On 13th July 2024, Kenley community and council representatives convened for a Co-Design Session to discuss improvements under the Connecting Kenley Healthy Streets Programme. This initiative, funded by Croydon Council and the Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund, aims to enhance road safety, pedestrian accessibility, air quality, and community spaces in Kenley.
Background
The programme builds on a 2020 Transport Study and subsequent community consultations, prioritising key areas identified by the Kenley Community Advisory Group (KCAG). I’ve written before about some of the outs from this project such as ‘Connecting Kenley signage’, a new pocket park, a mural at Old Lodge Lane Community hub as well as the Big Splash event in June 2023.
A specific part of the programme was to review road interventions to create healthier, safer streets for Kenley’s residents, including at:
- Kenley Lane: Addressing unnecessary through-traffic
- Hayes Lane (Aerodrome section): Tackling high vehicle speeds and pedestrian safety near Coulsdon Common
- Hayes Lane (Station end): Improving conditions on this narrow, winding route heavily used by pedestrians.
Key focus areas and proposals
The session in July centered on three critical locations. It looked at issues in 3 areas and the attendees discussed and proposed some possible interventions:
1. Kenley Lane
- Issue: Drivers mistakenly use this road as a through-route.
- Proposal: Install a "No Through Road" sign to deter unnecessary traffic.
2. Hayes Lane (Aerodrome section)
- Issues: High-speed traffic, pedestrian safety concerns near Kenley Aerodrome.
- Proposals:
- Reduce the speed limit from 40mph to 30mph
- Add speed-reduction measures, such as build-outs
- Adjust parking bays to improve visibility and safety.
3. Hayes Lane (Station End)
- Issues: Narrow roads, sharp bends, no footways, and overgrown vegetation endanger pedestrians.
- Proposed solutions:
- Install road humps for traffic calming.
- Add road markings to guide drivers through bends.
- Improve visibility with better lighting and vegetation trimming.
- Place priority signage for uphill drivers.
- Add pedestrian awareness signs.
Additional Proposals from Transport for London (TfL)
TfL proposed a raised zebra crossing on Godstone Road near the Co-op supermarket, addressing long-standing safety concerns.
Community Feedback
The session provided a platform for open discussion, with residents voicing support for many proposals. Highlights included:
- Positive aspects: Meeting neighbours, sharing ideas, and feeling included in decision-making
- Suggestions for improvement: Clearer cost constraints, better explanation of unfeasible options, and shorter session duration.
Technical viability assessment
Council officers evaluated the feasibility of the proposed measures at Hayes Lane (station end):
- Approved: Traffic calming (e.g., humps), vegetation trimming, and pedestrian signage
- Rejected: Convex mirrors and priority signage on curved sections due to safety concerns and road design limitations.
Next Steps
The Connecting Kenley council officer team has outlined the following timeline:
- Approvals and resolution of any objections
- Construction of non-statutory elements like pedestrian crossings
- Full implementation by early 2025
- Post-construction monitoring and evaluation.
The Co-Design Session marked a significant step toward creating safer, more accessible streets in Kenley. By integrating community input with technical assessments, the programme aims to balance practical solutions with residents' priorities, ensuring long-term improvements for all road users.
The full list of measures to be implemented:
