A zebra crossing has been recommended for New Malden’s Fountain Roundabout, a junction where 24 collisions between 2020 and 2024 left 25 people injured or dead. Councillors are asking the council to pay for it, rather than Transport for London (TfL).
The New and Old Malden Neighbourhood Committee voted to recommend to the Place Committee that the council fund a zebra crossing on the roundabout’s western, Kingston Road arm. The recommendation was made on the understanding that TfL would not be funding the scheme.
Eleven of the casualties were pedestrians, three of them seriously injured and one killed. The others were seven car occupants, four cyclists (one seriously injured), two bus or coach occupants and one motorcyclist.
The committee noted the results of technical assessments and TfL’s feedback on two preferred options for improving safety at the roundabout. These were a “do minimum” approach, which includes the zebra crossing, and a “Dutch roundabout”. TfL indicated it was unlikely to support either.
TfL said the “do minimum” approach would provide very limited pedestrian and road safety benefits and no cycle benefits. It said this failed to comply with its policies to improve infrastructure for all road users while avoiding harm to bus operations. Although the option’s impact on traffic and buses was considered manageable, TfL said it was unlikely to get formal financial support because of this policy non-compliance.
The “Dutch roundabout” was also deemed unsuitable, because modelling showed it would have a significant adverse impact on general traffic and particularly on bus service performance.
During the meeting, residents expressed concerns about the cost and effectiveness of various proposals, with some questioning the necessity of major changes to the roundabout, which they described as generally functioning well. Others highlighted specific issues, such as the frequency and duration of pedestrian crossings on Malden Road causing traffic congestion. The meeting information acknowledges this, noting that while pedestrian safety is prioritised, any changes must be balanced with the needs of all road users. The discussion also touched on the fact that 'keep clear' markings are advisory and that implementing yellow boxes might be considered.
Despite TfL's reservations about funding the do minimum
option, the committee voted to recommend to the Place Committee that the council fund the installation of a zebra crossing on the Kingston Road arm. The committee's recommendation that the council fund the zebra crossing was made on the understanding that TfL would not be funding the scheme.
The committee also noted that any future changes to the highway layout would require formal Traffic Management Orders and statutory consultation. The report highlighted that the roundabout has a history of collisions, with 24 recorded between 2020 and 2024, resulting in 25 casualties, including one fatality.
The meeting indicates that further investigatory work is required as the road safety issues remain unresolved, suggesting that the zebra crossing is not necessarily the sole solution for now. The committee recommended the installation of a zebra crossing but also noted the results of technical assessments and TfL feedback on two preferred options. The discussion also highlighted that two more ambitious options, Option 1D (Full CYCLOPS junction) and Option 2B (Dutch style roundabout), delivered exceptional improvements for pedestrians and cyclists and were proposed for further detailed traffic modelling.
