More changes planned between now and the end of May

Parklets have been installed with aim of improving street scene

A series of measures which the council says are costing £4 million to transform Putney High Street are continuing through the spring.

Between now and the end of May the programme will see the completion of further changes including the widening of the eastern footway between Felsham Road and Putney Bridge Road, providing a Copenhagen crossing at Werter Road.

In addition the council will be working with TfL to try to improve the pedestrian island at the junction with Putney Bridge Road, continuing to remove guard railing and unnecessary street clutter and exploring the feasibility of additional parallel cycle and contraflow routes.

A second stage of measures is planned once this part of the programme is completed.

So far in the first phase the following changes have taken place:

• Widening and repaving the eastern side of the pavement between Disraeli Road and Putney Bridge Road.
• ‘Copenhagen Crossings’ at side streets.
• Repaving the area outside the railway station.
• Constructing a loading bay outside Tesco to prevent delivery vehicles blocking the road.
• Introducing a 20mph speed limit
• Installing ‘parklets’.
• Upgrading and modernising street lights.
• Uplighting St Mary’s church and Putney Bridge.
• Providing more cycle parking, including two-tier stands with space for dozens of bikes on Disraeli Road plus installing cycle contraflows in Disraeli Road and Felsham Road.
• Planting new street trees and installing a ‘city tree’ that filters air and removes pollutants.

Disraeli Road cycle stands

Funding for all these works has come from council budgets, with contributions from the Putney BID and also a grant from the Government’s Future High Streets Fund. The council applied for this funding to help revitalise the town centre and help it overcome the challenges of vacant retail space, traffic congestion and air quality.

Although the Putney Society expressed disappointment at the size of the grant given by the government an extra £1.058m has been made available which will go towards a number of schemes.

The Lower Richmond Road junction is to be redesigned to improve pedestrian and cycle flows through the junction and between the high street and the riverside with increased priority and crossing facilities. This includes reducing the number of signalised pedestrian crossing stages and traffic islands to make the crossing simpler and easier to navigate.

Changes at this junction on will also look to incorporate improvements for cyclists particularly those turning left from Lower Richmond Road onto Putney Bridge, as well as on the bridge itself. Further investigations will also be carried out on how to create quieter and safer routes north and south so cyclists can avoid the busy high street.

It is also planned to utilises Thames Tideway legacy work to connect the High Street to the River Thames more directly. The proposal seeks to extend the Putney Embankment towards the high street and enhance the existing waterfront areas access. It could see a new kiosk building on Lower Richmond Road which combines a bus stop, improved access and coffee shop.

The taxi-rank outside the railway station is to be relocated to a nearby location with the aim of reducing delays in traffic flows on the High Street

If more funding became available the council wants repave the western side of the high street between The Upper Richmond Road and Lacy Road and to also resurface the road surface between the South Circular and Putney Bridge.

Transport spokesman Cllr John Locker said, “We’ve already seen the positive impact the changes completed so far have had on the high street. They have improved the physical and visual environment and helped improve air quality.

“Phase one is now nearing completion and soon we will embark on phase two which will deliver further upgrades, especially for pedestrians and cyclists.

“Our aim is to make the high street cleaner, greener and safer by tackling congestion and encouraging alternative forms of travel and we have been helped in pursuing these goals by the many local people, businesses and stakeholders who have shared their ideas with us and shown great support and enthusiasm in helping us deliver this landmark project.”

February 12, 2021