South of the Borough Neighbourhood Committee 5 September 2017 Information Section

1. Dates of next meetings and Potential forthcoming business

Tuesday 7 November 2017 - venue: Girls School, Fullers Way North, KT6 7LQ  Green Lane/Church Lane Safety Review  Hemsby Road area traffic management review  Jubilee Way Cycle Scheme

Mid October - Potential additional Neighbourhood Conversation on Traffic and Transportation – to be confirmed

Wednesday 24 January 2018 - venue: Methodist Church, Church Lane, KT9 2DJ  Waiting restrictions at south end of Green Lane – outcome of consultation

Wednesday 21 February 2018 – Neighbourhood Conversation: venue to be confirmed –

Wednesday 14 March 2018: venue: Tolworth Girls School Fullers Way North, Surbiton KT6 7LQ  Elmcroft Drive - Local Area of Special Character (LASC) designation (deferred because Conservation Area designation criteria are undergoing review)

2. Traffic Schemes Updates

2.1 TfL Update

An update from Transport for London (TfL) is attached. The following are comments provided in a TfL email to Mr Robb on 26 July from the TfL Borough Engagement Manager South in response to questions (shown in small size italics) raised by Mr Robb for the 5 July Neighbourhood Committee: (These updates will be transferred into the next TfL traffic scheme update as a record going forward.)

“Subject: public question for 5/7 RBK Nhd Cttee: relations with TfL

Further to my emails below I have now received further information from colleagues. For clarity I’ve written the relevant issue from Rob Robb in red (small font italics) , and the response from my colleagues beneath. Also attached …….an updated version (of the TfL update to the March meeting) named ‘august notes’, which my colleagues were also asked to provide an update on.

Signage for Cox Lane Industrial Estate

(1) We are still awaiting revised signage on our major roads to stop large lorries trying to cut through to Cox Lane Industrial Estate and getting stuck. The last thing I heard they had produced some signs but had forgot about some of the Bridge Heights on the routes so had to go back and revisit the project. Did suggest a system of repeater signs similarly to that you get when travelling towards an Historic Site (see attached) I know they do not conform to DFT’s criteria but the concept is what I was trying to get over. Cox Lane Industrial Estate is located near several low bridges making access for HGVs difficult. We are currently signing HGVs travelling to the industrial estate to exit the A3 at Tolworth. This is far from ideal as there is also a height restriction at Tolworth bridge, limiting access to the industrial estate for high vehicles. We have spoken to businesses within Cox Lane industrial estate to explain the issue of access and to request they in turn liaise with their logistics companies to limit the size of vehicle used when delivering goods here. However we have been advised this is not a practical solution as businesses here cannot request a certain size vehicle travel to specific sites. There are alternative routes into the industrial estate; however length and width restrictions have been installed to limit HGV presence on residential roads. We are continuing to work with borough officers to identify a suitable route for all businesses to access the industrial estate.

Road Network

(2) As you are aware notices suddenly appeared on railings on a stretch of the A243 saying some were being removed under the auspices of “The Guard Rail Team” . As Residents we cannot see any common sense reason why these are being removed and have asked TFL to just keep the Status Quo. However the danger with setting up a Team is “The “Team” has to justify itself. We believe we are not alone and Residents of Cheam apparently have the same issue with TFL. In fact we feel that at one point we need new Guard Rails to cover recent upgrade by TFL in the kerbs and pavements at Elm Road – A243 Junction traffic lights commissioned by TFL, pedestrians tripping over the higher more acute edged kerb stone profile; rather using the staggered lowered kerbs. The attached email sent by me to Cllr Thompson on 26.06.17 covers the issue of pedestrian guardrail removal. TfL has a palate of materials and designs that can be used on the road network that are considered suitable and understandable for all road users. The island in the middle of a staggered crossing can be the same level as the road surface but the outside defined through high kerbs which guide pedestrians to the appropriate crossing point. For this staggered crossing design, high kerbs are a requirement to enable blind or partially sighted users to identify the edge of the island if they use a cane. If pedestrians use the island as intended by following the stagger between the two crossing points the high kerbs should not pose a trip hazard.

(3) The replacement of the A3 Barrier at the end of Elmcroft Drive. We have gone past the second “sell by date” on this, hopefully we do not have any further incidents at this point, see attached. Works in this location are programmed for August 2017.

