Streatham Action calls for longer A23 Healthy Streets Scheme consultation and for TfL to attend a public meeting

Streatham Action calls on TfL to extend its statutory consultation period on the A23 Healthy Streets Scheme, and to attend a public meeting within the consultation period

Streatham Action has today written to TfL’s Head of Projects and Programmes, calling on TfL to:

– extend the statutory consultation period relating to this scheme, from a period of just three weeks, ending on Good Friday, to six weeks;

– provide full details about the scheme and listen to concerns of Streatham residents and businesses at a Streatham Action-led public meeting during this extended statutory consultation period.

Further details and background:

TfL held its initial consultation more than five years ago, in early 2020, on its proposals to remodel the Streatham Hill section of the A23.

The plans include bi-directional cycle lanes, more space allocated to bus lanes, more pedestrian crossings, and closing off some side-road junctions to motor vehicles.

In February last year, TfL attended a meeting with Streatham Action’s transport group to talk through the latest iteration of its plans. Those plans were shared on a confidential basis, as the designs had yet to be finalised. TfL has not so far accepted Streatham Action’s subsequent requests for a further meeting to share the final plans.

On Friday 28th March, TfL announced that construction work would now begin this summer, and would be undertaken in five main stages and completed by spring 2027.

The work and the completed scheme will have a significant impact on Streatham’s residents and businesses, in particular those either side of the central Streatham Hill area.

Many of these stakeholders have arrived in Streatham within the last five years and never had the opportunity to hear from TfL about the scheme, or to respond to a consultation on it.

A three-week statutory consultation period is too short for a scheme of this size – especially given that the prior consultation was held so long ago – and it effectively becomes shorter still by falling in the Easter holidays and ending on Good Friday.

Many residents, business owners and indeed TfL staff members are on holiday over this period.

Responding to the statutory consultation is not simple, as it requires responding to any particular one, or more, of the scheme’s many Traffic Regulation Orders, each of which relates to a specific change in the road design.

A timeline extension will allow for a valuable and informative public meeting to take place, with senior TfL staff members present.

Such a meeting will give TfL the opportunity to explain to the whole Streatham community what the scheme entails and how it will affect journeys and journey times for all modes of transport. This will in turn help Streatham to respond to the statutory consultation in a far more informed way than is currently possible.

Streatham Action has requested a response from TfL’s Head of Projects and Programmes by lunchtime on Friday, 11th April 2025.