Roehampton Lane right-turn ban: 61% say "no"

In another spectacular misjudgement of public opinion, the Conservative plans to ban right turns from Roehampton Lane into Medfield Street have been rejected by a thumping 61.1% NO vote.

To recap, the Conservative plans - drawn up way back in early 2006 by Putney Tory MP Justine Greening and our former Tory London Assembly member - wanted to ban cars turning into Medfield Street, supposedly to ease traffic rat-running through Roehampton and the Dover House estate.

As pretty much everyone except the Tories realised, just banning cars turning into these roads but NOT Roehampton High Street and Rodway Road would simply push all the rat-run traffic into these residential roads and not solve the problem in the Dover House at all.

Now, three years on, a hugely costly consultation later and having disillusioned thousands of local people with their do-nothing approach to the area's traffic problems, the Conservatives have graciously agreed to abide by the 61% no vote and consign their crazy plan to the dustbin.

Even a majority of Medfield Street residents opposed the Tory plan! In the Quadrant area that includes Rodway Road, and in Roehampton High Street the no vote was 85% and 86% respectively. Quite right too.

A more modest plan to ban right-turns into Ponsonby Road, where Roehampton Church School and Holy Trinity is, received a narrow yes vote of 54% and this will proceed, subject to review after six months.

You can read the report on the consultation here.