo will not help with that in the years ahead. Sutton’s population (like elsewhere) is predicted to increase. If the number of journeys taken by car increase in the same proportion, what happens next? The construction of new roads (or the widening of existing ones) would help to relieve the pressure. However, this would only help in the short-term, would be very expensive, and, I suspect, extremely unpopular. Creating a low-traffic neighbourhood now, thereby enabling some residents to switch some of their short journeys from car to foot, scooter or cycle, will free-up space for those who have to drive now and in the future.
As for not knowing anything about the proposals, as some respondents here appear to suggest, the councillors mention the resident’s survey and traffic surveys that were conducted in 2017, and the informal consultation two and a half years later in February/March this year. The councillors have also admitted that, ideally, another round of consultation on specific proposals would have been preferable before going ahead, and explain why this is not the case this time.
Engagement is key, but it also needs to be done properly. Community engagement, understanding the ‘why?’, can garner not only acceptance of schemes, but also ownership and even a sense of pride in them. Perhaps, if more had been done in this regard over recent years, there would be fewer comments of concern here. Nevertheless, the councillors have made it quite clear that, during the trial, the measures will be monitored and further traffic surveys will be conducted. Residents will be invited to submit their views (which, once the trial has had time to establish, will be meaningful rather than just speculative), and changes can easily be implemented as necessary.
I see this trial, to introduce ‘traffic filters’, as an opportunity for Sutton North, and hope it is a success. I would like to think that, in time, residents and visitors will wonder what all the fuss was about.
I would also like to think that engagement and consultation about the possibility of similar proposals in my ward, Sutton West, will commence in the near future.
I have to visit All Saints Rd regularly twice a week, and I am going to do my utmost see that my vehicle pumps out as much pollution as it can, why? Because I am a vindictive ______d and these closures are going to inconvenience me.
Whilst I applaud the council intentions to improve our environment I feel closing benhill wood road at the oak hill junction will push traffic into smaller roads eg Woodside or congested roads with parked cars eg all saints. I therefore would like my objections to the scheme registered
This is a knee jerk Poorly thought out plan. This will target parents, often women, trying to work around school hours, most parents don’t have the luxury of walking to school due to very tight time constraints to get to work. In our case a 7 min journey for pick up will now be doubled meaning it is no longer possible to leave work and collect from school on time. The only options are to stop working or to get somebody else to pick up incurring further costs to struggling families and instead of one vehicle driving from work and picking up on the way home an additional car on the roads to do the school run.
Parents who drive to school and park a short walk away will actually be prevented from doing so by having access to the safe parking area removed. This will lead to the few remaining spaces being filled and parents resorting to letting their children out on the road or parking inconsiderately.
This will lead to cars being on the road both for longer times and greater distance, whilst increasing standing traffic on other roads. The opposite of reducing pollution.
20 mph zones, zebra crossings would be much more practical solutions to increase rod safety.
I think this is a very good idea (and I don’t usually have good things to say about the Lib Dems :). Please, please can you consider such plans on St Barnabas Road. There are 3 churches and 3 schools on this road and the road is used as a rat run.
To put these plans into place without proper consultant or public awareness is outrageous.
I live on All Saints Road and the first time I’ve heard about this is seeing a sign saying ‘This road will be closed from the 14th of September’.
The plans are badly thought out – you’ve reduced parking and access around a primary school, with drivers now having to drive down Autone which is ALWAYS double parked with very little places to pull in.
It’s going to become very dangerous for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians on this whole road network.
I never thought I’d say it, but this drives my vote away from Lib Dem for the first time and towards Tory’s.
Amazing how someone could f*** this up so badly.
So you held a meeting in March in the middle of a pandemic when people were told to avoid large gatherings and are using the fact you had low attendance to assume no one cares!!!
I was not consulted at all, received no correspondence regarding this.
I live off Benhill Wood Road.
Will I be able to get to my property to park?
How will it work for residents if the road is blocked??