(4) The problem you brought up at the AGM, i.e. the state of the Round About at the Ace of Spades. As previously mentioned “I don’t think TFL do joined up thinking” We have seen the new footbridge installed across the Under Pass, we have seen the slip roads completely resurfaced. The contractor stored his vehicles on the centre of the roundabout overnight during the project but TFL could not get that contractor to repair the infrastructure of the roundabout itself. I did ask at the time. Just another small issue on the slip road on the A309 coming up from Hinchley Wood, we used to have a right turn arrow in the right hand lane so that traffic turning left or going straight on flowed more efficiently. Although the department of transport traffic signs Manual does advise it would appear Highways England uses common sense: DFT’s Traffic Sign’s Manual Chapter 5, 8.31 “Right turn arrows are best avoided on the approach lanes to a roundabout, other than a mini-roundabout, particularly as they can mislead overseas drivers used to driving on the right. Where a right hand lane is dedicated to a specific destination, this should be associated with an ahead arrow until the vehicle is in the circulatory carriageway”. TFL has decided you cannot have a right hand turn arrow at a roundabout because foreign drivers might turn right too early and go around the roundabout the wrong way. Maybe this could be readdressed when we have completed article 50. (see below) Unfortunately the kerbs at the roundabout are being struck by large vehicles. Our maintenance team have repaired the kerbs in the past but they have been knocked on a few occasions. I am unable to confirm if they were in need of repair when the footbridge was installed or the slip roads resurfaced. Regardless of this, separate traffic management measures are likely to be needed to repair the kerbs above what was required to do those works. As mentioned the kerbs at the roundabout are getting damaged by large vehicles. Further investigation is needed to ascertain exactly where and why this is happening. As part of the same piece of work, arrows on the slip roads and destination signing can be reviewed. Unfortunately we are unable to investigate this further this financial year as our funding is now fully committed. Due to the comprehensive spending review within TfL, schemes next financial year (starting April 2018) are being prioritised as again we have very limited funding available. It may therefore be we cannot investigate this any further until 2019/20.

(5) Cross Roads at . although TFL spent £M’s on improvements to the cross roads at Malden Rushett there are still issues with Vehicles turning right from Fair Oak Lane and Rushett Lane and it need readdressing. Malden Rushett Residents Association are trying to communicate with TFL over this issue. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.3412838,- 0.317363,3a,75y,240.61h,99.2t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s86RHjDRTX7ZjnNkqM5wH7A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 TfL representatives met with residents to discuss this issue at Malden Rushett. Video surveys were subsequently commissioned to identify the frequency and timing of when the right turn issue from Fairoak Lane and Rushett Lane occurs. Video surveys showed a right turning vehicle trapped in the junction just a couple of times in 2 days of data. Both instances were at different times of the day. Although the vehicles did become trapped in the junction, on both occasions the vehicle began the right turn manoeuvre when the traffic lights were green. As there is no pattern and such low frequency of occurrence, our enforcement team cannot actively target the issue.

The traffic signals at Malden Rushett are already at capacity with queues developing on approaches during peak periods. A review of the traffic signals has found the traffic signal timings are at their optimum and remain balanced for all users of the network.

It is felt that with the widening of the junction (the feeling of openness on these approaches) may be contributing to this issue. Fairoak Lane and Rushett Lane are 40mph and change down to 30mph close to the junction approach. This combined with the open land on the north side and the new two lane approach may be causing drivers to resist slowing down as they go through the junction. Ways of slowing down vehicles on the approaches of Fairoak Lane and Rushett Lane could be looked at in order to help increase compliance of the red signals and we are liaising with borough officers to this effect to see if speed reduction or traffic calming measures can be introduced on the approach to the junction.

(6) Following on from the camera is not being reinstated and loss of the deterrent factor, Malden Rushett Residents Association have asked for Pedestrian Crossings to be reviewed in their village by TFL. It is TfL policy to review the personal injury collision data 36 months after completion of a scheme. Malden Rushett junction was completed in July 2015 so we do not yet have the required 36 months of data; however using data we have to date for the junction, up to 31st October 2016 the collisions have reduced significantly and there are no pedestrian collisions.

Finally please note that the general grant TfL receives from central Government will have reduced from £700m to zero by the 2018/19 financial year. This, coupled with reduced revenue from the fares freeze over the full 4 years of the Mayor’s current term, means we are very unlikely to be able to agree to any funding which is not accounted for in our Business Plan which was approved in December 2016.

Tim Williams Borough Engagement Manager South, Borough Engagement, Public Affairs & Stakeholder Engagement Customers, Communication and Technology