Oval Triangle – potential measures to reduce
through traffic on local roads
Response to consultation
February 2015
February 2015
Contents
1
Background .................................................................................................................. 1
2
Introduction ................................................................................................................... 2
3
The consultation ........................................................................................................... 3
4
Overview of consultation responses ............................................................................. 4
5
Responses from the public ........................................................................................... 6
6
Responses from statutory bodies and other stakeholders ........................................... 8
7
Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 9
Appendix A – Response to issues raised .............................................................................. 10
Appendix B – Copy of the consultation letter and map ......................................................... 11
Appendix C – Leaflet distribution area .................................................................................. 14
Appendix D – List of stakeholders consulted ........................................................................ 15
Appendix E – Email sent to stakeholders .............................................................................. 16
1
Background
1.1
About this report
Following the public consultation on changes to four junctions around Oval Triangle
in summer 2014, Transport for London (TfL) consulted on proposals to reduce
through traffic on local roads around one of these junctions in November 2014. The
proposals were developed in response to concerns raised by the local community
following the decision to ban the left turn from Kennington Road onto Kennington
Park Road. This report summarises the public consultation and responses received.
It also sets out TfL’s plans following consultation and its response to issues
commonly raised.
1.2
Why the changes at Kennington Road are needed
The Oval Triangle junction proposals have been primarily designed to improve safety
for cyclists, who are not well catered for by the current layout. There were 54
collisions involving injury to cyclists in the 36 months from January 2011 to January
2014, which accounts for half of all collisions in the scheme area.
This corridor is also one of the busiest for cycling in London, with the junctions at
Oval highlighted as a key barrier for cyclists due to the number of conflicting
movements between motorists and cyclists. As levels of cycling are predicted to
increase further, it is important that we introduce measures that will improve safety.
Banning the left turn from Kennington Road is one element of a number of changes
that will be implemented as part of the Oval Triangle scheme. It eliminates a direct
point of conflict between left-turning traffic and cyclists, and creates the space
needed for improved cycle facilities across the junction. Retaining the left-turn at this
junction would require the implementation of an additional traffic light phase,
resulting in queues and longer waiting times for all users of the junction, including
pedestrians. Retaining the turn would also mean that current safety concerns raised
between left turning motorists and cyclists would not be addressed.
TfL acknowledges that the banned turn could be inconvenient for some motorists.
This has been considered against the significant safety benefits that will be gained
for cyclists. Traffic counts at this junction indicate that a small proportion of motorists
would be impacted, with the most recent counts showing that 46 motorists in the
morning rush hour turn left from Kennington Road and 50 in the evening rush hour.
Following last summer’s consultation on the improvements at Oval Triangle,
Transport for London (TfL) decided to proceed with the scheme. This includes plans
to substantially change the layout and operation of the junction of Kennington
Road/Kennington Park Road, including banning the left turn from Kennington Road.
1
2
Introduction
2.1
Proposals to mitigate the impact of banning the left turn at
Kennington Road
The proposals for this junction are a vital part of the scheme. Work to prepare the
junction and divert utility cables started in December 2014, ahead of the start of the
main construction works in spring 2015. The scheduled completion date is March
2016. The summer 2014 consultation on the wider Oval scheme (for which the
report was published in October 2014 and is available at tfl.gov.uk/oval-triangle)
helped us understand specific concerns expressed by the local community. TfL met
with elected representatives and residents associations to fully explore and address
local concerns of traffic being potentially displaced into nearby residential streets.
In close consultation with the London Borough of Lambeth, which is the highway
authority for these local roads, TfL developed proposals to mitigate the potential for
increased traffic on local roads. While TfL’s traffic modelling of the scheme suggests
that most left turning motorists would re-route to Kennington Lane, local views were
sought on the following options:
Option 1
TfL would undertake ‘before and after’ traffic monitoring surveys to determine what
impact the banned turn might have on traffic attempting to access Kennington Park
Road. These would be undertaken at the junctions of Kennington Road/ Stannary
Street and Stannary Street/Ravensdon Street/ Radcot Street. Safety data for the
wider area would also be monitored. The monitoring period following the introduction
of the ban would take place over a period of six months, which would allow traffic to
normalise and motorists to establish new travel patterns. Should there be any
significant adverse impacts, TfL would work with Lambeth Council and the local
community to understand what targeted measures could be considered to address
these.
