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People power! Coulsdon road closures postponed and changed

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After Tory councillor accused residents’ association of ‘scaremongering’, council performs an 11th-hour U-turn over Stites Hill Road closure.
By JEREMY CLACKSON, transport correspondent

Cancelled: the council has had a late change of plan over closure of Stites Hill Road during Coulsdon Road roadworks

Residents in Old Coulsdon, in Caterham on the Hill and the surrounding areas were claiming a victory for commonsense this morning, as Croydon Council backed down from its “plans” to close Stites Hill Road for a month while also carrying out road works alongside Coulsdon Common.

The road closures were due to be enforced from tomorrow. Residents described Croydon Council’s ill-considered plans as like bringing an “Iron Curtain” down between Coulsdon and their neighbours in Surrey.

Hospitals in the area had warned that patients would be unable to attend important consultations. Residents’ associations, led by OCRA, the Old Coulsdon RA, claimed that some residents could face diversions of between five and 10 miles if Stites Hill Road and Coulsdon Road were both closed to traffic at the same time, as had been proposed by the geniuses in Croydon’s highways department.

Jason Perry, Croydon’s Mayor who has the catchphrase of “I’m listening”, was criticised for not listening.

‘Scaremongering’: Tory councillor Margaret Bird criticised the RA for doing its job for residents

And one Tory ward councillor, Margaret Bird, even accused the residents’ association of “scaremongering” over the potential impact of the road closures.

There has been no official announcement from the propaganda bunker in Fisher’s Folly as yet.

But with less than 24 hours before the road closures were due to lockdown Old Coulsdon for at least a month, Inside Croydon has seen emails circulating from officials at the council which state that the planned road closures have now been postponed until August.

Importantly, the council appears to have listened to the residents’ recommendations by changing its plans for Stites Hill Road and introducing an HGV ban on the road, rather than close it altogether.

According to the email from an insider in Mayor Perry’s administration, the works on replacing the soakaways on Coulsdon Road will now run from August 15 to September 2.

Road block: the closure of Stites Hill Road when Coulsdon Road is closed would have created an ‘Iron Curtain’ between Croydon and Surrey, locals warned

“Stites Hill to Ninehams Road junction with Buxton Lane will be open at that time,” the note says.

“Width restricters will be in place to prevent HGV’s [sic] on Stites Hill and Ninehams.”

A council press statement from the human dynamos at Fishers Folly is not expected until tomorrow.

“It’s not quite the Relief of Mafeking,” one relieved Coulsdon resident said, “but it must have felt a lot like this.

“The council has finally listened to commonsense. The question now must be: why does it always take them so bloody long?”

Read more: Old Coulsdon roadworks will create an ‘Iron Curtain’ to Surrey
Read more: People power! Reed’s ‘sinister’ complaint is dropped by police
Read more: People power! Roden Gardens residents hail planning victory

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