Overview

Update 23 October 2019

We have nearly completed our consultation report about improvements to the pedestrian facilities in Tooting. We now anticipate that this report will be published on or around the end of October 2019.

- End of update -

Update 2 September 2019

We have nearly completed our review of the response to our consultation about improvements to the pedestrian facilities in Tooting. Due to the complex nature of the discussions around some of the issues that were raised, we have decided to delay publication of the report and next steps until the end of September. This will allow more time to find the best resolution and inform how we should proceed.

Once complete, we will update this page with a link to our report and a response to the key issues raised. We will also explain what elements we plan to take forward.

- End of update -

We are consulting on pedestrian improvements in Tooting town centre and would like your views.

Tooting town centre is a vibrant local centre with a strong retail and night time economy, but we believe the current street design could be improved for the many pedestrians who travel around the area.

We have been working with Wandsworth Council to develop a scheme to increase walking levels in Tooting town centre and reduce pedestrian casualties, using an innovative and wide-ranging set of pedestrian safety and urban realm improvements.

The proposals form part of the Mayor of London’s plan for Healthy Streets - a long-term vision to encourage more Londoners to walk and cycle by making London’s streets healthier, safer and more welcoming.

The proposed changes to Tooting town centre also aim to reduce the number of people killed and injured on our streets by reducing the speed limit to 20 miles per hour through the area, which benefits not just pedestrians but cyclists, motorcyclists and other road users. This also contributes directly to the Mayor of London’s Vision Zero ambition to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries from London’s streets by 2041.

In addition, we hope to protect journey times for bus passengers through an extension of the existing bus lane facilities on the A24 and the insetting, either partially or fully, of some existing loading bays which currently interrupt the smooth passage for buses and cyclists. These benefits for bus journeys would be in the off-peak period.

By providing more space for pedestrians and cyclists and prioritising their safety, there would be an expected increase in journey times for general traffic including buses at the busiest times of the day.

What are we proposing?

We are proposing to increase walking in Tooting town centre by using an innovative and wide-ranging set of urban realm improvements.

Introduce continuous footways

Introduce a 20mph speed limit through the area

Improve existing pedestrian crossings and introduce new ones

Introduce a community space on Totterdown Street

Change the turning priority at some side streets including introducing a one-way system for Moffat Road and Hereward Road

Changes to the footpath

As part of this we are proposing a type of pavement treatment at side road junctions called a ‘continuous footway’, which is already widely used in northern Europe. This is where the pavement continues straight across a side road junction to give the impression of one continuous pavement. This treatment has been installed at other locations along the Transport for London Road Network, including at the junction of Upper Tooting Road/Stapleton Road. However this is the first time that we are proposing it is used consistently along a large stretch of road.

Introducing continuous footways at this location will seek to prioritise pedestrian movements in Tooting town centre by encouraging vehicles to slow down and give way to pedestrians. For vehicles exiting the side road, we are looking to introduce give-way markings, in addition to the continuous footway, to encourage car drivers to stop and enable pedestrians to cross safely. We are not currently proposing to include tactile paving at the side road crossing points, to ensure that the footway appears continuous. We would like to understand your views on this element of the scheme, especially if you have a disability, to ensure that the infrastructure that we deliver is as inclusive as possible.

We are proposing that continuous footways would be used at the following junctions with Tooting High Street: Carwell Street, Trevelyan Road, Aldis Street, Sellincourt Road, Tooting Grove, Recovery Street, Nutwell Street, Woodbury Street, Hoyle Road, Coverton Road, Ivy Road, Gilbey Road, Garrat Terrace and Selkirk Road.

We are also proposing to use it at the following junctions with Upper Tooting Road: Gatton Road, Totterdown Street, Broadwater Road, Moffat Road, Kellino Street, Hereward Road, Letchworth Street, Cowick Road, Hebdon Road, Lessingham Avenue, Lynwood Road and Price Close.

We also propose to use it at the following junctions with Mitcham Road: Udine Street, Bickley Street, Valnay Street, Melison Road, Franciscan Road, Rookstone Road, Vant Road, Charlmont Road, Church Lane, Bickersteth Road, Avarn Road, Bevill Allen Close and Byton Road.

Please see below for examples of how continuous footways may look.

Changes to road network

We are proposing to help increase the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and other road users by reducing the speed limit to 20mph. We would also try to protect bus journey times, where possible, by extending bus lane facilities along the A24.

Pedestrian crossings

Existing crossings - We are proposing to widen and raise to pavement level the existing pedestrian crossings along Tooting High Street. We would also seek to introduce straight across crossings rather than the current staggered ones outside Tooting Broadway Station. We plan to relocate crossings to where there is greater demand – please see the plans for more details on this.

New crossings - We are proposing to introduce a new signalised crossing at the junction of Longmead Road and Mitcham Lane. This will bring together to two crossings that already exist and provide a junction where the green-man phase is present across all arms at the same time. We also plan to introduce a new crossing over Tooting High Street near Selkirk Road. We are hoping to install the Pedestrian Countdown indicator to inform pedestrians how many seconds they have left to cross the road safely at controlled crossings.

Please see below for examples of how improvements to pedestrian crossings may look.

Changes to priority

We are proposing to make Lessingham Avenue left-turn only on to Upper Tooting Road. Derinton Road would become right turn only on to Upper Tooting Road. We would also introduce a new one-way facility on Moffat Road and Hereward Road whereby Moffat Road would be entry only from Upper Tooting Road and exit only from Hereward Road on to Upper Tooting Road. It would operate one-way clock-wise.

Totterdown Street

We are proposing to treat this road differently to other roads in the area. We would like to allow the community to use the space. However we do not propose to make it traffic-free but could change parking, road surfacing and planting to make it a more useful and inviting space for local people. We would like to hear your views at this stage before we do any more design work.

Please see the plans below for further details about our proposals.

Tooting town centre - overall plan (PDF 1.33MB)

Tooting town centre plan - parts 1 & 2 (PDF 589KB)

Tooting town centre plan - part 3 (PDF 485KB)

Tooting Town centre plan - parts 4 & 5 (PDF 422KB)

Have your say

We would like to know what you think about our proposals for Tooting town centre.

Please give us your views by completing the online survey below by 10 December 2018.

We will be holding 3 drop-in sessions for you to come and talk to us about the scheme and answer any questions you have. These will be as follows:

Monday 12 November, 18.00 - 20.30, Tooting Market (Central Square), 21 - 23 Tooting High Street, London SW17 OSN

Wednesday 14 November, 09.00 - 17.00, United Reform Church, Rookstone Road, London SW17 9NQ

Saturday 17 November, 10.00 - 16.00, Tooting Library, 75 Mitcham Road, London SW17 9PD

Alternatively, you can:

Email us at consultations@tfl.gov.uk

or write to us at FREEPOST TFL CONSULTATIONS

You can also request paper copies of all the consultation materials and a response form by emailing consultations@tfl.gov.uk, or writing to FREEPOST TFL CONSULTATIONS.