Whilst Residents In Balham & Tooting Can Vote For 20mph

Council will hold informal consultation with Fairfield & East Putney wards

Around 30,000 residents in two council wards are to be asked whether they support the idea of introducing 20mph speed limits in their neighbourhoods.

The council is consulting local people in Balham’s Bedford ward and Furzedown ward in Tooting to ask them if they want a lower speed limit to cover their areas.

Residents living on the large Dover House Road estate in west Putney have had a 20mph zone for three years and councillors are keen to let more local people have a say on whether they want 20mph zones where they live.

Informal consultations are also being held with residents living in parts of Fairfield and East Putney wards.

Transport spokesman Cllr Russell King said:
“This is localism and local democracy in action. We are saying to people across the borough ‘do you want a 20mph limit in your neighbourhood’. If enough people support that idea, then we will implement it. What we do not favour is making changes like this on a blanket basis without consulting people and asking them for their views.

“Over the last few years we have received representations both for and against 20mph limits from local people and a range of community and transport organisations. We will continue to listen very closely to these views as we draw up ongoing proposals for Wandsworth.”

The council will carry out formal consultation with local communities with a view to lowering speed limits if there is clear support for the idea from local people and from ward councillors. Residents can submit proposals or petitions or obtain more information by emailing highwaysconsultancy@wandsworth.gov.uk

A spokesman for The Putney Society who have been lobbying for the introduction of 20mph zones said:
" Informal consultations ! What is this ? Transport spokesman for the council, Councillor Russell King, says, "This is localism and local democracy in action. We are saying to people across the borough 'do you want a 20mph limit in your neighbourhood'. If enough people support that idea, then we will implement it. What we do not favour is making changes like this on a blanket basis without consulting people and asking them for their views". Meanwhile in Furzedown and Bedford ward areas, where support amounted to only 27% and 12% respectively, a budget of £121,000 has been set aside for implementation in 2013/14.

• Norroy Road, SW15 (Thamesfield),
• Fawe Park Road SW15 (Thamesfield),
• Disraeli Road SW15 (Thamesfield),
• Standen Road SW18 (Southfields Ward),
• Toastrack SW18 (Wandsworth Common),
• Bedford Ward and Furzedown Wards

Support for the speed limit was convincing in Norroy, Disraeli and Fawe Park Roads, see box, and yet the council has decided to conduct “informal” consultations, with no time frame or budget for implementation".

The spokesperson concluded:
"Clearly, localism and local democracy moves slowly, hardly action at all".

February 7, 2014