Consultation on plans to improve road safety for children attending two Balham schools

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

And there is now a public consultation underway to gauge the views of local people.

The proposals are: 

•    Remove the existing mini roundabout at Chestnut Grove junction with Endlesham Road. This would involve widening the footway here, improving visibility, reducing crossing distances and installing a sustainable urban drainage system in the form of rain gardens. Rain gardens work by reducing the flow rate of surface water reducing the impact of flooding in urban areas by allowing local flora and fauna to absorb water.

•    Install a new zebra crossing facility on the existing raised table outside Chestnut Grove Academy.

•    Remove the existing mini roundabout at Chestnut Grove junction with Boundaries Road and replace with a new raised zebra crossing.

The following additional measures are being proposed to facilitate the safe installation of the new raised zebra crossing and removal of the mini roundabout at Chestnut Grove/Boundaries Road, as outlined above. 

•    Introduction of a short section of one way (east to west) on Boundaries Road between its junctions with Rowfant Road and Balham Park Road. A No Entry except cyclists is proposed on Boundaries Road junction with Rowfant Road, permitting cyclists to travel contraflow to motor traffic. 

•    Introduction of a time-restricted banned right turn from Chestnut Grove onto Boundaries Road from 7am to 9am and 3pm to 6pm Monday to Friday to cover school opening and closing times. 

Further detailed information about the scheme and a plan illustrating the proposals is available on the consultation website.

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

“We believe the two new zebra crossings will make those journeys much safer.

“We want to hear what local people think of these measures as feedback could help us make this an even better road safety scheme.

The consultation begins today (21 November) and concludes on 17 December. Local people who’d like to ask questions of council officers and find out more about the plans can attend drop-in sessions at Chestnut Grove Academy over the coming weeks.

The sessions will be held on: 

•    Tuesday, 5 December between 5pm and 8pm.

•    Saturday, 9 December from 12 noon to 4pm.

To take part in the online consultation please visit the council's website.

For further information or to submit questions please email TrafficandEngineering@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk.