Former councillor criticises Tolworth Broadway plans (From Kingston Guardian)

Former councillor criticises Tolworth Broadway plans

A former councillor has criticised a controversial bid to remove traffic barriers at Tolworth Broadway on the eve of a review into the proposals.

Former councillor criticises Tolworth Broadway plans

Douglas Reynolds was chairman of the road safety committee for the old Surbiton district council when he suggested having central reservation barriers put up in 1967.

Tomorrow a Kingston council scrutiny committee will meet to review the proposal for a green walkway down the middle of the road.

But Mr Reynolds, who served as councillor for the Tolworth West ward for 53 years, said he was concerned about the safety of the road and any removal of the barrier would lead to accidents.

He said that during the period leading up to their installation in early 1969 there was at least one fatality and several accidents on the road.

Neither Kingston Council or Surrey Council, who were responsible for the district at the time, the police or the Office of National Statistic retain details of the incident.

However, a letter to the Comet in 2002 claims the victim was an elderly woman with dementia killed crossing the road in the mid 1960s.

Mr Reynolds said: "People were just wandering out across the Broadway and getting hit. I remember clearly one death which sparked the plans but I am pretty sure there were a couple more and at least half dozen serious injuries.

"I cannot understand the logic that is being applied here the barriers were put up for a reason. Cars have got more powerful with more traffic on the road in the last 40 odd years which means tearing them down is likely to cause just as many accidents as it did then- if not more.

"Transport for London and Kingston Council have stuck a lot of money into this project at a time when it is in very short supply and can be better used elsewhere."

Kingston Council said the £2.6m scheme, partly funded from the Mayor of London's Great Outdoors Initiative, prioritises cyclist over cars and will allow pedestrians to cross anywhere along the road.

A spokesman for Kingston council said: "It wouldn't be appropriate for us to comment at the moment as the scrutiny panel meets tomorrow night and we do not wish to prejudice the outcome of the meeting."

Work is due to begin in early April in the hope it will be completed in time for this year’s Olympics.

The Surrey Comet has been bombarded with letters opposing the controversial scheme since it was officially unveiled last November.

In this week’s letter’s page Joan Langford, from Surbiton, raises concerns over the cost of the project and further concerns about traffic congestion and road safety.

She said:"Do we really need green painted areas, a narrower traffic lane causing even greater rush hour congestion (both sides of the A3), and the dangerous invitation to pedestrians to cross an unprotected road?"

However Kingston Council says the scheme will de-clutter the street add additional trees and boost trade and is an opportunity to regenerate Tolworth Broadway.

Transport chief Roy Thompson, who is leading the project, has previously said: “This part of the borough often feels very left out so the greenway is an opportunity to regenerate it.”

However Councillor Richard Hudson has started a petition on Kingston Council's website calling for them to reconsider the scheme and currently has 116 signatures.

To sign the petition log on to: http://epetition.kingston.public-i.tv/epetition_core/community/petition/1755