Cyclists and pedestrians have raised concerns about road safety along Wandsworth Road, as questions remain over Lambeth Council’s efforts to protect vulnerable road users.
Lambeth Council confirmed a number of improvements down the road have been completed, with more to follow.
However, residents do not feel enough has been done to address the issues.
Nathan Sutton, 30, has lived in south west London for five years and regularly cycles along Wandsworth Road.
He said: “Taxis and buses are the biggest problem. They get so close to us, give us no space for us to cycle and constantly overtake. I do feel quite unsafe sometimes.
“I don’t think the introduction of Lime bikes and e-bikes have helped either.
“They can be so dangerous and give us a bad rep as cyclists. There are a lot of unsafe cyclists, and that needs to be cracked down on.”
As part of its Collision Reduction Programme, Lambeth Council proposed a series of measures to improve safety at the junctions of Queenstown Road, Silverthorne Road and Steward Road.
These included advanced cyclist waiting areas, traffic signals giving cyclists a four-second advance, improved cycle lanes and pedestrian countdown displays.
A council spokesperson confirmed improvements at Queenstown Road and Silverthorne Road were completed in March 2021, while works at Steward Road were finished in April 2023.
The plans also included improvements between Pensbury Place and Westbury Street, including raised road surfaces at Portslade Road, tightening the Victoria Rise junction and narrowing the eastbound traffic to 3.2 meters, but these remain incomplete.
The council spokesperson stated: “Proposals were paused in 2020 when TFL redirected its investment to the London Streetscape Plan in support of the Covid response.”
However, for pedestrians, concerns extend beyond traffic.
A visually impaired resident living near Wandsworth Road station said she has become scared to leave her home amid the difficulties of navigating the busy streets.
She said: “I don’t want to feel like that. I want to walk around my own neighbourhood safely and with confidence, not worried I’ll get pushed over or worse, run over.
“It’s an absolute nightmare on these streets. This area is so busy, especially when there are heaps of people coming in and out of the station during rush hour. It makes it impossible to walk anywhere- there’s not enough room for everyone.”
As part of additional improvements on the road between Pensbury Place and Westbury Street, the council proposed the installation of tactile paving at all uncontrolled side-road crossing points, but this remains incomplete.
For blind and partially sighted pedestrians, this is a crucial road feature needed to detect where a footway meets the road.
The resident questioned whether the proposed changes would truly address driver behaviour and make crossings safer for people with visual impairments.
She added: “Cars are cars. Even though the council are proposing these improvements, I don’t think it will change the way some people behave when driving. I need the crossing to be more accessible, and I want to know there’s at least an attempt to reduce the likelihood of cars speeding in front of me out of nowhere.”
With proposals still outstanding and questions arising about the efficacy of the completed improvements, residents’ concerns highlight the ongoing challenges of making Wandsworth Road safer and more accessible for those who use it.
Featured image credit: Daisy Mason
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