Council converting cycle route to speedway

Croydon Council are consulting Croydon Cycling Campaign "informally" about removing the speed cushions from Castle Hill Avenue in New Addington.  


This is part of the Council's policy since 2006 of removing anything that slows down cars - speed cushions, tables, humps and cameras.  

Castle Hill Avenue is part of the National Cycle Route 21 - also known as the The Waterlink Way.

New Addington has been the site of a number of crashes in the last few years.  In November 2008, a joyrider ploughed into a policeman and two kids in Arnhem Drive - the car was later found abandoned in the Castle Hill area.  In May 2009, a teenage motorcyclist died after he crashed the stolen bike he was riding in Central Parade at speeds of around 50mph.  In August 2010, a young woman died after a car - described in the local press as being driven by a speeding joy rider - crashed in Overbury Crescent.  

Local councillor George Ayres has called for action, saying “we need speed cameras, traffic-calming measures like chicanes and we have done for some time. We need traffic-slowing measures because a lot of the roads in New Addington are straight, long roads and are favoured by young drivers.”

Croydon Cycling Campaign will be lobbying the Council to try and prevent their plan going ahead, which would make Castle Hill Avenue less safe and attractive for cyclists - and more dangerous for all road users.