Action plan to improve road safety for children attending schools in Balham

The measures are designed to make it safer for children who walk and cycle to Chestnut Grove Academy and Hornsby House School.

Pupils attending both schools face difficult journeys along streets that are busy with traffic.

The proposed safety measures include: 

•    The removal of two mini-roundabouts on Chestnut Grove at the junctions with Boundaries Road and Endlesham Grove.

•    The installation of two new zebra crossings. One on Boundaries Road and a second near the entrance to Chestnut Grove Academy.

•    A raised table speed reduction measure at the junction of Chestnut Grove and Boundaries Road to provide a safer crossing point for pedestrians.

•    A time restricted ban on vehicles turning right from Chestnut Grove into Boundaries Road. Vehicles would be prevented from carrying out this manoeuvre between the hours of 7am to 9am and from 3pm to 6pm, Monday to Friday. This restriction would be enforced by the use of traffic cameras.

•    The introduction of a short one-way street with contraflow cycling on Boundaries Road from east to west between Balham Park Road and Rowfant Road. 

A report to councillors on the Transport Committee which met last night and approved the changes (Thursday) concludes: “It is anticipated that the provision of two new raised zebra crossings accompanied by the necessary accompanying modal filters to reduce traffic volume at the suggested locations would have a beneficial effect in enhancing road safety and assisting pedestrians and cyclists. In particular, the safety of school children walking to and from school as well as, crossing the road to access local amenities will be greatly enhanced.”

Jenny Yates, Wandsworth’s Cabinet Member for Transport said: “This package of measures is designed to address the widely held community concerns in this part of Balham, especially among parents, around the hazards their children face on their journeys to and from school.

“The two new zebra crossings will make those journeys much safer, as will the additional steps being taken to reduce the number of vehicles on the approaches to both schools at the times pupils are arriving and departing each day.”

“These changes support the council’s Walking and Cycling Strategy, which includes a focus on making it safer for children to walk and cycle to school."

Looking ahead, council highways engineers will draw up detailed designs for these safety improvements while letters will be delivered to local residents outlining the changes and seeking their input into the statutory consultation that will follow. All feedback from that consultation will be carefully reviewed and changes to the scheme made where necessary.