Residents in Upper Norwood staged a protest this week to demand urgent action from Mayor Jason Perry and Croydon Council to tackle dangerous speeding on their road, where police have confirmed some cars are driven at almost three times the speed limit.
Danger spot: residents and a local councillor at their protest against speeding drivers on Spa Hill this week
Spa Hill, off Beulah Hill, is supposed to be a 20mph road but the speed limit is routinely ignored by drivers as they use the residential street, close to schools and nurseries, as a rat run day and night.
Even Croydon Council’s one measure to try to reduce motorists’ speeds, a lamp post with a flashing sign indicating passing vehicles’ speeds, has been hit by a car driven by a dangerous driver.
According to police observations, drivers have put their foot down and their vehicles have reached more than 50mph on Spa Hill.
Yet locals say their repeated warnings to the council have been ignored for years.
The protesters will take their complaint to tonight’s meeting of full council at Croydon Town Hall, presenting a petition that has been signed by 1,500 people.
One of those at the demo staged on Monday told Inside Croydon: “I’ve had cars crash through my wall. A friend won’t let his teenage child cross the road. A neighbour has been knocked unconscious. This is a danger zone. The council must act and install a speed camera before someone dies.”
The petition being presented to car-loving Mayor Perry tonight states:
“We, the undersigned residents of Spa Hill and the surrounding community, are deeply concerned about the ongoing issue of excessive speeding and dangerous driving on our road.
Painful encounter: one resident shows pictures of her injuries caused by a Spa Hill speedster
“This poses a severe risk to pedestrians, cyclists, and all road users, particularly vulnerable members of our community – children, elderly residents, and people with disabilities. There are regular crashes to cars parked on this road, averaging one serious crash a month… serious injuries, too, and we have had a fatality.
“The most efficient measure to reduce dangerous speeding on Spa Hill, which is a 20 miles per hour road, would be CCTV cameras.
“We would urge the Mayor of Croydon and the Cabinet Member for Highways to urgently arrange for CCTV cameras to be installed, liaising with the other relevant stakeholders, such as the police and TfL, and to look at any addition appropriate calming measures, before we have another fatality.”
The residents have compiled a litany of life-threatening incidents on Spa Hill:
- A speeding car crashed and exploded, the force of which caused residents’ windows to smash. Smoke poured into their home, meaning the family, including a very young baby, had to be treated for smoke inhalation (2019)
- A serious road rage incident involving two men occurred, with the men using an iron steering wheel lock and golf clubs as weapons. One man sustained serious head injuries, and the incident needed police and ambulance to attend (2024)
- A cyclist was left for dead after a hit and run, suffering a severe head injury (2024)
- A neighbour was mown down by a car causing multiple fractures to each wrist. The police are still investigating (2025)
- A neighbour’s car parked on the road was badly hit by a speeding driver and completely written off (2025)
- A local was knocked off her bicycle at the top of the road. The car ran over her bike (2025)
One resident, Angus Imrie — the actor who has appeared in The Crown, Fleabag and The Archers — joined Monday’s protest on Spa Hill. He said: “I worry every day about children walking to school and neighbours crossing this road.
“Drivers regularly ignore the 20mph limit, it’s terrifying.
“Installing a speed camera is necessary to protect lives. After years of inaction on this dangerous road, Croydon Council must listen to local residents and act now to slow vehicles down and keep everyone safe.”
‘It’s terrifying’: actor Angus Imrie has added his voice to the calls for speed cameras
Since they were introduced to Croydon by the previous Labour administration, 20mph zones have had only a limited success in reducing motorists’ speeds, with little, if any, enforcement by the Metropolitan Police. ANPR – automatic number plate recognition – cameras are used elsewhere in London to catch speeding drivers.
Croydon’s cash-strapped council argues that it doesn’t have the money for a camera on Spa Hill, despite making millions each year from parking permit fees and other driving fines, money which is supposedly ring-fenced for use to pay for road schemes and Freedom Passes.
Spa Hill residents complain that they are victims of council inertia. “The council does have a budget for this work across the borough – as part of their Local Implementation Plan. Funds have just not been allocated to this road,” they say.
Patsy Cummings, Labour councillor for Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, said: “Speeding is putting lives at risk. This is a residential road where families, children, and older people should feel safe. I fully support their call for stronger measures, including the installation of a speed camera.
“We need action, not words, to make Spa Hill safer for everyone who lives here and uses this road.”
Even Steve Reed, the MP for Streatham (and Croydon North if he can be bothered) has bothered to support his constituents’ case. “The images of the accidents I’ve seen on Spa Hill are incredibly worrying,” the MP said.
“I encourage Croydon Council to engage with residents and work alongside them to produce safer measures and prevent future accidents.”
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