Residents of a neighbourhood say cyclists narrowly avoid being killed at a “dangerous” mini-roundabout where there are often road rage incidents, as concerns grow about traffic in the area.

A new petition is calling on Wandsworth council to consider measures to slow down traffic in Summerstown, which sits between Tooting and Earlsfield.

The petition says the number of people walking in the area has “increased dramatically” since AFC Wimbledon’s Cherry Red Records Stadium opened nearby in Plough Lane in the Merton borough, surrounded by more than 600 new homes.

Wandsworth council objected to the development, over concerns about its impact on the area, but it was approved by Merton council in 2015. The stadium held its first game in 2021.

The petition says drivers often speed down Summerstown, while a “blind bend” where it meets Riverside Road means residents “do not feel safe”.

Although it adds a collision has not been reported in the road, it warns residents “strongly believe that waiting for a collision to happen is not the right way to approach this issue”.

Residents also raised concerns about the mini-roundabout at the junction of Summerstown and Garratt Lane, near Riverside Road. William Lausi, 44, has worked at restaurant Figli Del Vesuvio facing the mini-roundabout for eight years, and has lived in the area for 22 years.

He said the junction is “dangerous” as motorists “cut through” by driving over, instead of around, the mini-roundabout.. He said: “Every day people nearly die on bikes because drivers cut inside. They don’t go all the way round.”

Mr Lausi suggested the mini-roundabout should be raised, or even have a flowerpot placed at its centre, to prevent accidents by forcing drivers to go around it.

He added: “I always dream that one day I’m going to have a bus or big lorry straight through here because they’re crazy.”

Wandsworth council said it was carrying out a traffic study in the area to investigate concerns raised about the junction, after meeting with residents.

Mr Lausi also said he felt the opening of AFC Wimbledon’s new stadium had caused “more trouble” in the area due to the parking restrictions on match days.

He said: “When it’s match day, you have to pay for parking so I get damage from the stadium because my regular customers come on the weekends, and they can’t park.”

Mr Lausi said visitors to the stadium “don’t spend money” in the area – “they just go in and that’s it”.

Wandsworth council introduced parking restrictions on days when AFC Wimbledon’s first team have a home game in October 2021, including on Sundays and bank holidays, to prevent football fans parking in residential streets.

Eleanor Murray, 43, has lived in Summerstown for 10 years. She said she often hears drivers beeping at the junction of Summerstown and Garratt Lane, and that she had witnessed two motorists arguing earlier that week as “it’s just such a small roundabout that people aren’t prepared to slow down”.

Ollie Haffenden, 50, also lives in the neighbourhood and said there should be a second zebra crossing at the junction as pedestrians often cut across to avoid going the “long way around”. His partner Jo, 40, said it was “not very safe”.

A Wandsworth council spokesman said: “We are aware of some concerns about this junction having recently met with local residents and we are undertaking a traffic study in the immediate area that will seek to further investigate and review the concerns expressed to us.

“This is in addition to an ongoing study in Garratt Lane which could also lead to further measures to improve road safety in this part of the borough.”

Merton council and AFC Wimbledon have been contacted for comment.

https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/residents-demand-changes-to-road-where-cyclists-nearly-die-every-day/

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> Residents also raised concerns about the mini-roundabout at the junction
> of Summerstown and Garratt Lane, near Riverside Road. William Lausi, 44,
> has worked at restaurant Figli Del Vesuvio facing the mini-roundabout for
> eight years, and has lived in the area for 22 years.

> He said the junction is “dangerous” as motorists “cut through” by driving
> over, instead of around, the mini-roundabout. He said: “Every day people
> nearly die on bikes because drivers cut inside. They don’t go all the way round.”

As always, check the facts.

Traffic proceeding either North or South on Garrett Lane simply by-passes
the mini roundabout, as it doesn’t intrude into either lane, and the same
goes for traffic joining from Summerstown, where only the traffic turning
right into Garrett Lane needs to negotiate the mini roundabout.

There are no obvious tyre tracks going over the mini roundabout.

> https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/residents-demand-changes-to-road-where-cyclists-nearly-die-every-day/

--
Spike

Now on road.cc:
=============Residents of a South London neighbourhood have raised concerns about cyclists narrowly avoiding being killed at a "dangerous" mini-roundabout, and have signed a petition asking the council to implement measures that will slow down traffic and not just avoid crashes for cyclists but also for pedestrians.

The roundabout in question is located on the junction of Garratt Lane and Summerstown, between Earlsfield and Tooting in Wandsworth. Locals from the area are also concerned about the rising road rage incidents due to motorists' behaviour.

William Lausi, who's worked at a restaurant facing the mini-roundabout for eight years, and has lived in the area for 22 years, said that the junction is "dangerous" as motorists "cut through" by driving over, instead of around, the mini-roundabout. He said: "Every day people nearly die on bikes because drivers cut inside. They don’t go all the way round."