Option 2
This option would involve the closure of Ravensdon Street at its junction with
Kennington Park Road. One of the primary concerns of local residents was that
displaced traffic might access Kennington Park Road via Stannary Street and
Ravensdon Street. This could be directly counteracted by closing Ravensdon Street
at its junction with Kennington Park Road. Changes would be implemented in
parallel with the banned turn subject to London Borough of Lambeth traffic
regulations. TfL would then monitor the area for the following six months and meet
with the local community again to determine if any adjustments should be considered
or if other options should be explored.
Neither of the two main proposals
Respondents could also choose to favour neither of the proposed options.
2
3
The consultation
The consultation ran from Thursday 27 November 2014 to Monday 19 January 2015.
It was designed to help TfL understand local and stakeholder opinion about the
proposals in order to make a well-informed decision.
The potential outcomes of the consultation were:
 We decide to proceed with Option1
 We decide to proceed with Option 2
 We review and modify one or both of the two proposed options
 We proceed with neither of the proposed options
The objectives of the consultation were:
 To give stakeholders and the public clear information about the proposed
options which they can use to form an informed opinion
 To understand the level of support or opposition for each option
 To understand any issues that might affect the proposals of which we were
previously unaware
 To understand concerns and objections
 To allow respondents to make suggestions
3.1
Who we consulted
We wrote to a number of local people and key stakeholders including:
 Local households and businesses in the vicinity of the scheme area (see
Appendix C for details of consultation letter distribution)
 Key stakeholders such as traffic police, Members of Parliament, Assembly
Members, local councillors, local interest and road user groups. A list of the
stakeholders consulted is shown in Appendix D. A summary of their
responses is in Section 6.
3.2
Consultation material, distribution and publicity
Consultation material was available at https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/roads/oval, via
post, and email. Materials included an overview letter, along with written details and
a consultation drawing showing the proposals. We invited people to respond via an
online survey on the TfL website or by email to [email protected].
We promoted the consultation through multiple channels:
Email: We emailed 29 stakeholders. A list of these stakeholders is shown in
Appendix D of this report and a copy of the email is available in Appendix E.
Letter: We distributed a consultation letter and drawing to 700 occupiers within the
scheme area highlighted in Appendix C. The letter also included background
3
information on the wider Oval consultation. Copies of the letter and drawing, and
details of the distribution area, are shown in Appendices B and C.
4
Overview of consultation responses
4.1 Number/Type of responses received
The consultation on potential measures to reduce through traffic on local roads
around the Oval Triangle received 196 responses, 3 were from stakeholders and 193
were received from members the public. A breakdown showing the type of the
responses we received is shown below in Table 1.
Table 1: Type of responses received
Type of response
Online questionnaire
Email
Total received
4.2
179
17
196
91%
9%
Identification questions
We asked respondents to identify themselves both by type of respondent (please
note they were able to select as many descriptions as they felt appropriate) and by
postcode.
4.2.1 Description of respondent
The majority (72%) of the responses came from local residents; 14% were received
from commuters; and 5% were received from the workers in the area.
Table 2: Consultation responses by respondent
How respondents described themselves
Local resident
166
Commuter
33
Employed locally
11
Visitor
15
Business owner
6
Total number of descriptions chosen
4
213
72%
14%
5%
6%
3%
4.2.2 Response by postcode
Of the 196 respondents, 180 supplied postcode information.
Table 3 Consultation responses by postcode
What is your postcode?
SE11
137
SE17
8
SW9
5
SE5
3
SW12
3
SW16
3
G61
2
SE15
2
SW8
2
BR7
1
DA15
1
E15
1
EC3R
1
NW6
1
SE1
1
SE19
1
SE24
1
SE6
1
SW13
1
SW1P
1
SW2
1
W3
1
W9
1
WC1X
1
Total answered
180
5
5
Responses from the public
5.1 Analysis of the comments provided to the Oval Triangle
potential measures to reduce through traffic on local roads
consultation questionnaire
The consultation questionnaire consisted of two questions. Respondents were asked
which option they supported, and were also invited to comment on the reasons for
supporting that option.
