Sutton residents could be fined for leaving home wrong way

The plans, which have been called a Highway Scheme by Sutton Council, would see two roads closed to all non-emergency and public service vehicles in an effort to reduce cut-through traffic and improve air quality. 

The plans, which are currently going through public consultation, would see the council run a six-month trial on the closure of Ross and Elgin Road, just off Wallington High Street.

The Council has also specified that residents will not get an exemption to these new plans due to other routes being available to them.

The proposed closures are as follows:

A restriction on access for motor vehicles into and out of Ross Road (western arm) near the junction with Clyde Road. 

A restriction on access for motor vehicles into and out of Elgin Road near the junction with Stafford Road. 

Sutton Council has brought forward these plans after residents raised complaints that their residential roads were used as a cut-through when the heavily used Stafford Road got too busy.

Residents said this occasionally resulted in near misses and damage to cars.

The new proposals will see two cameras erected at the two sites, which will fine any car hoping to cut between Stafford and Ross Road.

Residents on Clyde Road and Elgin Road will not be exempt from fines (credit: Harrison Galliven)

While exemptions will be given to emergency and public service vehicles, residents have been left out due to them always being able to leave the area from one direction.

On the consultation website, Sutton Council said: “We are proposing to introduce a trial scheme in the area.

"It is anticipated that the measures will result in a reduction in the number of motor vehicles using the roads in the area which will reduce the risk and severity of accidents and improve air quality.

"This would provide a safer environment for all road users and would make it easier for people to walk and cycle in the area if they wish to.”

However, road users have expressed concern that this measure will only add to the traffic already seen on Stafford Road and worsen journeys for motorists.

Some have even taken to calling the measures the borough’s newest low-traffic neighbourhood (LTN), which have become very controversial in Sutton. 

Conservative MP Elliot Colburn, who represents Wallington and Carshalton, has been vocal in his opposition to the plans and has called for residents to take part in the consultation so they can ‘have their say’.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), he said: “I am worried that the Lib Dem-run Council seem to be trying to mislead people by calling this a ‘traffic scheme’ – it’s a LTN. 

“If this is what residents want then fair enough, but many have been in touch with me worried about the impact this will have on them and nearby roads, especially Stafford Road traffic which is bad enough!

“Resident voices must be the decider here, if they say no, the council mustn’t force it through like they did with their LTNs a few years ago.”

Sutton has a chequered history regarding LTNs.

Back in 2021, the Lib Dem Council implemented an LTN scheme on roads in Worcester Park to quell traffic, despite concerns of it being overly disruptive to road users.

Moreover, critics said the scheme was not made the subject of a proper public consultation before its implementation. As a result, a local campaign group formed that called for its removal.

The Council was eventually forced to remove the LTNs following a high court ruling in February 2021.

The then Transport Chair for Sutton, Manuel Abellan, said: “In the future, the council will do things very differently – the Sutton way – for any area traffic improvements. 

He added: “There will be full consultation of the residents and businesses affected before schemes are launched with support for any ideas or schemes.” 

While Sutton Council has promoted the new scheme on its citizen space site, some motorists fear it will ignore their concerns again. A number of concerned motorists have taken to social media to air their concerns.

One commenter, Jason Thorn, said: “We pay a fortune to drive and road tax to drive on these public roads so we should be able to drive down all of them as they’re not private roads, how about sorting out the traffic signals to help traffic flow instead of forcing us onto main roads with badly phased lights to cause traffic jams.”

HGV driver, Mark Hancock, said: “These road closures cause more problems than they solve, sometimes you come across them with no warning & have to reverse an HGV out of a tight spot mainly without a co-driver. If anyone needs a delivery down there how are they supposed to get one.”

In light of these concerns over visibility, Sutton Council has stated: “There would be adequate advanced signing installed and a warning period before any fines were issued.”

The plans also align with the Council’s sustainable transport policy, which aims to encourage the borough’s residents towards more environmentally friendly transport measures.

According to the consultation website, the Council hopes that schemes like this will help the borough to become a ‘better place to live, work, and travel.’

Speaking to the LDRS, Councillor Barry Lewis, Lead Member for Environment and Transport said: “In response to concerns from local residents about the level of through traffic using Ross, Clyde, and Elgin Roads as a cut-through, we are asking residents if they would like us to trial a scheme to reduce the amount of traffic down these roads. 

“The consultation only asks whether residents want the trial to go ahead. If residents say they don’t want it, then we won’t do the trial – it’s as simple as that. 

“This is in no way a ‘money making scheme’. We are responding to resident concerns about creating a safer environment for them to live in.”

The deadline for giving feedback to the consultation is March 24.

Following the consultation, a six to 18 month trial will take place so the local authority can assess its impact.