Wandsworth Town and Wandle residents discuss area improvements with Council Leader

At the drop‑in event, held at Swaffield Primary School, people from across the community came along to speak with the Leader and council teams about everyday issues they cared about, including transport, housing, care of public spaces and community safety.

Residents also raised issues including the need for safer and better‑lit routes, improved walking and cycling routes across the town centre and around transport hubs, and cleaner and more welcoming public spaces.

Just days after the council revealed the next steps to improve Wandsworth Town Centre in partnership with TfL, the event also provided an opportunity to find out more about the investment in the area as part of the council’s Decade of Renewal.

Simon Hogg said: “We’ve had really interesting discussions with residents today about the changes to their local area and what the council is doing to help make it a better place to live and get around. This was the last in this series of drop-in events we’ve held in every corner of the borough. Over the last year we’ve met so many residents who only want the best for their neighbourhood, so we’ve been working hard to deliver local improvements that reflect what matters most to them.”

Listening to local priorities

Neighbourhood improvements in the local area include the new Swaffield pocket park which will open in May, a new Brocklebank NHS health centre and mobile CCTV vans patrolling the area as part of a new borough-wide safety initiative paid for by the council’s Neighbourhood Renewal Fund.

Following public engagement last year with residents and businesses, the council has been working with Transport for London to agree a series of short and medium-term improvements to make Wandsworth Town Centre an easier and safer place to travel around.

The town centre improvements are paid for with funds the council has collected from property developers, with a contribution from Transport for London’s Safe and Healthy Streets investment fund, at no cost to local taxpayers. Read our news on improvements for Wandsworth Town Centre

Investment in transport and public spaces

After listening to feedback from residents that they wanted lighter and brighter routes, including bridge underpasses, the council is working on improvements to the route underneath the Swandon Way rail bridge and the nearby Causeway, with upgraded lighting, bright murals and planting due to be finished this month.

Work is also continuing on improvements to Old York Road with re-tiling, paving, planting and a traffic-free space for customers to sit outside local businesses and cafes.

Elsewhere in the town centre, the council is planning to declutter pavements, improve lighting, widen footways and enhance public spaces.

At local Wandsworth Town rail station, the council is supporting major upgrade works at Wandsworth Town Station to install lifts to all platforms and open up a new modern second entrance with ticket turnstiles. Network Rail were on-hand at the drop-in event to talk to residents about the changes and timeline of the upgrade works. Read our news on upgrade works to Wandsworth Town Station

Milestone event

Today's Wandsworth Town and Wandle drop-in session marked the last in this series of community drop-in events held around the borough.

Since November 2023 the council has held 23 drop-ins at schools, halls, leisure centres, libraries and community centres around the borough.

We’ve welcomed hundreds of people through the door to meet councillors and council staff and find out more about what’s happening in their local area alongside the opportunity to meet partner organisations such as Neighbourhood Watch, Citizens Advice and local police.

Find out more about our series of community listening events