The A232, a key corridor linking Croydon and Bromley, has long struggled with congestion and delays, affecting both drivers and public transport users.
Eleven bus routes, including Superloop route SL5, use this red route, yet TfL says slower speeds have made the routes less attractive to local people.
The transport authority is now calling on 24 people to join an evening workshop in January to share their views on how to make the road safer and more reliable, offering each participant a £150 voucher for taking part.
The community discussion, as TfL has called it, will focus on the stretch of road linking Sandilands in Croydon and West Wickham in neighbouring Bromley.
TfL wants to explore ways to improve bus journey times and make walking and cycling safer and easier. Safety is a key concern for the transport operator, with 63 collisions recorded along this stretch in the 36 months up to December 31, 2024.
Nine of these crashes resulted in serious injuries, highlighting the urgent need to improve conditions for everyone travelling in the area. The project forms part of TfL’s wider goal for 80 per cent of journeys in London to be made by walking, cycling or public transport, and to reduce deaths and serious injuries on the roads to zero by 2041.
Addiscombe West Labour councillor Sean Fitzsimons has welcomed the consultation and believes the A232 offers great potential for positive change. “The presence of speed cameras shows that speeding is an issue that needs addressing,” he said, adding that “the wide width of the roads means there is plenty of space to make improvements without reducing the volume of cars that use this road.”
Speaking as a cyclist, he added that the A232 does not feel safe, especially in the evening or at night when speeding cars are common. He said redesigning the road so that drivers keep to the speed limit “won’t reduce traffic flows but could create potential for a separated cycle lane and a better environment for pedestrians and bus users.”
Cllr Fitzsimons said the road’s current layout, made up mostly of single lanes with islands and speed cameras, could be rethought to benefit both pedestrians and drivers. “A rethink of how the road is designed could be a win-win for pedestrians and road users,” he said.
TfL is also keen to make the area greener and more welcoming, particularly for older and disabled people. Improving safety for women and girls by addressing issues in street design is another key part of the plan.
Residents chosen for the workshop will receive an information pack in advance and will be asked to make local journeys to share real experiences.
TfL is keen to hear from a broad mix of people, including women, young people and those from ethnic minority communities, to ensure a wide range of views are represented.
Local people can also get involved through an online community pinboard map, where they can add comments and ideas about specific locations. Questions about the scheme can be submitted at any time during the engagement period.
TfL says feedback from the workshop and other engagement activities will directly shape its next steps for the A232 corridor. Interested residents can fill out the “express interest” form on TfL’s website to be considered for the workshop.
A spokesperson for TfL said: “Keeping everyone travelling in the capital safely and efficiently is our top priority and we want to hear from local people to help shape our plans at an early stage. This is not a consultation, but if proposals develop we may hold one in future.”
