Improvements to the notorious Fiveways Junction has been narrowed down to two options with Transport for London and Croydon Council now working to decide which will be their preferred choice.
One option features a new road including a flyover for pedestrians and cyclists while the second option involves widening the existing road networks.
Alex Andrews, area manager for Transport for London, said the two options would deliver a similar level of capacity during a presentation on the huge investment necessary to meet the growth expected in the borough.
“We’ve done a lot of work on the Fiveways Junction, we’ve done a public consultation on it and we’ve had generally very positive responses and we are now working through the options with the council as to which is the preferred option.
Funding commitment: Alex Andrews
“The funding is in place. TfL is committing 43million and the council is committing £20million towards delivering those highway improvements.”
Mr Andrews said TfL was working with the council, Greater London Authority, Network Rail and various other stakeholders to bring forward a whole range of transport-led improvements.
“If you walk around Croydon you will see the green shoots of change that are starting to sprout up,” he added.
“Together we are trying to change the 1960s/1970s infrastructure, to bring it up to date to create places for people – pedestrians and cycling.
On track: Alex Andrews at the Develop Croydon Conference
“We’re also investing huge amounts of money in the tram network, we’re also investing in the bus network, including the bus station, and also we’re trying to rationalise the car parking that exists in the town centre.
“There are currently 7,000-plus spaces and to really succeed as a place we need to make that shift away from car dominance to a place which is much more for people, pedestrians and cyclists.”
Mr Andrews said TfL was looking as far ahead as 2050, when there are projections that London’s population could have grown from its present 8.6million to around 14million, as it considers how to meet the infrastructure to meet that demand.
In terms of critical projects seen as necessary for growth and development to happen, a £650m infrastructure requirement was originally identified in Croydon alone. This has now been narrowed to £309m through the prioritisation of TfL, GLA and London Borough of Croydon budgets.
TFL’s vision: Alex Andrews
As well as the making road improvements such as the Fiveways Junction, a whole host of public transport initiatives are either planned or being considered, with Mr Andrews’ explanation below.
CROYDON TRAMLINK
“We’re looking at a 2030 time horizon where we think there will be a doubling of the tram patrons, from 31million now to around 56million in 2030. The Dingwall Loop project, jointly funded by TfL, the Westfield/Hammerson partnership and the GLA, is critical as the first stage of that Tram 2030 programme. We hope to have that scheme completed by 2020, which would fit in with the other major changes within the town centre. An extra platform at Wimbledon recently opened and there are now 12 trams per hour at that part of the network is beneficial for Croydon and its residents.”
EXTENDING THE TRAM TO SUTTON
“We’ve done an awful lot of work on this. The main thing about that one is really requires 20,000 to 22,000 new homes to be built to be able to fund the cost of the infrastructure which is estimated to be around £330million.”
BUSES
“We are investing in the bus station which has been designed to make the place much more open, to give a better passenger experience and to take account of some of the heritage in that area, including the church behind there. The bulldozers are in and gone we are hoping that will be up and fully operational by summer next year.”
FOOTWAYS
“Footways have been improved, the network has been improved, the roads have been improved, you’ll see trees emerging down the middle of George Street.”
RAIL
“A major scheme will come forward via Network Rail in the future, as part of their Sussex Route Modernisation, which will see some substantial changes to the rail network. Boris Johnson (the Mayor of London) is a key advocate of rail devolution and has been pushing the train operating companies, the Department for Transport and Network Rail to try and take over more of the South Eastern and Southern Rail services to try and improve the capacity, the connectivity and the quality of services in south London. We’re hoping for an announcement on that fairly soon.”
TUBE
“You’ve heard the council leader Tony Newman talk about the extension of the Bakerloo Line to East Croydon station and we’ve added that to our recent consultation as an option.”
CROSSRAIL 2
“You may ask what benefit that is to Croydon but the reality is to keep London’s productivity high you have to provide additional transport capacity for the whole of London and that housing then has to come forward off the back of that transport capacity. Crossrail 2 project, which will have huge benefits for south London in relieving capacity as well as offering up new development opportunities.”