The report considers the total number of respondents for each question as being the
number of people who answered the closed question, Question 1: “Which Option do
you prefer?” (as detailed in Section 2). The percentages relating to comments made
in response to each question are therefore a proportion of the total number of
respondents to that question.
Table 4: Which option do you prefer?
Which Option do you prefer?
Option 1: TfL will undertake ‘before and
after’ traffic monitoring surveys
Option 2: Close Ravensdon Street at its
junction with Kennington Park Road
Neither
17
9%
129
66%
50
25%
196
Total answered
5.2 Analysis of responses
Of the 197 respondents to the question on TfL’s proposals, 179 left comments. The
following sections of this report analyse the responses and emerging themes in more
detail for each respondent group.
Support for proposals in Option 1:
Seventeen respondents (9% of the total responses to this question) left supportive
comments about this proposal, with respondents stating that as it would keep
disruption to the minimum and avoid long detours to Kennington Park Road. Five
respondents commented that TfL should continue to monitor the situation in order to
determine the local impact of banning the left turn from Kennington Road. Seven
respondents argued that Option 1 would minimise congestion and pollution which
would be caused by the adoption of Option 2.
6
Support for proposals in Option 2:
128 respondents (65%) of the total responses to this question left supportive
comments about this option.
Rat-running: 65 (51%) respondents stated this option would prevent the increase
of local through traffic or “rat running” along Ravensdon Street
Improve safety for cyclists: 34 respondents (17%) commented that these
proposals would improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians, with 11 respondents
highlighting that Option 2 would reduce the risks to vulnerable pedestrians
especially children and elderly people
Congestion/pollution: 18 respondents (9%) commented that these proposals
would reduce local congestion and pollution along Ravensdon Street, with 14
respondents (7%) highlighting that the closure of Ravensdon Street would also
reduce the potential for increased noise pollution
Permeability for cyclists: 13 respondents (6%) highlighted that access for
cyclists should be maintained, with 5 respondents commenting that a two way
cycle lane should be introduced
Partial Support for Option 2: 2 respondents commented that although they
supported Option 2 it would increase journey times for local traffic trying to access
Kennington Park Road
Support for neither of the two proposals:
Fifty respondents (26% of the total responses to this question) commented that they
supported neither of the two main proposals.
Traffic patterns: Three respondents stated that Option 1 was unsatisfactory
because in-car satellite navigation software would not be updated and this would
mean the effect of the changes could not be adequately measured within the
proposed six month trial period
Increased journey time: 22 respondents (11%) commented that Option 2 would
lead to longer journey times for local traffic, with 14 respondents stating that
Option 2 would lead to increased congestion and environmental pollution in the
local area
Increased danger to pedestrian: 22 respondents commented that Option 2
would increase the safety risks for pedestrians and cyclists, with 11 respondents
stating that they would like TfL to rethink the proposals
7
6 Responses from statutory bodies and other
stakeholders
Table 6: Summary of responses received by statutory bodies and stakeholders
Licensed Taxi Drivers
Association
Selected Option 1 as they wanted to
understand the alternatives that would be
taken by displaced traffic.
Alliance of British Drivers
Selected Neither proposal as they were
more concerned that there is no
commitment to a further consultation if
Option 1 is taken and measures introduced
at a later date.
Cleaver Square Residents'
Association and Heart of
Kennington Residents'
Association
Selected Neither proposal as they were
concerned about the environmental and
safety impacts on surrounding streets of the
banned turn from Kennington Road onto
Kennington Park Road.
8
7
Conclusion
66% of respondents to the consultation said they supported Option 2, the closure of
Ravensdon Street at its junction with Kennington Park Road. Having considered the
issues raised in consultation, TfL has decided to implement the proposals outlined in
Option 2 by closing Ravensdon Street at its junction with Kennington Park Road.
Access for cyclists will be maintained following the closure of Ravensdon Street.
