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Consultation 2021-22

Wimbledon Tennis Championships have always been subject to parking restrictions and this year (2021) following discussions with the Police and AELTC, it has been agreed to introduce the following vehicular access restrictions too.

Restricted Roads Event hours Restricted periods Vehicles exempt
Church Road (between AELTC Gate 1 and Gate 5) 10:30am – 45 minutes after end of last match 08:30am – 11:30pm Police and Emergency vehicles
Somerset Road (between Newstead Way and Marryat Road) 10:30am – 45 minutes after end of last match 08:30am – 11:30pm Police, Emergency, specified Event vehicles (including taxis)
Church Road (between Bathgate Road and AELTC Gate 1) 10:30am – 45 minutes after end of last match 08:30am – 11:30pm Police, Emergency, Residents Badge Holders, Delivery, Care Workers, specified Event vehicles (including taxis)
Church Road (between Burghley Road and Somerset Road) 10:30am – 45 minutes after end of last match 08:30am – 11:30pm Police, Emergency, Residents Badge Holders, Delivery, Care Workers, specified Event vehicles (including taxis)
Church Road (between Somerset Road and AELTC Gate 5) 10:30am – 45 minutes after end of last match 08:30am – 11:30pm Police, Emergency, specified Event vehicles (including taxis)
Somerset Road (between Burghley Road and Newstead Way – Cedar Court and Newstead Way included) 10:30am – 45 minutes after end of last match 08:30am – 11:30pm Police, Emergency, Residents Badge Holders, Delivery, Care Workers, specified Event vehicles (including taxis)
Somerset Road (between Church Road and Marryat Road) 10:30am – 45 minutes after end of last match 08:30am – 11:30pm Police, Emergency, Residents Badge Holders, Delivery, Care Workers, specified Event vehicles (including taxis)
Marryat Road (between Burghley Road and Somerset Road) 10:30am – 45 minutes after end of last match 08:30am – 11:30pm Police, Emergency, Residents Badge Holders, Delivery, Care Workers, specified Event vehicles (including taxis)
Bathgate Road (between Queensmere Road and Seymour Road) 10:30am – 45 minutes after end of last match 08:30am – 11:30pm Police, Emergency, Residents Badge Holders, Delivery, Care Workers, specified Event vehicles (including taxis)

The measures are designed to manage event related traffic flows during tennis event days at the All England Lawn Tennis Club whilst providing areas where parking could legitimately take place without unduly impacting on access requirements for local residents, emergency services and visitors.

It is considered that the proposals will enhance and increase the safety of visitors and pedestrians in the area during tennis events and the All England Club by:

  • Reducing crowding and increasing the standoff distance on each side of the Grounds effectively away from the main gates at peak times.
  • Restricting vehicular access to these crowded areas during the Championships.
  • Creating a safer environment which mitigates threats within crowded spaces and is in support of prevailing guidance such as the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) "Crowded Places Guidance".
  • Increasing space available for people arriving or departing to adhere to guidance in relation to Covid19. This includes introducing new controls and restrictions on vehicular access on Church Road and Somerset Road.
  • Diverting unnecessary through traffic from the area during the Championships.

The proposals are being introduced under an Experimental Traffic management Order which allows us to monitor the impact and effectiveness of the scheme. The feedback gathered during the experiment will influence whether the scheme is repeated in future years. The scheme is not without precedent as Church Rd was also closed for the same reasons during the 2012 Olympics.

Site notices for the Order have been published. Newsletters have been issued to residents and information on diversion routes are posted below.

The 2020 AELTC Championship was curtailed due to Covid-19 restrictions and so a true evaluation could not be carried out. The experiment will be re-run and evaluated this year. The Experimental Order expires on 28 December 2022 by which time we will have made a decision as to whether it should be made permanent or not.

Cabinet member decision December 2022

Following the conclusion of the experimental order that facilitated the road closures for the Championships during 2021 and 2022, a report detailing all the feedback received along with officer’s recommendations to make the order permanent was presented to the Cabinet Member for Transport for a final decision. After careful consideration, a decision was made to proceed with making the Order permanent.

