URL: https://democracy.croydon.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=2541

Decision Maker: Executive Mayor

Outcome:

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Purpose:   Results of the statutory consultation relating to the Wellesley Road Surface Crossing (making Lansdowne Road one-way eastbound between Wellesley Road and Walpole Road) and consideration of objections received.    Anticipated recommendation:     To agree to making Lansdowne Road one-way eastbound between Wellesley Road and Walpole Road.    To authorise the Head of Highways & Traffic, Sustainable Communities, Regeneration & Economic Recovery Directorate the authority to make the necessary Traffic Management Order amendments under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (as amended) and notify the objectors of the decision   

Content:   Results of the statutory consultation relating to the Wellesley Road Surface Crossing (making Lansdowne Road one-way eastbound between Wellesley Road and Walpole Road) and consideration of objections received.    Anticipated recommendation:     To agree to making Lansdowne Road one-way eastbound between Wellesley Road and Walpole Road.    To authorise the Head of Highways & Traffic, Sustainable Communities, Regeneration & Economic Recovery Directorate the authority to make the necessary Traffic Management Order amendments under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (as amended) and notify the objectors of the decision    To consider the objections received to the proposed one-way eastbound on Lansdowne Road between Wellesley Road and Walpole Road.   To consider the Chief of Police’s response to the proposed toucan crossing on Wellesley Road between Whitgift Centre and Lansdowne Road.   To agree for the reasons, detailed in Section 4, to introduce the Toucan crossing on Wellesley Road and make Lansdowne Road one-way eastbound between Wellesley Road and Walpole Road. The associated works include: • the removal of the existing Wellesley Road subway, ramp and stairs; • improvements to the Wellesley Road southbound cycle lane alignment and segregation; • relocation of existing Wellesley Road northbound bus stops and infrastructure to accommodate the new signalised crossing; • reduction of the Wellesley Road underpass to a single lane in the northbound direction and an extension of the existing green median in advance of the new signalised crossing; • extension of the contraflow westbound cycle lane on Lansdowne Road to meet the proposed shared use footway; • footway widening works at the Wellesley Road / Lansdowne Road junction; and • planting of new vegetation.   To authorise the Head of Highways & Traffic to amend the Traffic Management Order (TMO) as necessary in accordance with the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (RTRA) (as amended) and notify the objectors of the decision. The recommendations are to implement a Toucan crossing on Wellesley Road (A212), providing a safer and accessible route across Wellesley Road. This proposal is a key scheme within the Town Centre Regeneration programme with the aim of attracting new visitors, residents and investors to Croydon.   In order to accommodate the toucan crossing over the southbound traffic lanes on Wellesley Road, the south-eastern corner of the Wellesley Road / Lansdowne Road junction would need to be widened. The recommendation in this report would allow the southern footway on Lansdowne Road to be widened and replace the westbound traffic lane. This would result in making Lansdowne Road one-way eastbound between Wellesley Road and Walpole Road. The alternative to not implementing the staggered Toucan crossing is for pedestrians to continue to use the existing Wellesley Road subway, with the following disadvantages:   The current subway is not an accessible route from the western side of Wellesley Road:   -       During the Whitgift Centre opening hours, pedestrians use a set of stairs to access the lower ground level and the subway. Mobility impaired pedestrians or those with pushchairs would need to enter the shopping centre at street level and use the escalators or lifts to travel to the lower-level floor to access the subway.   -       When the Whitgift Centre is closed, pedestrians are still able to access the set of stairs for the lower ground level and subway. However, all entrances to the Whitgift Centre are closed so those needing an accessible route across Wellesley Road would need to use the George Street or Poplar Walk crossing, which are both approximately 200m from the Whitgift Centre entrance.   -       Currently, pedestrians are unwilling to use the subway to cross Wellesley Road as they consider it unsafe (due to rough sleepers) and unhygienic.   -       The future development at No. 1 Lansdowne Road proposes 524 cycle spaces and the future Whitgift development includes over 5,000 cycle parking spaces. The proposed surface crossing provides a safe route for cyclists, especially when the Whitgift Centre is closed.     In order to accommodate the Toucan crossing over the southbound traffic lanes on Wellesley Road, the southern kerb line of Lansdowne Road would need to be widened into the existing westbound traffic lane, requiring the conversion of Lansdowne Road to one-way eastbound between Wellesley Road and Walpole Road.

Date of Decision: July 31, 2025