Would love some answers and re-assurance
A 20mph speed limit is long overdue in this area. However, the proposed road closures are ridiculous. The sections of road being closed are wide and less parked up but the closures will force all the local traffic to use narrow, double parked streets. I dread to think what it will be like on bin days!
The reduction in the speed limit and perhaps other options such as width restrictions or time restrictions, would surely put off some of the through traffic. Rather than making life difficult for all the local residents regardless of whether they are car users.
This is an absolutely ridiculous idea. So instead of allowing more free flowing traffic, which if you logically think reduces pollution in a certain area as the vehicle is moving; you will create more standstill traffic on the roads that are already busy, which will lead to a higher level of pollution in the whole Sutton area as these “cut offs” provide alternative routes – especially when there are a countless supply of road works taking place throughout the Sutton area, how do you expect emergency services to cope in these situations?
On top of all that, there stands to be another point. Not as many people want to cycle as the government may think, clearly shown by the number of existing purpose built cycle ways which lie dormant and empty the majority of the time.
Listen to the residents of Sutton, we do not want this.
To put in place these half baked plans without public consultation from local residents who actually live in the area is foolish.
As a resident of Hillview Road, the closure of All Saints Road, Grennell Road and Benhill Wood Road will mean I’ll have to drive longer and further into other residential areas to escape this undemocratic scheme by the Council, just to get my weekly shopping. It will cause more traffic and more pollution to those areas.
This ‘plan’ seems to me like a desperate cash grab by the council for any sort of funding no matter the effect. The council claim that we are well connected by public transport yet in the same paragraph believe we need better transport infrastructure. Make it make sense.
The closure of roads near schools will create more traffic and disruption to other surrounding roads as parents will try to park their cars as close as possible. As a resident of Hillview Road which is situated very close to Greenshaw High School, this will further add more cars passing and stopping on my and other neighbouring roads which are far more narrower. How is that fair?
While the idea is admirable, the reality is many of us are working parents who do not live a suitable walking distance to schools to be able to drop our children off and then return to go to work in time.
A more practical and cost effective measure to reduce traffic levels, improve pedestrian safety and improve air quality would be the introduction of a 20mph speed limit which will discourage non local traffic from using our roads as a shortcut and will improve pedestrian safety. The addition of zebra crossings at schools such as All Saints Primary School where there is currently none will also improve safety and traffic.
Further to this a study I produced at university found that increased amount of trees and green spaces in urban areas reduced traffic levels and improved air quality so maybe the council should plant more trees.
I am an advocate for improving air quality and saving the environment but I don’t believe the plan by the Council to be the solution.
I work at Greenshaw high school and find the timing of this deeply confusing given the government advice to school age children to avoid public transport and to the public in general about the dangers of public transport in relation to covid 19 not to mention the frankly poor bus links across the borough. For many staff it is not possible to access suitable public transport that enables us to get our own kids to childcare and in to school for 8am. This will be true of many parents dropping off children as well – I think it is very unlikely you will see much reduction in traffic – rather, this is going to cause major congestion along tight roads and dangerous driving as parents try to do u turns along Grennell road after dropping off their children – with kids spilling out on the pavements – this is a recipe for an accident. After a consultation that took place regarding the parking restrictions along Altone way and the huge concerns that around 50 members of staff expressed regarding that alone – it’s disappointing to hear that none of our concerns were taken seriously and that a school that Contributes to the local community, yet again does not appear to have been involved in the ‘consultation’ a shame that the council choose such challenging times to introduce poorly thought out plans that will continue to have an impact on parents and children who are already coping with huge adjustments in their schooling experience. You’re making people’s lives difficult and offering no suitable alternative. That’s doesn’t seem acceptable to me.
Utter madness.
The top of Grennell Road has enough problems with drivers dropping off and collecting kids at greenshaw and the drivers park up and often come to blows with others. the road is narrow enough. Also I’m sure the school has trucks and waste and recycling and skips that require large lorries to access grennell road.
