Old York Road - Permanent Design

Overview

Wandsworth Council has recently agreed to make the pedestrianisation of part of Old York Road permanent. This means the central section of the road will remain closed to through traffic, and buses will be permanently diverted to Ferrier Street (for northbound buses) and Swandon Way (for southbound buses).

The two consecutive summer closures have relied on temporary materials, predominantly planters and signs, to mark the changed layout of the road. Wandsworth Council is now planning to replace these with permanent features by replacing the pavements and road surfacing with new paving materials. The upgrade allows the temporary infrastructure to be replaced with materials which are more hard wearing, attractive and inclusive to all street users, as well as introducing elements to improve the biodiversity and ecological resilience of the street. The process also allows us to consider any changes needed to how the high street is accessed by pedestrians, cyclists and motor vehicles including buses, deliveries and taxis.

Having listened to feedback from residents and businesses, the council has created two options regarding the extent to which Old York Road is pedestrianised, and we would like your views on these. The first option would provide complete pedestrianisation of Old York Road between Morie Street and Ferrier Street, while the second would retain vehicle access to Ebner Street. (Sentence highlighted and a later sentence removed on 14th March to avoid confusion). Both options would be paired with minor changes to traffic layouts, to support the changes and to ensure that all businesses and residential properties can be readily accessed by delivery and servicing vehicles.

You can see the designs for the two options below:

Option 1

Option 2 (drawing corrected 14th Mar)

These are not necessarily the only options and a combination of the options may be possible along with other suggestions.

In addition:

• Both proposed designs would include additional planting/trees and rainwater gardens and would retain the road’s role as part of the Cycle Superhighway 8
• Both proposed designs would include seating for al fresco dining and pedestrians, elements to slow cyclists down and new and improved paving
• Both proposed designs include provision for servicing and deliveries to Old York Road, formalising some of the informal arrangements that have been used as part of the summer closures

These proposals do not affect the current licensing or opening hours for bars and restaurants, nor would they impact on the routes of TfL buses.

Have your say

The Council is keen to hear the views of local residents and businesses regarding the long-term vision for Old York Road. Please indicate your preference for either Option 1 or Option 2 and share any further comments by completing the online survey below.

If you require a paper copy of the survey or a different language/format, please contact transportation@wandsworth.gov.uk or 0208 871 8337.