Lausi suggested the mini-roundabout should be raised, or even have a flowerpot placed at its centre, to prevent accidents by forcing drivers to go around it, reports MyLondon (link is external).

He added: “I always dream that one day I’m going to have a bus or big lorry straight through here because they’re crazy.”

The petition said that drivers often speed down Summerstown, while a "blind bend" where it meets Riverside Road means residents "do not feel safe".

Although it adds a collision has not been reported in the road, it warns residents "strongly believe that waiting for a collision to happen is not the right way to approach this issue".

The petition also mentioned that the number of people walking in the area has "increased dramatically" since AFC Wimbledon's Cherry Red Records Stadium opened nearby on Plough Lane in the Merton borough, surrounded by more than 600 new homes. Wandsworth Council objected to the development, over concerns about its impact on the area, but it was approved by the Merton Council in 2015.

A Wandsworth Council spokesperson said: "We are aware of some concerns about this junction having recently met with local residents and we are undertaking a traffic study in the immediate area that will seek to further investigate and review the concerns expressed to us. This is in addition to an ongoing study in Garratt Lane which could also lead to further measures to improve road safety in this part of the borough."

https://road.cc/content/news/locals-ask-council-slow-down-traffic-roundabout-304457

On 12/10/2023 08:17 pm, Spike wrote:

> Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Residents also raised concerns about the mini-roundabout at the junction
>> of Summerstown and Garratt Lane, near Riverside Road. William Lausi, 44,
>> has worked at restaurant Figli Del Vesuvio facing the mini-roundabout for
>> eight years, and has lived in the area for 22 years.
>
>> He said the junction is “dangerous” as motorists “cut through” by driving
>> over, instead of around, the mini-roundabout. He said: “Every day people
>> nearly die on bikes because drivers cut inside. They don’t go all the way round.”
>
> As always, check the facts.
>
> Traffic proceeding either North or South on Garrett Lane simply by-passes
> the mini roundabout, as it doesn’t intrude into either lane, and the same
> goes for traffic joining from Summerstown, where only the traffic turning
> right into Garrett Lane needs to negotiate the mini roundabout.
>
> There are no obvious tyre tracks going over the mini roundabout.
>
>> https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/residents-demand-changes-to-road-where-cyclists-nearly-die-every-day/

Are they complaining that the chavs only nearly die?

Or about something else?

JNugent <jnugent@mail.com> wrote:
> On 12/10/2023 08:17 pm, Spike wrote:
>
>> Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Residents also raised concerns about the mini-roundabout at the junction
>>> of Summerstown and Garratt Lane, near Riverside Road. William Lausi, 44,
>>> has worked at restaurant Figli Del Vesuvio facing the mini-roundabout for
>>> eight years, and has lived in the area for 22 years.
>>
>>> He said the junction is “dangerous” as motorists “cut through” by driving
>>> over, instead of around, the mini-roundabout. He said: “Every day people
>>> nearly die on bikes because drivers cut inside. They don’t go all the way round.”
>>
>> As always, check the facts.
>>
>> Traffic proceeding either North or South on Garrett Lane simply by-passes
>> the mini roundabout, as it doesn’t intrude into either lane, and the same
>> goes for traffic joining from Summerstown, where only the traffic turning
>> right into Garrett Lane needs to negotiate the mini roundabout.
>>
>> There are no obvious tyre tracks going over the mini roundabout.
>>
>>> https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/residents-demand-changes-to-road-where-cyclists-nearly-die-every-day/

> Are they complaining that the chavs only nearly die?

> Or about something else?

Does it matter (to them)? It’s more about constant whinging and
suppositions.

--
Spike

polainm | 5 hours ago
4 likes

It's a pathological problem of Highways England and local highway engineering who so strongly believe they know best, that they continue to implement dangerous road layouts for everyone but drivers. Apparently 'war on motorists' that created Plan For Drivers'. Never 'carnage from drivers'.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-65310167

They also are happy with road layouts that are dangerous for drivers too. In the village of Littledean, a farm owner wants to construct a new entrance, on a blind bend and steep hill on a major road used by artics: Gloucestershire Highways have no objection. Vehicles, horse boxes, tractors and trailers will have to stop to turn right into the entrance, facing downhill, just where the national speed limit becomes 30mph, to give way to traffic coming up. Almost all vehicles are doing more than 30mph (85th percentile speed 200m farther into the village is 35mph) as they enter the 30mph zone.

As said at the planning meeting, just because it meets the criteria for sight lines doesn't mean it's safe. When it was pointed out that an artic would have difficulty stopping from 45-50mph down a steep hill as it came around a bend farther up, one councillor considered that to be a attack on HGV drivers, and made not one but two speeches decrying the fact that HGV drivers had been insulted.

Despite opposition from the Parish Council and the local district councillor and the chair of the planning committee, it was only narrowly not given permission, and deferred for speed measurements at the site of the proposed entrance.

After all we know about road safety and designing out risk, I'm appalled that this application wasn't refused out of hand, and completely baffled by the people supporting it and the Highways department not objecting.