The proposalwill do little to improve the situation but will cause rosehill park west and aultone way to have increased traffic in both directions. including the large lorries and other vehicles. This has been poorly thought out. Suggest you have increased policing in the area if this ridiculous idea is implemented.
It would be better to just have Grennell road as a one way so traffic can move through…
This proposal is absolute madness. Having fought a long battle to resolve the parking problems in Aultone Way, Woodend and Greenhill we have cleared the way for such an increase volume of traffic through the suburb as to be dangerous given the narrow roads and in particular the sharp bend on Woodend and the mini roundabounts on Aultone Way.
Further accidents are bound to happen
This scheme is ill-thought and should be abandoned.
What a stupid idea, enforced on residents by some idiot at the council.
I live in Surrey Grove and to get to work can’t now exit via Grennell Rd, All Saints or Benhill Wood rd. I have to drive nearly a mile in the wrong direction to get out of my road if heading North, West or South.
How does this help the environment and if aimed at people dropping kids at school, just pushes them to other roads, increasing congestion there.
The fools who thought this up should be held to account
Wow … just you thought London borough of Sutton couldn’t come up with Anymore stupid ideas, they come up with this.. first getting charged to park out your own home.. now road closures… we had a low turn out in the open consultation in March.. when a pandemic is at its worst Good thinking lbs. when were we the great unwashed who live in the surrounding area consulted Westminster road, Wrythe Lane. Never first thing we found out was today ..and hour for my son to get home From work … he had to try and navigate back trough lots of extra traffic who did the same.. so much for less pollution..
Now let me guess ,all the roads that are affected by these closures or the new parking (money making) scheme. Not one Councilor lives on them … I love it when do gooders make decisions with out any thought for the people who live there, the consequences are that now it’ll take residents longer to get to their homes.. where they have to pay to park unless they’re very lucky to have a drop kerb… Thanks LBS you’ve turned into a joke… and sadly you’ll loose the next council election to the Tories though stupidity.
I live in Benhill Wood Road and you have closed all 3 exits I use to leave home? I now have to drive miles out of the way to exit. Today was carnage on the roads, I cannot see how this can stay in place for 6months. All the small roads were clogged up even at 10pm tonight ! What’s it going to be like in rush hour ?
When I received the letter it said residents would have access and it was to stop through traffic?? I can’t get out or back home without driving miles out so how is this residential access, or reducing pollution or traffic? There’s still the same amount of traffic now all just clogging up other roads.
Awful plan and needs to be changed before 6 months !
Indescribably stupid. The bottom of Sutton is turned into a traffic nightmare. Where did the council think the traffic would go? From the look of it perhaps they thought it would vanish up their enormous arrogant blue backsides. Idiots.
Absolutely ludicrous! I’m all for reducing the use of cars in a reasonable way to reduce pollution and promote healthy living. However, this stupid idea is not only going to miss those goals, but also going to have exactly the opposite effect by increasing distance required to travel for vehicles and increasing the congestion on remaining roads. Moreover, why does the trial need to be run for six months? People are trying to get on with their lives in the pandemic and pushing them to use public transport at this time is nothing but lunacy.
Since this scheme started on the 14/09/20 Woodside Road has become an absolute nightmare, everyones cut through. This little residential road cannot cope with this amount of traffic no thought gone in to this scheme whatsoever , cut pollution, just made it 10 times worst !!!!!!!
I live in the far end of Benhill Wood Road that leads onto All Saints Road.
Firstly, the consultation that you “undertook” was in relation to a cycle route and not road closures (makes it rather invalid); secondly it was done some time ago and demographics may have changed. Thirdly – the Council has failed to open discussion or to even explain what was happening to those living in areas that are now affected by the North Sutton Road Closures.