Scrutiny report January 2023

The decision was called in with a view of reviewing the decision at the Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny meeting on 19 January 2023. However, by this time the ETMO expired and the decision could not be implemented.  

The proposed restrictions and the forthcoming new statutory consultation were discussed at the meeting. Due to the importance of the proposed restrictions that are considered essential for safety and to manage the motorised traffic during the Championships, we will be undertaking a new statutory consultation. This consultation will be live between 2 and 24 February 2023.

Statutory consultation February 2023

The 2021 Experimental Order to facilitate the restrictions during the Championships has expired. To address safety risk, road safety and to manage traffic, we are undertaking a statutory consultation on the following proposed temporary restrictions which will be implemented during future Championships. All the proposed restrictions only apply to motorised vehicles.

Motorised Access Restrictions

 

The following motorised vehicle access restrictions were in place during 2021 and 2022 under the ETMO. It is proposed to retain these restrictions for future Championships
Permitted access categories

 

Including Emergency Services, the following users will have motorised access during the restricted periods

Church Road - between AELTC Gate 1 and Gate 5

Essential Championships event related vehicles.

Church Road - between Bathgate Road and AELTC

Gate 1

No 281 Church Rd; pedal cycles, resident permit holder vehicles, accessibility / shuttle buses, essential Championships event vehicles, care worker vehicles, delivery vehicles, event coaches; taxis; designated Championships car park permit holder vehicles

Church Road - between Burghley Road and Somerset Road – (Rectory Orchard, Steeple Close and Welford Place to be included)

Essential Championships event vehicles, care worker vehicles, delivery vehicles, pedal cycles, resident permit holder vehicles, designated Championships car park permit holder vehicles, taxis, Wimbledon Club permit holder vehicles

Church Road - between Somerset Road and AELTC Gate 5

Essential Championships event vehicles, taxis, designated Championships car park permit holder vehicles, pedal cycles, Wimbledon Club permit holder vehicles

Somerset Road - between Newstead Way and Marryat Road

Essential Championships event vehicles, coaches, accessibility / shuttle buses, courtesy cars, pedal cycles, Indoor Tennis Centre Car Park permit holders vehicles, press/media permit holder vehicles, VIP vehicles & taxis

Somerset Road -between Burghley Road and Newstead Way – (Cedar Court and Newstead Way to be included)

Essential Championships event vehicles, care worker vehicles, coaches, courtesy cars, delivery vehicles, pedal cycles, press/media permit holder vehicles, taxis resident permit holder vehicles, Indoor Tennis Centre and Designated car permit holders vehicles, VIP vehicles

Somerset Road - between Church Road and Marryat Road

Accessibility or shuttle buses, essential Championships event vehicles, care worker vehicles, coaches, courtesy cars, delivery vehicles, pedal cycles, designated Car Park and Indoor Tennis Centre permit holders, resident permit holder vehicles and taxis.

Marryat Road - between Burghley Road and Somerset Road – (Marryat Place to be included)

Accessibility or shuttle buses, essential Championships vehicles, care worker vehicles, coaches, courtesy cars, delivery vehicles, pedal cycles, private hire vehicles, designated Car Park and Indoor Tennis Centre Car Park permit holders, resident permit holder vehicles & taxis.

Bathgate Road - between Queensmere Road and Seymour Road – (Oakfield Road to be included)

Essential Championships vehicles, care worker vehicles, courtesy cars, delivery vehicles, pedal cycles, press/media vehicles, designated Car Park and Indoor Tennis Centre Car Park permit holders, resident permit holder vehicles and taxis.

