Balham town centre - a more pedestrian future? Post Reply

[JonIrwinLD]

Morning folks,

Over the summer we had the chance to experience what Balham town centre can feel like with more pedestrian space. Personally I really enjoyed it. With the weather now turning, I think it would be great if with the council, we were able to perhaps try to 'lock in' some of the plus sides of that experience. 

With my colleagues, we've set up a petition asking the council to have a conversation with the community on options from full pedestrianisation through to full motorised access and anything in between. 

Hope you might be able to add your support here: 
http://www.wandsworthlibdems.org.uk/pedestrianbalham

Thanks,
Jon

PS 5 years ago we did a similar petition asking the council to trial pedestrianising the north end of Bedford Hill at the weekends. Sadly, it took a pandemic for them to move on that kind of idea, but that's local politics at times!

[Rudilux]

It might have looked nice to have all those tables outside and be able to walk around without the cars, but the chaos that the closure caused on the traffic in the area was big. Not being able to go down Bedford Hill or turning in from Balham High Road was a nightmare. The traffic coming down from Streatham was all channeled to Station Road. You might want to think twice and consider the people who live around that street or who need to use it on a daily basis. This is a major road for Balham and an artery for the traffic that passes through. Plus with the new changes from TFL about turns, this would cause again major chaos. I'm all for a nice town center...I live close by....but the traffic chaos I really don't need again.

[Mim20]

I agree there hasn't been enough consultation but am grateful that Bedford Hill is now open to traffic again. Balham while a lovely place to live is not a village in isolation from the rest of the area. I am a local resident of 24 years and all for changes that improve the environment. But the reinstatement of LTNs over the summer (of which Bedford Hill was part temporarily because of Eat out to help out) with the much worse TfL changes to the A24 made life incredibly difficult to move around even in the summer months when there were fewer people around. Not only was there evidence of more pollution on all the main roads as a result, cars were completely stuck belting out fumes for extended periods, it was dangerous given emergency vehicles couldn't pass anywhere and were also stuck, and as we heard last week on NvN, post vans couldn't even stop to collect mail from the local post office !! thankfully now resolved. We all want cleaner air and those who can walk as often as possible anyhow, but it is just not possible to walk and cycle for everything and for some people not at all. It seems to me it's about getting a balance and as has been clear over the latter part of the summer the balance was definitely wrong. Coming south to Balham from Clapham South, Bedford Hill is, because of the A24 mess, one of only two roads available for vehicles to turn left into to access their homes, businesses, Sainsburys and its car park or to drive through to Streatham. The next road available left is right down close to Tooting Bec - not very helpful if you live nearer the Bedford Hill end or the upper part of the Heaver Estate - and this then takes cars on a mad circuitous route through very residential areas and around Tooting Bec Common. Closures to Bedford Hill (and other roads) merely bumped the problem onto someone else's patch - very important that this is given full consideration in consultations.

[delsh21]

I agree with the above. I live in the Hyde Farm area and we were effectively landlocked when Bedford Hill was pedestrianised, forced to go all the way through Streatham to get home from most places.
I too am all for lowering air pollution etc but the measures taken over the summer only seemed to increase it and caused absolute chaos and daily frustration for those of us who live nearest to the Bedford Hill and have no option but to use our cars for essential travel.

[FLH03]

I agree with the 3 posters above, the closure of Bedford Hill earlier in the summer had a huge radius of knock on chaotic effects to traffic congestion, pollution, bus diversions, and to stopping people getting to Balham.  

What are the Lib Dems' proposals to factor in and address these issues, and stop them from happening again with their intended plan?

Bedford Hill is a major arterial road, a B road.  It is not comparable to make comparisons with the pedestrianisation of Old York Road, and Northcote Road, less major roads, with different surrounding road networks.

The Eat Out to Help Out Scheme seemed to be to be a major success for restaurants and bars that were not in pedestrianised areas. 

Also - we already have a wonderful lovely pedestrian space in Hildreth Street, with the areas around that could be used more - the mews bits and Bedford Hill place.