My old journey to reach the traffic lights by All Saints Church took me 30 seconds. No traffic jam, no stationary traffic (except at the lights), straight through (apart from stopping at the school crossing). Today, the journey that I (and anyone else needing to get out onto Angel Hill area) were forced to take involved turning off my road into the narrow Woodside (sorry the people who live here). Then a right into Oakhill Road (solid with stationary traffic heading down the hill towards Sutton Green). This section of my journey took 8 minutes, sat in traffic on a road where people live right on the street. How is this going to improve their air quality? Or is it a case of only certain roads are going to get better air quality and the rest will just need to take a decline in their air quality on the chin? A wise man once said to me “if it is not broken, don’t fix it and if you want to make it better be prepared to talk, listen and plan”.
Decent consultation, rather than the arrogant way in which the Council has acted could have seen a good working party of both residents and officials looking at ways to improve the area that benefited the majority.
This is the most insane idea. Blocking off roads does not reduce traffic! There will be the same amount of cars on the road just travelling on fewer roads increasing the traffic flow. There has been no warning about this and the level of frustration driving down a road that has been suddenly blocked trying to get to work is immense. There are no diversions. How about putting energy into better productivity on completing roadworks which take far too long with too few workers. Please try to be more effective, efficient and productive to help the people of sutton.
Since Monday, we have an extraordinary amount of traffic on the Woodside Road, including commercial vehicles. They produce an enormous amount of noise and create a strong smell of exhaust gases. It’s a narrow one-lane road with houses sitting close to the street, not adapted at all to take such an amount of traffic. The original idea seems to be the promotion of greener travel habits, cleaner air and healthier communities. The current road closures clearly lead to the exact opposite: cars and vans, many of them Diesel-powered, zooming through narrow residential roads, creating air and noise pollution and posing a vivid health and safety hazard. It is merely a question of time until a first major accident happens, that can easily involve schoolchildren and their parents always going through our road to the primary school. This is not to mention the exhaust gas effect on the life expectancy in a bit longer term. In Wandsworth, a similarly “successful” initiative has been recently abandoned under the pressure of the residents. I very much hope that we in Sutton can also make the plain common sense prevail.
It is really key that everyone expresses their opinion not only and even not so much here as by taking the official consultation survey:
https://sutton.citizenspace.com/highways-environment-and-planning/north-sutton-area-exp1091/
Please follow the Online Survey link at the bottom of the above page.
Since Monday the 14th, we have an extraordinary amount of traffic on the Woodside Road, including commercial vehicles. They produce an enormous amount of noise and create a strong smell of exhaust gases. It’s a narrow one-lane road with houses sitting close to the street, not adapted at all to take such an amount of traffic. The original idea seems to be the promotion of greener travel habits, cleaner air and healthier communities. The current road closures clearly lead to the exact opposite: cars and vans, many of them Diesel-powered, zooming through narrow residential roads, creating air and noise pollution and posing a vivid health and safety hazard. It is merely a question of time until a first major accident happens, that can easily involve schoolchildren and their parents always going through our road to the primary school. This is not to mention the exhaust gas effect on the life expectancy in a bit longer term. In Wandsworth, a similarly “successful” initiative has been recently abandoned under the pressure of the residents. I very much hope that we here in Sutton can also make the plain common sense prevail.
It is really key that everyone expresses their opinion not only here but also at the official consultation page:
https://sutton.citizenspace.com/highways-environment-and-planning/north-sutton-area-exp1091/
I live on Woodend, and it has become very busy and noisy.
People beeping horns at 7am, and constant traffic all day and night.
It certainly hasn’t improved air quality or quality of life for us on Woodend.
This new road closure is madness, we are now living on a noisy rat run with car horns beeping from 7am right through the day until past midnight.
The amount of traffic coming through Woodend & Aultone way has increased dramatically, the roads are too narrow for this amount of traffic. Already today cars were beeping at school children to get out of their way, surely it is only a matter of time before an accident happens.
How this was ever decided to be a good responsible idea is beyond me.
This scheme should be abandoned.
