• Changes will be made in November and December
• The revised scheme will then be reviewed in January

Sutton Council will make changes to the Heart of Hackbridge traffic scheme following public concerns that the new layout is not being followed.

The Greater London Authority (GLA) backed scheme was originally managed by a delivery board made up of Bioregional, the GLA, Sutton Council, the Hackbridge and Beddington Corner Neighbourhood Planning Group, local businesses and residents.

Funding was applied for after residents and businesses said the area needed revitalising and that visitors didn’t feel safe because of high vehicle speeds and narrow pavements.

Data taken before the work was carried out recorded instances of speeds in excess of 65 mph and recorded 40 near-misses in a six hour period on the zebra crossings.

Since September, Sutton Council has been monitoring the effects of the new junction through studies and an interim safety audit, as well as gauging the opinion of the public. As a result, the council will make the following changes in November and December. It will then review the effects of the changes in January before deciding whether any further works are needed.

• The roundel will be replaced by a mini-roundabout with arrows, give-way markings and lit signs which will be in place by mid-December

• New Road Layout Ahead’ signs on each approach arm to the junction have been put up

• The lollipop person will be retained for the immediate future to help with school crossings

• The six courtesy crossings will be made to stand out more by colouring their surface

• A road safety campaign will be launched with the police to give information on courtesy crossings to motorists including bus drivers and local hauliers in an effort to slow speeds further

• Commissioning a disability access audit to review how the scheme works for people with disabilities

• Consideration of making the Heart of Hackbridge centre and surrounding roads a 20mph zone and introducing further speed reduction measures if the latest speed surveys show that they are needed

• Discussions with the developer of the former Felnex site to see if a traffic signalled junction with a separate crossing period for pedestrians at the Felnex and Station junction can be installed

Jill Whitehead, Chair of the Environment and Neighbourhoods Committee, said:

“The Hackbridge Road scheme is very modern both in terms of design and how it was led by a delivery group involving several partner organisations and extensive public consultation.

“We said all along that once completed, the council would monitor its impact. It is clear that more can be done to improve the junction so we are going to make changes ourselves.

“Over next two months we will create a mini-roundabout, paint the informal crossings, add more signage and roll out a road safety campaign about the courtesy crossings. We will also continue to employ a lollypop officer for the immediate future to help with school crossings.

“We will then review the effects of these changes in January and see if any further work is needed.”

On top of these changes, Sutton Council is also working with Hackbridge Primary School on a competition for children to design a banner and signs to go outside the school urging motorists to slow down.

Heart of Hackbridge

The traffic junction was part of a wider £1.4m Heart of Hackbridge project which followed a successful bid to the GLA to improve the look and accessibility of the area.

As well as the new junction other elements of the Heart of Hackbridge project included the improvement of 10 new shop fronts, four shop interiors, the distribution of £40,000 of business grants, a 45 tonne reduction in carbon emissions from shops, a new farmers market on widened pavements and two new websites designed to promote the area.