Tolworth residents have demanded their council do more to slash rat-running and speeding traffic in their neighbourhood, with one local claiming it is "only a matter of time until someone is killed" on his street. 

Kingston Council has approved plans to consult on measures to encourage walking and cycling in Tolworth, but residents said the proposals would not address drivers using local residential roads as rat-runs.

The council's Surbiton neighbourhood committee approved the measures to go out to public consultation, under the Tolworth healthy streets scheme, on September 20.

They include proposals for new zebra crossings in Thornhill Road and Douglas Road, double yellow lines at junctions, benches, cycle parking and trees, in efforts to improve the environment while promoting cycling and walking.

The committee also voted to scrap an experimental banned left turn from Fullers Way North into Tolworth Road introduced in January this year at peak hours.

It replaced the trial road closure of Tolworth Road to vehicles at the junction with Fullers Way North, which was introduced in December 2021 to reduce traffic in the area and scrapped after it was found to have displaced vehicles onto surrounding roads.

Lib Dem councillor Mariana Goncalves proposed scrapping the part-time banned left turn, along with investigating and consulting on traffic calming measures on Tolworth Road, at the meeting.

A report by council officers said data collected in November 2021 and February 2023 showed traffic volumes had increased on Fullers Avenue and Thornhill Road since the measure was introduced.

Councillor Goncalves argued it was "not logical" to keep it.

She said: "We need to remove the no left turn ban and implement the right traffic calming measures on all affected roads while also investigating a solution that stops rat-running."

Residents demanded measures to reduce rat-running traffic at the meeting.

Local James Fleming said the area's residential roads were "massively impacted" by rat-running traffic and locals needed a "fair solution that protects everybody".

He said the area could "greatly benefit" from an ANPR-based system similar to that used by Hammersmith and Fulham Council, which uses cameras to catch and fine non-local drivers using some roads in the borough as a shortcut.

Local Alex Oakes said: "The data shows we have a significant through traffic issue and none of the measures you are considering tonight address this, and the speeding issue on Thornhill Road that is so evident from our Community Roadwatch sessions."

He added: "I urge you to take positive action. We all want to see less traffic and pollution in our neighbourhood. I want to feel safe with my young family on my street again. It is only a matter of time until someone is killed on our street – we have repeatedly warned you of this."

Liz Mitchell, another local, said the neighbourhood had issues with rat-running and speeding drivers that residents had evidenced in meetings for almost two years.

She demanded "meaningful mitigations" to tackle the issues.

Younes Hamade, principal engineer at the council, said the average speed on the roads still fell within acceptable levels.

He said there was rat-running but that traffic levels, although they had increased on some roads, remained "low".

He added the proposals would not "address the through traffic" but would encourage people to walk and cycle.

Lib Dem councillor Andrew Wooldridge also said he understood residents' frustrations and their "concerns about safety, quality of life and the influx of non-local traffic passing through Tolworth".

He said he was committed to investigating an ANPR scheme with Transport for London (TfL) to tackle the rat-running issue.

The officers' report said ongoing discussions with TfL had concluded that any traffic restriction measures that could displace traffic onto the A3 exit at Tolworth roundabout would not be considered by them at this time.

It said the decision would be reviewed after August 2024, when works at the roundabout are set to be completed.

The report said the consultation on the healthy streets measures is set to start in October or November this year and that, subject to feedback, it is expected some of the proposals will be implemented in March or April next year.

Others will be subject to formal traffic management orders.

Another report is set to be brought back to the committee to review the measures implemented within 12 months, or after roadworks relating to the new Signal Park development in Tolworth have been completed.

Councillors approved the healthy streets measures and scrapped the experimental part-time banned left turn at the meeting, with eight voting in favour and three abstentions.