One in six drivers speeding on Streatham Hill

Green Cllr Scott Ainslie monitoring speeds at another event

One driver in every six on Streatham Hill was breaking the speed limit, during a 24-hour survey by Transport for London.

TfL monitored speeds for both northbound and southbound traffic in early February at three sites: north of the Arriva bus garage, south of the junction with Wavertree Road, and at the junction with Cricklade Avenue.

Of the 83,608 vehicles monitored, 14, 376 were travelling at speeds over the 30mph limit.

The results of the speed survey were shared with campaigners and local councillors at a meeting on Friday, along with early-stage plans being developed by TfL to re-design the road-layout in Streatham Hill.

The re-design plans, which are currently scheduled to take place in 2019/20, were met with a lukewarm response at the meeting. These plans look like just a tinker," said transport consultant Pete Johnson.

"The design starting point should be a 20mph speed limit in town centres," said campaigner Jeremy Leach. "Design the roads for 20mph and drivers will slow down."

Campaigners have long been calling for Streatham Hill to be re-designed to discourage dangerous speeds. Latest collision statistics show that in the three years Nov 2013-Oct 2016 there were 58 crashes on this stretch of the A23 between the south circular and Streatham Hill station. Two people were killed and eight received life-changing injuries.

The risk of death from being hit by a car rises massively with speed of the vehicle.
At 40mph the risk of death is 90%.
At 30pm the risk of death is 50%.
At 20mph the risk of death is 20%.

Greens lobby the Mayor for road safety in Streatham

In March, Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley joined other Streatham Greens and Safer A23 campaigners to deliver a petition to the London Mayor calling for urgent action to end the appalling toll of deaths and injurieis on the road in Streatham.

"The A23 in Streatham looks and feels like a motorway - so it's no wonder motorists break the speed limit," said Jonathan. "We need more far-reaching plans from TfL if they are serious about ending deaths on our roads."