Sutton Council has prepared an emergency transport response to the pandemic.

The plan is focused on making changes to roads and pavements to improve road safety and provide more space for walking and cycling.

The temporary measures will be made at nine key locations, to help ensure social distancing and improve air quality in advance of more business premises opening in early June.

Improvements involve; pavement widening in Sutton Town Centre and other district centres and suspension of some parking and loading bays to widen footpaths.

Your Local Guardian:

Coordinator of Get Sutton Cycling, Marcus Howarth, has worked closely alongside the council to ensure residents feel safer whilst cycling on Sutton streets.

Marcus Howarth said: "People cannot keep 2 m apart on narrow pavements.

"More people are walking and cycling for essential trips and daily exercise.

"Re-locating road space will protect people walking and cycling and make safe space to socially distance."

Councillor Manuel Abellan, said: “These exciting new plans to make walking and cycling easier in our borough are just the latest stage of Sutton’s ambitious plans to keep our residents safe and active.

“Travel patterns across the capital and Sutton are changing rapidly and many residents are looking for new ways to get around that ensures social distancing as a result of coronavirus.

“The Council wants to do all it can to help create safe spaces for pedestrians and cyclists so people can get to work and kickstart our economy again.”

The temporary schemes will be reviewed and monitored during the lockdown period and those that prove successful could be considered for permanent implementation.

The nine locations have been selected because temporary barriers or traffic cones can be placed on the road without the need for any changes to parking restrictions.

The nine locations for the first phase of safer, active streets are:

  • Sutton Town Centre (Throwley Way - Benhill Road to toucan crossing opposite Lodge Place)
  • Sutton Town Centre (Throwley Way - pedestrian crossing south of Greyhound Road up to Manor Park)
  • Sutton Town Centre (St Nicholas Way - south of Hill Road (end of red route) to St Nicholas Road)
  • Worcester Park (Central Road/Malden Road railway bridge)
  • Belmont (Moore Way/Homeland Drive to Overton Park)
  • Beddington (Mollison Drive - section by Roundshaw Park/Leisure centre)
  • Beddington (Sandy Lane South - from No 2 up to left-turn lane on Stafford Road)
  • Hackbridge (London Road/Hackbridge Road outside Sainsbury’s)
  • Wallington (Woodcote Road (High Street area) - loading bay outside KFC)