 

Proposed restrictions not previously subject to the Experimental Order

Permitted access categories

Apart from Emergency Services, the following users will have motorised access during the restricted periods

Bathgate Road- between Somerset Road & Seymour Road

Essential Championships vehicles, care worker vehicles, courtesy cars, delivery vehicles, pedal cycles, taxis; press/media vehicles, designated Car Park 1 and Indoor Tennis Centre Car Park permit holders, resident permit holder vehicles

Lincoln Avenue 

Resident delivery vehicles, pedal cycles, , resident permit holder vehicles and taxis.

Seymour Road - (Castle Way and Beltrane Drive to be included)

Essential Championships vehicles, care worker vehicles, delivery vehicles, pedal cycles, resident permit holder vehicles and taxis.

Church Road - between Burghley Road and the periphery of the mini-roundabout at the junction of Church Road with St Mary’s Road 

Essential Championships event vehicles, care worker vehicles, courtesy cars, delivery vehicles, pedal cycles, resident permit holder vehicles, designated Car Park permit holder vehicles, taxis, The Wimbledon Club vehicles

No Entry from Parkside / High Street, Wimbledon into Marryat Road

Accessibility / shuttle bus, care worker vehicles, coaches, courtesy cars, coaches, delivery vehicles, essential Championships event vehicles, pedal cycles, public hire vehicles, press/media vehicles, local resident / business vehicles, school access, ticket holder vehicles, taxis, designated Car Park and Indoor Tennis Centre Car Park permit holders, VIP vehicles

No Entry from Parkside into Somerset Road

Accessibility / shuttle bus, care worker vehicles, coaches, courtesy cars, coaches, delivery vehicles, essential Championships event vehicles, pedal cycles, public hire vehicles, press/media vehicles, local resident / business vehicles, school access, ticket holder vehicles, taxis, designated Car Park and Indoor Tennis Centre Car Park permit holders, VIP vehicles

No Entry from Parkside into Calonne Road

Accessibility / shuttle bus, care worker vehicles, coaches, courtesy cars, coaches, delivery vehicles, essential Championships event vehicles, pedal cycles, public hire vehicles, press/media vehicles, local resident / business vehicles, school access, ticket holder vehicles, taxis, designated Car Park and Indoor Tennis Centre Car Park permit holders, VIP vehicles

No Entry from Parkside into Parkside Avenue

Accessibility / shuttle bus, care worker vehicles, coaches, courtesy cars, coaches, delivery vehicles, essential Championships event vehicles, pedal cycles, public hire vehicles, press/media vehicles, local resident / business vehicles, school access, ticket holder vehicles, taxis, designated Car Park and Indoor Tennis Centre Car Park permit holders, VIP

The statutory consultation will be live between 2 February and 24 February 2023.

All representations must be made directly to us. If you do not have access to a computer, please submit your representation in writing to Future Merton, Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, SM4 5DX and use ref: ES/WIMBLEDONTENNIS/2023

Objections must relate only to the elements of the scheme that are subject to this statutory consultation.

A copy of the proposed Traffic Management Orders (TMOs), a plan and our Statement of Reasons can be inspected at Merton Link, Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5DX during our normal office hours Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. The documents can also be inspected at Wimbledon library.

All representations along with Officers’ comments and recommendations will be presented in a report to the Cabinet Member for Transport. Please note that responses to any representations will not be made until a final decision is made by the Cabinet Member. We are required to give weight to the nature and content of your representations and not necessarily the quantity.

The restrictions will be applied in a flexible fashion such as after the local school traffic. The restrictions in general are likely to be applied between 9.15am and 45 minutes after the last match.

Please note that there is an existing permanent Traffic Management Order (2004) which will facilitate the closure of Burghley Road between Church Road and Marryat Road. This, therefore, is not subject to a consultation.

Cabinet member decision March 2023

Following the conclusion of the statutory consultation to introduce the various vehicular access restrictions during the Championships, after careful consideration of all the feedback received and being mindful of the council’s and the event organisers’ responsibility to prioritise public safety and in line with the Protect Duty, a decision has been made to make a permanent Traffic Management Order that will enable the introduction of the restrictions during the Championship events.

The traffic management order (TMO) was made on 29 March 2023.