News
GLA says Croydon is top "child death blackspot"
London is the "child death blackspot" of Europe, and Croydon easily top London borough for child road deaths and serious injuries, a Greater London Assembly report issued last Thursday has revealed.
Despite having higher car ownership than most boroughs and low walking levels, a horrifying
total of 49 children were killed or badly injured in Croydon during 2001. The borough average
was 25. A GLA spokesperson said It is easily the highest of all the London boroughs.
Traffic & Parking troubles
In recent years, Croydon's Traffic & Parking division has been dogged by failure and controversy. It is responsible for road safety on borough highways, and charged with meeting borough aims of increasing walking and cycling, and reducing pollution from motor vehicles. Its professional officers regularly advise councillors on traffic management strategy. The time-line below catalogs some of the issues:
September 1999, London Cycle Network: Independent quality assessment
by Colin Buchanan & Partners reviews Croydon implementation by Traffic & Parking.
Concludes that 3 out of borough's 4 cycle routes are not believed to be suitable for
publication
.
[read report section 5.1.5]
Report recommends extensive remedial measures.
October 2000, Air quality: Croydon compelled to declare an Air Quality Management Area due to excessive air pollution, largely a result of unchecked motor traffic growth. [read report]
May 2001, Upper Norwood Triangle: Councillors ignore petition by residents and traders against proposed Upper Norwood one-way gyratory designed to increase vehicle speeds. Instead they follow Traffic & Parking's recommendation to approve the scheme.
November 2001, London Cycle Network: Minutes of LoTAG meeting chaired by Traffic & Parking Divisional Director Chris Martin record "general concern" over prospect of future quality assessments being publicly published on the web. [read report section 21]
February 2002, Report on cycling: Traffic & Parking report by Chris Martin, on cycling in Croydon, is presented to Environmental Services Sub-Committee. States 11% decline in recorded cycling levels in 3 year period (within the same time, Kingston increases its levels 33%). Report is criticised for its exceptionally negative tone. [read report]
February 2002, People with disabilities:
Chris Martin writes in same report that Cycling as a mode of transport is largely impracticable
for anyone suffering from any form of mobility handicap.
[read report section 9.1]
March 2002, Promoting walking: In reply to Geriant Davies MP, officers oppose idea of pedestrian crossing at busy High Street and Coombe Road junction. An "all red stage" to help walking is suggested to be unacceptable.
April 2002, London Cycle Network:
Mayor of London launches popular series of
London-wide cycle route maps.
The 3 Croydon routes described as not believed to be suitable for publication
are published,
but Traffic & Parking has carried out virtually none of the remedial work.
July 2002, Road safety: Traffic & Parking response to petition, following death of girl killed by speeding car in a residential road, notes significant pedestrian movements and that the road suffers from frequent, illegal speeding up to 58mph. Report concludes there are no cycling implications; recommends that signing be improved. [read report]
August 2002, Air quality: The Council publishes its Annual Pollution Report 2001/2002, congratulating itself for being only the 2nd local authority compelled to produce an Air Quality Action Plan. It gives estimates that between 32 and 189 people in Croydon are killed each year by air pollution. [read report]
September 2002, Promoting walking: Traffic & Parking opposes enlargement of island to help pedestrians cross busy Coombe Road, an acknowledged school route, believing instead that the Council should prioritise motor vehicle throughput. [read report]
November 2002, People with disabilities: Croydon Cycling Campaign collects award for Cycling For All project's success in helping people with disabilities to take up cycling for fun, exercise and as a mode of transport.
November 2002, Upper Norwood Triangle: With traders complaining of substantial loss of income, and residents of huge morning tailbacks coupled with a night time "race track" feel, the new one-way scheme continues to prove a PR disaster for Council.
December 2002, Road safety: Greater London Authority states London has worst record on child road deaths in Europe, and says Croydon is worst of all boroughs.
The report points out recognised linkage between high road casualty rates and social deprivation. However according to GLA documents, Croydon has low levels of deprivation compared with other London boroughs, suggesting that other factors must be play. In particular, suspicion falls on the borough's notorious motor-friendly infrastructure: an urban network of fast dual carriageways, flyovers, and major roundabouts that encourage an aggressive driving culture.
Car-ridden Croydon has been forced to declare
itself an Air Quality Management Area
Meanwhile, Council documents show that officers in its powerful Traffic & Parking division continue to prioritise motor vehicle throughput over pedestrian safety and convenience, although Croydon Council claims to be promoting walking and cycling in an attempt to reduce car use.
GLA appoints Croydon roads boss to oversee London
The GLA's transport arm, Transport for London (TfL), is to appoint Croydon's Divisional Director of Traffic & Parking, Chris Martin, to oversee its project teams in all areas of the capital.
Despite rumours since August, only recently has written verification of Mr. Martin's
move emerged. Minutes obtained from the Croydon's Road Safety Liason Panel meeting of
6th September state that Chris Martin informed members that he was leaving Croydon Council and
moving to Transport for London
. The panel thanked Mr. Martin for
all his advice and expertise
over the years.
Sources within Transport for London say that Mr. Martin has been appointed to a senior role within the organization, managing its project teams throughout London. A move at this level could concern many who believe that the Croydon department's recent record on walking, cycling, road safety and pollution has been little short of a disaster.
Croydon has the highest child road casualty
rates in Europe, despite low walking levels
At the present time, increased pollution from traffic has forced Croydon to declare an Air Quality Management Area. It has the worst child road victim figures in London, and has missed its cycling targets, actually managing an 11% drop in cycling levels. Local residents are also angry about repeated Traffic & Parking objections to measures that would encourage walking, on the grounds that pedestrian crossing facilities could affect motor vehicle throughput.
Croydon Council has been criticised for being too "officer led", with councillors often seeming reluctant to act against officer advice, even when that conflicts with stated policy objectives.
