Residents living in South London have called for a weight restriction to stop the flow of dangerous HGV traffic down their street after it turned into a rat run.
Plough Lane, which crosses from Wallington in Sutton to Purley in Croydon, is often used as a shortcut by cars and HGVs alike who are trying to avoid the often congested Purley Way. The road is home to detached houses, flats, a GP’s office and a pharmacy.
Nevertheless, despite being a B road with a mere width of 5.25 meters from curb to curb, the narrow stretch frequently witnesses 38-tonne lorries attempting to navigate past each other, especially in the vicinity of the junction with Purley’s Foxley Lane.
This situation often results in the heavy goods vehicles mounting the curbs to maneuver along the road. Residents are significantly concerned about this, compounded by the limited space on the pavement for pedestrians, reported MyLondon.
Ray and Yvonne Cooper who have lived on Plough Lane for 28 years fully support the petition to introduce the weight restriction.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), Mr Ray said: “When we first moved in, people used to spray the sign that said Wallington at the bottom of the road so they wouldn’t see it as a cut-through.
“I remember speaking to the council back in the late 90s. I had a lot of arguments with them saying this was a small road, but they said it was a B road and is allowed. I said you can’t allow these 38-tonne lorries, every time they go over a bump the whole house shakes.
“That was back then, but I think I become so desensitised to it that I don’t feel the vibrations any more. It is a problem because of the narrowness, especially down the bottom of the road. I remember seeing one 38-tonne lorry drive along the pavement from the bottom of the hill until it got to the GP surgery. That bit at the bottom is the really nasty bit, but obviously, when it gets up to Foresters Drive, it’s nice and wide.”
Another resident, Mani, who lives next door to the Coopers on the Croydon side of Plough Lane explained how a car cutting through from the road opposite lost control and crashed into his garden wall. Along with congestion, he expressed concern over the excessive speeding he has witnessed on Plough Lane.
He said: “I didn’t realise how busy it was around here when I first moved, but now I am looking to move back to Epsom. I am planning the sell the house because of it.
“I’m not comfortable with it. It’s too narrow and not safe. Especially if you want to get the bus, you have to walk along the narrow pavements. Purley is still quite a nice area, but it is getting very busy.”
In their petitions to Sutton and Croydon councils, residents described being a pedestrian on the road as a “terrifying experience”. Yvonne, who signed the petition, told the LDRS: “It is scary, I have to lean into people’s fences when the lorries go past. What is really bad is when you’re walking with a toddler and the lorries’ wing mirrors pass over your heads.”
When approached for comment, a spokesperson from Sutton Council told the publication: “We have listened to the concerns of residents in the Foresters Drive and Plough Lane areas, and we have used this feedback, together with technical surveys, to develop suggested changes which can address these issues.
“In the New Year, we will write to residents to seek their feedback on these suggested changes. We strongly encourage anyone who may be affected by the suggested changes to let us know what they think by taking part in the engagement process.”