Since the beginning of the “trials”, we have an extraordinary amount of traffic on the Woodside Road, including commercial vehicles. They produce an enormous amount of noise and create a strong smell of exhaust gases. It’s a narrow one-lane road with houses sitting close to the street, not adapted at all to take such an amount of traffic. The original idea seems to be the promotion of greener travel habits, cleaner air and healthier communities. The current road closures clearly lead to the exact opposite: cars and vans, many of them Diesel-powered, zooming through narrow residential roads, creating air and noise pollution and posing a vivid health and safety hazard. It is merely a question of time until a first major accident happens, that can easily involve schoolchildren and their parents always going through our road to the primary school. This is not to mention the exhaust gas effect on the life expectancy in a bit longer term. In Wandsworth, a similarly “successful” initiative has been recently abandoned under the pressure of the residents. I very much hope that we here in Sutton can also make the plain common sense prevail.
Please do comment on this disastrous experiment using the official online survey:
https://sutton.citizenspace.com/highways-environment-and-planning/north-sutton-area-exp1091/
I live in Longford Gardens and the first I heard about the road closures was when I received a leaflet through the door 2 days before. There was no consultation. This does not reduce pollution as we are now having to make longer journeys to get to where we want to causing just as much pollution and now sitting in traffic in areas I could normally otherwise avoid. Also I rarely see any cyclists around certainly not enough to justify putting these closures in place causing all this unnecessary inconvenience for the rest of us. This needs to be scrapped immediately.
Whoever devised this utterly ridiculous idea needs to be held to account.
I regularly travel from my house to the A3.
I will turn left out of Benfleet Close down all saints to the lights. Wait in the controlled manner that lights are there for and then swing around onto Sutton Common road and out.
Now you are trying to push me right onto Benhill Road (already so much busier) then right onto Oakhill road, where I now meet a queue of traffic that is far greater than anything I have seen before (I have lived in this part of Sutton for 23 years)
The other option is left then left onto Benhill Wood Road and right onto Woodside Gardens then to try and force my way onto Oakhill into the hugely increased amount of traffic.
The third and final option is left, down to Woodend, down to Aultone Way, down here, left out of the bottom the to go up the slip road by the Angel (Tesco Express) meaning if I indicate and have to sit there am blocking the flow of traffic.
Then finally onto Sutton Common road.
Sadly the alternatives of Woodend and Aultone Way plus Woodside Gardens are clearly not built for this.
Sadly for the residents, myself and a multitude of others see this as the best of a series of bad alternatives. I was actually on the back of an 8 car convey going through there last night!!!
Please please stop this now it is beyond ridiculous.
So this is my second rant!
It’s the first Saturday of the road closures, I live in Woodside Road, was hoping it would be quieter today but it’s worse. Constant cars and delivery vans that love to put their foot down at the top of the road, it’s only 10 am. Once again I’m having to close my windows! Yesterday Friday 18th whilst walking my dog on surrounding rounds the traffic was worse than ever especially the mini roundabout at Elgin, Grennell, Allsaints & Benhill Road, this is a route for Greenshaw, Carshalton Boys and Allsaints Benhilton schools, I have a teenager at Carshalton Boys and one at Greenshaw! Whilst I’m writing this I can hear a very noisy vehicle outside and it’s a huge yellow Conway lorry trying to squeeze through I will be sending photos to the libdems email addresses along with a photo of the cars pulling in across mine and my neighbours drive on Thursday morning (because the road is too narrow for cars to pass each other) whilst her son was trying to cross the road on his way to school it’s quite shocking how close they were to him !! Anybody that’s reading these comments PLEASE encourage your neighbours to comment on every link possible to try and get this reversed?
Hard to believe what council has done! Closing roads will not solve traffic issues and suddenly people will not stop using motor vehicles because roads will be closed.
This can only be done by creating more awareness and providing better and more frequent public transport. Closing roads will reduce traffic in one area and increase in other.
Council recently introduced traffic permits in Woodend and Aultone way due to traffic issues and than diverted all traffic to this area by closing roads around this area.
Received leaflet from conservatives today so they are cashing this opportunity by mentioning chaos, confusion, disquiet, poor planning and complains they are receiving from residents for Lib Dem run Sutton council. Although i hardly agree with Conservatives but what they have mentioned in the leaflet make sense as there is lot of chaos and poor planning.
