The controversial Surbiton Crescent traffic restrictions are set to be made permanent, after councillors voted in favour at a residents committee meeting last night.
Surbiton Crescent is on two of the cycle routes in the council’s £30 million ‘mini-Holland’ Go Cycle programme: Surbiton to Kingston and Kingston to Tolworth.
Installed in September, the trial scheme was implemented to determine the effect to traffic flows.
Surveys were carried out in February, and a comparison was made between the results and data collected from before the restrictions were implemented.
Traffic volume in Surbiton Crescent was halved, from 377 to 185 vehicles per hour, with most of the displaced traffic being reassigned to Surbiton Road and Maple Road.
There was no significant increase in volume on adjacent residential roads Anglesea Road, Palace road and Uxbridge Road.
Since the introduction of temporary bollards and signage in September 2016, the scheme has caused outrage because of the number of fines issued.
More than 40,000 tickets – worth £130 a time, reduced to £65 if paid within two weeks – were issued in six months for violations of the restrictions.
At the meeting, council officer Owen Bentley said in the last four weeks there have still been 100 violations per day, though this is less than 2 per cent of the traffic that was once going through the road.
He said the scheme was part of a ‘modal shift’ towards cycling and away from motorised transport, which would help the borough deal with the 30 per cent population increase expected by 2030.
The committee also decided there may now be changes, such as improved signage, after the restriction is made permanent.
Deputy Leader of the Council Terry Paton said: “To try and judge the scheme before it has been completed is very naive.”
Objectors have until 5pm on Wednesday June 28 to call in the decision for review.
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