New ramp access on corner of Abbotswood Road and Hoadly Road

As well as pushing to get the surface of Abbotswood Road sorted out (it will now be resurfaced between 18-25 February 2013 according to correspondence we have been sent by Lambeth Council)we also asked for ramp access to be put in at the corner where Abbotswood Road meet Hoadly Road, opposite Streatham and Clapham High School.

As you can see from the picture above, anyone coming along that side of the road using a wheelchair would have been stranded and unable to cross the junction. This is something that really should have been sorted out a long time ago, but seems to have escaped the attention of our local councilors/ the council. But we are pleased to report that following our request in September this has now been done.

This is part of Accessible Streatham Campaign - in which we are working to make the local area more accessible for older people, those with mobility impairments as well as those with buggies and prams.

For other examples of where we have done this see these links here:

End of Riggindale Road

Outside Wellfield Road Community Centre

Thirlmere Road ramp access

Ramps on Tooting Bec Gardens

Pavement widening at the bottom of Tooting Bec Gardens/ Garrad's Road

Or more on our accessible Streatham campaign here.

Streatham and Clapham High School Christmas Market - 12th December

Friends of Streatham and Clapham High School are hosting a Christmas Market, 12th December, 6.30 pm - 9 pm at the Senior School in Abbotswood Road, SW16 1AW.

Entry is £2.50 and includes a mulled wine and mince pie to get you in the spirit of Christmas.

There will be a range of stalls there to soothe everyone's Christmas shopping woes.

You can find out more on their Facebook Page here.

Streatham’s 20mph Phantom Zone

Did you know that Garrad’s Road, Abbotswood Road, Prentis Road, Becmead Avenue and Woodbourne Avenue… all have 20mph speed limits?

Nor did I. And nor do many residents on those roads, or indeed those who regularly drive down them. The reason? There is virtually no notification either on the road surfaces or in the form of signposts on the roads themselves – to let people know what the speed limit is.

The 20mph Phantom Zone runs to the West of Streatham High Road, stretching from Drewstead Road at the top, right down to Prentis Road at the bottom, taking on Garrad’s Road to the West. But most people driving through will assume that the default speed limit of 30mph in a residential area, applies.

This is particularly serious as some of these roads – such as Garrad’s Road and Abbotswood Road - are official cycle routes. There have been collisions in this area resulting in serious injuries for cyclists - for example at the junction of Woodfield Avenue and Mount Ephraim Road. It even appears from the collision report that those investigating have assumed at 30mph speed limit too.

The only clue that these roads have 20mph limits are the occasional signs at the edge of the zone – for example coming over the bridge from Wandsworth into Lambeth along Bedford Hill saying “you are now entering a 20mph zone”. Blink and you’ll miss them. Some of these are tucked away behind trees. There are also some signs informing the motorist that you are leaving a 20 mph zone – which isn’t all that helpful.

Talking to some residents it seems that once upon a time - some years ago - there were more 20 mph signs. See for example this one, caught accidently by one resident of Abbotswood Road when photographing a back garden. It took a Freedom of Information Request however to establish whether the limit was still in place, as there are now no signs anywhere along the road at all.

We’ll see if we can get some more signage put in place.