Merton needs Climate Safe Streets

We’re calling on the next leader of the council to make an urgent commitment to deliver #ClimateSafeStreets. Please email the candidates for leader today and urge them to play their part in tackling the climate crisis.

2022’s council elections are a vital point in London’s zero-carbon journey. Motor vehicles are the largest and most stubborn source of London’s emissions, and borough councils control 95% of the city’s roads. We need all our councils to act in the next four years and be bold – or it’ll be too late to get to zero carbon roads by 2030. That’s what’s needed for London and Merton to do their bit. That’s why we’re calling on the council’s next leader to commit to cutting road transport emissions fast and enabling lots more walking, cycling and wheeling.

We're asking candidates from the main parties to commit to five things over the course of their term:  

1. Develop an Active Travel Network and Delivery Plan for the Borough in the first 12 months and implement the top five highest priority interventions to the highest standards before 2027.
2. Make 75% of suitable residential areas in the borough safer and more appealing for walking and cycling. 
3. Improve at least 5 of the most dangerous junctions in the borough to high standards, provide pedestrian signals at all signalised junctions and improve facilities for pedestrians to cross the road where there are strong desire lines or existing safety risks.
4. Tackle high levels of congestion and HGV movements in the Borough by  cutting freight motor vehicle movements by at least 10% and Rapidly rolling out shared mobility points.  
5. Make it easier and cheaper to park a cycle than it is to park a car everywhere in the borough.   

Email the candidates  or click to read more about the asks. 

1. Develop an Active Travel Network and Delivery Plan for the Borough in the first 12 months and implement the top five highest priority interventions to the highest standards before 2027.

• This should include at least all “in flight”, “highest”, “high” and “medium” priority cycle routes in TfL’s current Strategic Cycling Analysis (e.g. as mapped here) built to the DfT’s funding criteria for LTN 1/20 (p6 1.1.2; “a minimum score of 70% under the Cycling Level of Service (CLoS), no critical fails and under the Junction Assessment Tool (JAT) no red-scored turning movements”).
• Aim to implement 50% of the Network by 2030 and the remainder by 2041 so that by 2041 all of Merton’s residents are 400m or less from a strategic cycle route and all Town Centres are safe and attractive to walk and cycle to and through.
• The Active Travel Network and Delivery Plan should also include inputs from local stakeholder groups.

2. Make 75% of suitable residential areas in the borough safer and more appealing for walking and cycling.

• All possible residential areas (e.g. those identified in TfL’s Strategic Neighbourhood Analysis (SNA), as mapped here) should be covered by area-wide and high-quality low traffic neighbourhoods substantially removing cut through motor traffic, and prioritising those with greatest need (e.g. darker green areas in the SNA).

3. Improve at least 5 of the most dangerous junctions in the borough to high standards, provide pedestrian signals at all signalised junctions and improve facilities for pedestrians to cross the road where there are strong desire lines or existing safety risks.

• Junctions are the most dangerous parts of the cycling and walking network. Improved junctions must have “no [CLoS] critical fails and under the JAT no red-scored turning movements” as per DfT’s LTN 1/20 guidance.
• There should be no signalised junctions without signalised pedestrian crossing arms. The borough should work with TfL to ensure pedestrian crossing lights are installed on all arms of all suitable crossings. Cycle crossing lights and markings should also be considered for junctions being improved at the same time.
• Take action to reduce air pollution at these junctions where it exceeds standards
• Junction to consider are: South Wimbledon junction, Streatham Road/London Road junction, Carshalton Road/Croydon Road junction, London Road/Lower Green West

4. Tackle high levels of congestion and HGV movements in the Borough by  cutting freight motor vehicle movements by at least 10% and rRapidly rolling out shared mobility points.  

• Work with businesses that generate a high level of HGV movement in Merton to agree suitable routes through the borough and invest in improving pedestrian and cycle safety on these routes
• Freight consolidation centres, last-mile distribution centres, cargo bike loan schemes and other measures should be rolled out to ensure deliveries, servicing and other freight motor vehicle movements are reduced by at least 10%.
• All homes and workplaces should be less than 600m from the nearest shared cycle/e-scooter access point and less than 600m from an electric car club bay.

5. Make it easier and cheaper to park a cycle than it is to park a car everywhere in the borough.

• Rapidly roll out secure and inclusive cycle parking for people who live in, work in and visit the borough at transport interchanges, town centres, amenities, on residential streets, in council estates and social housing and flats that lack space to store cycles.