Wallington public transport improvements – Update 2

We are now in the third week of the Wallington Integrated Transport Project and good progress is being made to widen the pavements, move services and install new drainage.

I am aware that it is tricky for people to cross Woodcote Road at present. With just one traffic light controlled crossing point outside Wallington Square lots of people are taking a chance and still crossing near HSBC. A new crossing with pedestrian control will be in place between HSBC and NatWest by 14 March. The new pavements outside HSBC will not have been completed by this date, so there will be some barriers around the crossing but we will have a second safe place to cross.

The temporary bus stops are operating well, but there have been a few problems with loading and unloading. This is difficult for the traders but the council will be patrolling to ensure that the bus stops are not being used dangerously.

As the work outside the Old Town Hall progresses the CCTV pole will be disconnected and new, improved CCTV will be located in a better location outside Barclays on the same day. The police prefer this spot because it allows monitoring of Woodcote Road and the access to the car park.

Moving further north in Woodcote Road 5 trees will need to be removed because they will be too close to the new kerbs. They will be replaced with 6 trees in new locations and most of the existing trees will be transplanted into parks - although two are diseased.

Beddington Gardens

Work on a new 4.5 metre deep soak away in Beddingon Gardens will start in the next couple of days. The soakaway will take rainwater from Beddington Gardens and Shotfield and help to alleviate the kind of flooding we have had under the railway bridge in the past. Similar soak aways were installed in Railway Aproach last year. The work will take approximately three weeks to complete.

Finally one bit of bad news. A few people have ignored the new one-way access into Beddington Gardens and continue to use this as a way out into Woodcote Road. Clearly this is very dangerous and the police will be involved if necessary.