Kingston Independent Residents Group

Dear Councillors, Assembly Members and Mayor of London,

We, the undersigned, object strongly to Kingston Council's proposals to remove the Fountain Roundabout in New Malden, replacing it with a crossroads.

In 2016, the then-Conservative run Council introduced an identical proposal to remove the Fountain Roundabout and replace it with a crossroads. New Malden's Independent Councillors led the campaign against the removal, supported by Kingston Cycling Campaign, Kingston Centre for Independent Living, New Malden Residents Association and the Mayor of London's former Cycling Csar, Andrew Gilligan.

The majority of people opposed it then as they oppose it now:

• The proposals remove the right-turn from Malden Road into Burlington Road, as the traffic flow would otherwise have been too poor
• TfL stated the proposals would slow down traffic in the area
• The historic fountain monument (a replica of the original installed in the location in 1896 by the Band of Mercy) would be demolished
• The plan has no clear improvement on walking or cycling, with \\\\'shared space\\\\' being dangerous for those with disabilities

Last year, New Malden's current councillors voted unanimously to build a pedestrian crossing at the Kingston Road-end of the Fountain Roundabout. We acknowledge the current arrangements are dangerous and many cross there to access the bus stop. The cost agreed was £100,000 coming from LIP FUNDING agreed by TfL.

Instead of spending this money on a pedestrian crossing, the Liberal Democrat administration instead decided to spend that money engaging \\\\'consultants\\\\' on ressurecting the nonsensical Fountain Roundabout scheme. Now they've bid for £5,000,000 from TfL to remove the roundabout altogether.

We call on the Council to withdraw their bid for TfL, and for the Mayor and Assembly Members to hold Kingston Council to account for this misuse of LIP funding in the current financial year, and turn down their request for the next financial year.

Whilst we are not against change, and welcome improvements to the roundabout - including a renovated monument, pedestrian crossing at the Kingston Road-end, and indeed converting the roundabout to a 'dutch-style' roundabout as the original scheme in 2012 proposed - the current proposals to remove the roundabout will not benefit New Malden.

Signed,

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