Changes will be implemented in parallel with the banned turn, subject to London
Borough of Lambeth traffic regulations. TfL will then monitor the area and meet with
elected representatives again to determine if any adjustments should be considered
or if other options should be explored.
7.1
Next steps
We plan to start work on the overall scheme in March 2015, with the works to close
Ravensdon Street due to begin in April 2015. We will write to local residents and
affected properties before work starts to provide a summary of this consultation, an
overview of the updated proposals and an outline of the construction programme.
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Appendix A – Response to issues raised
Traffic patterns following scheme implementation
We expect traffic to normalise within six months of scheme implementation and will
use a variety of methods to provide drivers with information, in advance of the
junction changes at Oval Triangle. This will include details of the banned turn, and
the alternative routes available. We will install appropriate signage in Kennington and
in the surrounding area to ensure that drivers are made aware of the banned turn
before they reach the junction. We will also liaise with satellite navigation companies
so that their devices incorporate the banned turn and provide drivers with alternative
routings.
Taken together, these measures will allow motorists to establish new travel patterns
within six months of scheme implementation. We will then undertake traffic
monitoring surveys after the scheme has been implemented.
Journey time impacts for local traffic
The changes at Oval have primarily been designed to improve safety for cyclists,
who are not well catered for by the current layout. Undertaking Option 2, the closure
of Ravensdon Street will lead to slightly longer journey times for local traffic
attempting to access Kennington Park Road. We will monitor the area six months
after implementation and meet with elected representatives to determine if any
adjustments should be considered or if other options should be explored.
We will work to mitigate the impact on traffic as much as possible. We are
developing wider traffic management plans for central London to help reduce the
traffic impacts of the wider Oval Triangle scheme and others, including those
proposed by London local authorities and developers. This will include continuing to
invest in advanced traffic signal technology to allow us to better manage traffic
depending on differing conditions at any given time. There will also be customer
information to enable road users to make informed journey choices and campaigns
to encourage road users to check before they travel.
Concerns about increased pedestrian risk from rat-running
By providing advance information to drivers and installing appropriate signage, we
do not envisage traffic levels to increase on local roads as a result of closing
Ravensdon Street. As part of our monitoring programme, we will observe safety data
and will work with Lambeth Council and the local community to determine if further
intervention measures are required at the end of the monitoring period.
10
Appendix B – Copy of the consultation letter and map
Map showing the options to address the potential for through traffic on local roads in Oval Triangle
11
12
13
Appendix C – Leaflet distribution area
14
Appendix D – List of stakeholders consulted
Clapham Society
Lambeth Safer Transport Team
London Borough of Lambeth
London Cycling Campaign (Lambeth)
Metropolitan Police
Resident Association/Streatham Vale Property Occupiers Association
Residents Association/ Bankside Residents' Forum
Residents Association/Vauxhall Gardens Estate Tenants & Residents Association
Transport user group/Clapham Transport Users Group
Transport user group/Herne Hill Forum
Transport user group/Virtual Norwood Forum
Members of Parliament
Kate Hoey MP
Tessa Jowell MP
Chuka Umunna MP
London Assembly Members
Caroline Pidgeon AM
Valerie Shawcross AM
Ward Councillors
David Amos
Chris Marsh
Joanne Simpson
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Appendix E – Email sent to stakeholders
Dear All,
Following this summer’s consultation on the improvements at Oval Triangle,
Transport for London (TfL) has decided to proceed with the scheme. This includes
plans to substantially change the layout and operation of the junction of Kennington
Road/Kennington Park Road, including banning the left turn from Kennington Road.
The proposals for this junction are a vital part of the scheme, and initial work is
scheduled to start by early December 2014, with a scheduled completion date of
March 2016.
The recent consultation on the wider Oval scheme was a valuable exercise that
helped us understand specific concerns expressed by the local community. After
careful consideration, we are now consulting on separate proposals to mitigate the
potential of increased traffic on local roads. The proposals have been developed in
close consultation with the London Borough of Lambeth, which is the highway
authority for these local roads.
Comment can be made online at https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/roads/oval or via
email at [email protected]. The consultation will end on 19 January 2015.
Yours faithfully,
Consultation Team
Transport for London
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