Statutory Consultation - 8 July 2011
Merton Council is planning to introduce a number of features to improve safety for both vehicle and pedestrian movements in Christchurch Road between Liberty Avenue and Western Road.
The scheme is designed to reduce personal injury collisions and improve pedestrian and cycle access by reducing traffic conflicts at the junction and by providing a new uncontrolled crossing point. The proposals will also ensure that banned movement into Prince George’s Road is self enforcing.
This location has a poor personal injury collision record that can be partially attributed to the number of vehicle turning movements combined with the volume of traffic in the area. This level of activity also makes it difficult for pedestrian and cycle access across Christchurch Road.
During the three year period up to February 2011 there were 11 recorded personal injury collisions at this location, resulting in 16 casualties which included a serious injury. These figures do not include any minor (damage only) accidents that may have occurred. Two of these accidents involved vehicles turning right out of the petrol station and two were at the Prince George’s Road junction.
The Council recognises the barrier Christchurch Road creates for local residents who wish to walk to bus stops, the Tandem Centre and possibly beyond. The scheme provides a better crossing point by the junction of Christchurch Road and Liberty Avenue and also aims to simplify the traffic movements with a view to improve road safety.
The scheme is made up of the following features:
- A left turn only from Prince Georges Road onto Christchurch Road removing the risk of collisions for traffic negotiating to cross 4 lanes of traffic to turn right or straight across into Liberty Avenue. This will be subject to the outcome of the Statutory Consultation.
- A no-entry from Christchurch Road into Prince Georges Road including a short one-way section in Prince Georges Road towards the junction. The purpose of this is to physically prevent the illegal and dangerous right turn manoeuvre that currently takes place from Christchurch Road. This will be subject to the outcome of the Statutory Consultation.
- A short dedicated right turn lane into Liberty Avenue which will prevent southbound traffic being held up by this manoeuvre given the relatively light traffic flows that take place here.
- Kerb build outs and reshaped traffic island in Liberty Avenue at its junction with Christchurch Road making it easier for pedestrians to cross Liberty Avenue with shorter crossing distances and reduced speed of vehicles turning left into Liberty Avenue.
- A new central reservation strip on Church Road between Liberty Avenue and Western Road which will prevent the right turns into and out of the petrol station. The existing personal injury collisions along this section of Christchurch Road can be attributed to these two manoeuvres, as can a significant interruption to traffic flow and traffic signal coordination. A proportion of vehicles turning in from the south are simply using the petrol station as a U-turn facility to access Western Road and are not patrons. This will be subject to further consideration and depends on feedback received
- The provision of a new uncontrolled crossing point for pedestrians and cyclists to enable Christchurch Road to be crossed just north of the Liberty Avenue junction where this is a current demand. This will be achieved by widening the central reservation allowing pedestrians and cyclists to cross the road in two halves with a safe waiting area in the middle of the road.
Proposed above measures 1 and 2 require statutory consultation. The remaining proposed measures do not.
Each aspect of the proposals can be introduced in isolation.
Christchurch Rd-Liberty Avenue Statutory Consultation leaflet