Just to let the residents of sutton know…and also Wooodend ..there is a ‘ROAD CLOSURE ‘ sign at the end of Greenhill Road……IT IS NOT closed!!
This maybe why Woodend is even busier than it needs to be!!
Since the start of this ludicrous scheme, Hillview Road has become an absolute nightmare. Traffic has multiplied tenfold, it’s hard to sleep with windows open, due to the excessive noise of vehicles being forced to funnel though our street. We have young children and are now having to drive away an extra half mile in the opposite direction to their school. We have lost access to 3 direct routes from our road. Hillview Road and Wood End, have been unfairly penalised by sutton councils abortion of a plan. Please don’t leave it like this for 6 days let alone 6 months!!!
Yesterday I spent 15 minutes trying to get from home Benhillwood road to Sainsbury’s a journey that normally takes 5 minutes at most. Before anyone suggests walking, I can’t!
This ridiculous road closure affects people with mobility issues badly, was this even considered?
I can no longer take my grandchildren to school which means my daughter will now have to work less hours and drive instead of catching the train in order to get back to school in time.
So let me summarise
1. Longer journey Times by car
2. More car journeys required by my daughter
3. No consultation with people with disabilities
4. More pollution and traffic on small residential roads
5. More traffics jams and cars iddeling for longer
6. Increased traffic outside school
I can’t think of a single positive for these road blocks
Is this actually legal? Are these road a public highway and a public right if way. If so, I have a right to access these roads in any way I wish and that includes driving. It is not a footpath only or a bridlepath it is a public road. More sense would have been to look at placing a possible one way system in place rather than close the roads fully. Restict these roads with lower speed limits at 15mph and put camera directly outside if schools and prohibit and fine parents who drop kids right outside school gates. This also prevents people from doing uturns in the road also. You could even put in allocated drop off bays at either end of school boundary area. You want vehicles to use main roads however at present the mass roadworks going on at Rosehill by hospital and down the A217 and the stupid cones in throwley way and st Nicholas way causing traffic queues is diabolical waste of time and public money. Surely roadworks could have been done during lockdown period and when the roads were quiet. You have caused more traffic emissions so not helping the environment there.. I am a car user which I need for work, if I wanted to ride a bike I would purchase one, however the way our borough is at the moment I would probably be threatened at knifepoint and have it stolen anyway. If I wanted to risk my health I would get the bus but I don’t think that is fair on my 78 year old mother when I need to take her to appointments or shopping. Unfortunately the Lib dems are ruining our community. Most of the services are being merged with Kingston LA now or out sourced and not for the better. Sutton will soon disappear as LA.
It was inevitable that the new rat runs to avoid All Saints and Benhill Wood Roads would be Woodend, Aultone Way and Woodside Road. All are totally unsuitable for through traffic.
I live in All Saints Road but have vehicular access in Woodend.
Why on earth are the Council allowing cars to park on both sides of Woodend at its narrowest point near the junction with All Saints Road while the rest of the road has parking restrictions? It is a severe bottleneck made worse by the volume of traffic. I have witnessed large lorries sqeezing between the cars!
I have my doubts that Emergency Services and the dustcart are able to pass through.
These are counter productive measures which will create bottle necks and will be extremely negative for people who live on the open routes. I recommend enforced mandatory 20mile/hr zones.
These measures cause more problems than they solve. Just forcing more traffic through other roads on longer routes causing more pollution.
Not all of us work in London, and need to drive to work. If you want less cars on the road why can’t public transport be improved? My workplace is too poorly connected and expensive to reach on public transport.
Utter lunacy. When are councils going to realise that blocking roads simpley forces the traffic elsewhere. It doesn’t disappear, it just causes heavier build ups on other surrounding roads. Scrap it now !
Do we have to accept road closures in sutton now!!!
By my house a car parks fully on the pavement of a night and morning blocking the pathway….round the corner there are planters secured in the road….I remember when it was the other way round!! What’s happening this crazy world!