A23 bypass speed limit change Consultation Report October 2014

Contents

1 Introduction...... 2 2 The Consultation...... 3 3 Responses from members of the public...... 4 4 Responses from stakeholders...... 4

Appendix A – List of stakeholders consulted...... 5 Appendix B – Consultation material...... 6

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1. Introduction We recently invited the public and key stakeholders to comment on our proposals to change the speed limit on Farthing Way, Coulsdon bypass from 30 to 40mph.

This report explains the background to our proposal; outlines the consultation undertaken and summarises the responses. The consultation was open for people to comment between 14 March to 4 April 2014.

We proposed a change in the maximum speed limit on Farthing Way, Coulsdon by-pass, from 30 to 40mph. The existing 40 mph speed limit will be extended about 600 metres north to a point close to the footbridge across the A23.

Raising the speed limit from 30 to 40 mph on this section of the bypass would provide better continuity and consistency. Typical existing traffic speeds are closer to 40 mph than 30 mph throughout Farthing Way. However, the collision record on the by-pass does not indicate a speed related road safety problem.

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2. The consultation The consultation has been designed to help inform and shape our final decision. We want to understand the communities’ opinions about our proposals for changes to the speed limit on Farthing Way.

The potential outcomes of the consultation are:

 We decide the consultation raises no issues that should prevent us from proceeding with the speed limit changes  We modify the scheme in response to issues raised in consultation  We abandon the scheme as a result of issues raised in the consultation

2.1 Consultation objectives The objectives of the consultation were:  To give stakeholders and the public easy to understand information about the proposals and allow them to respond  To understand the level of support or opposition for the change  To understand any issues that might affect the proposal of which we were not previously aware  To understand concerns and objections  To allow respondents to make suggestions  To help inform our decision making process

2.2 Who we consulted The consultation intended to seek the views of people living or working in the vicinity of Coulsdon

We also informed known stakeholders of our consultation. A list of stakeholders contacted is shown in appendix A

2.3 Consultation material, distribution and publicity The consultation was published online. We produced a letter with a map explaining our proposals and distributed this to 202 properties in the immediate area. A copy of the letter is shown in appendix B.

2.4 General response A total of 68 responses were received from members of the public and stakeholders.

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3. Responses from members of the public We received 65 responses from members of the public. Of these two were against the proposals, with the remainder in favour. 4. Responses from Stakeholders

Steve O'Connell, Assembly Member “Have lobbied for some time on behalf of residents who support an increase in the speed limit”

Darren Johnson Assembly Member - “I oppose this proposed measure...I take issue with TfL’s rationale for the change as being that ‘typical existing traffic speeds are closer to 40 mph than 30 mph throughout Farthing Way’. If this is the case, the existing 30mph speed limit should have been properly enforced before TfL decided to propose adjusting the speed limit to accommodate speeding motorists. This sends a terrible message of tolerance for those who break the rules on our roads.”

Met Police - “The Road should look like the speed limit that is in force and this would be achieved. The is not a history of collisions here and most motorists will be travelling at 40mph”

CWRA committee member “This would help avoid the confusion that exists at the moment and so is a good proposal”

Old Coulsdon Residents’ Association – “This is long overdue as is the removal of the Bus Lane on a road with no bus services.”

East Coulsdon Residents’ Association – “For such a road is it foolish to have a variable speed limit. Is a wide road with no residential properties. 40 MPH is sensible. In addition. Cane Hill will be developing 650+ homes on the site which will disgorge many cars into Coulsdon. There is a need for an exit from the new development onto the by- pass or the area around Coulsdon will become clogged with traffic and will defeat the reason why the By-pass was built to unclog the area.”

Riddlesdown Residents’ Association – “It is absolutely ridiculous that this 30mph speed limit was introduced on this section of road in the first place. It is not in a residential area and we understand many people have been fined for speeding here. We also believe it is also more dangerous at 30 mph, because bunching and tailgating of traffic also occurs at this speed. We fully support this proposal to raise it to 40 mph.

And whilst you are at it, please remove the ridiculous bus and lorry lane for northbound traffic that is underused, especially as no buses use this road.

Tfl also need to look at the traffic light phasing and junction layout for south bound traffic, waiting to turning right at the traffic lights into Brighton Rd (the main Coulsdon town centre) because when more than about 10 vehicles/buses are waiting to turn right (especially at peak times), it causes huge tailbacks into Purley because through traffic (especially lorries) cannot pass through the gap!”

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Appendix A – List of stakeholders consulted TravelWatch

Elected Members Caroline Pidgeon AM Darren Johnson AM Gareth Bacon AM Jenny Jones AM Murad Qureshi AM Nicky Gavron AM Andrew Boff AM Victoria Borwick AM Tom Copley AM Stephen Knight AM Fiona Twycross AM Steve O’Connell AM Richard Ottaway MP David Osland Ward Ian Parker Coulsdon West Ward Jeet Bains Coulsdon West Ward Chris Wright Ward Justin Cromie Coulsdon East Ward Terry Lenton Coulsdon East Ward

Local authorities Police and health authorities London Borough of Croydon Metropolitan Police

Other Stakeholders

East Coulsdon Residents’ Association Coulsdon West Residents’ Association

London Cycling Campaign

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Appendix B - Consultation material

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