The Council is proposing road widening and other work at the junction of Bellevue and Trinity Roads and Burntwood Lane. The aim is to increase capacity and thereby reduce congestion and rat-running, and improve air quality and the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. However, the road widening would require approx 400 sqm of land to be taken from the Common. There is a long standing principle that Common land surrendered in this way must be replaced by land of equivalent value. The land proposed in compensation is a long narrow strip amounting to 950 sqm on the west side of Trinity Road, north of the County Arms, obtained by reducing Trinity Road from three lanes to two. This would need TfL approval. Moreover, although some initial work has already begun – moving bus stops and parking bays - the major work will be the subject of ‘extensive consultation’ in early 2019 and, as with all encroachments on Common land, will also need approval by the Secretary of State.

You can read the document that was approved here, including relevant maps, and the Council decision here. We urge everyone to take a look and send us your thoughts. FoWC and the MAC were invited to a site visit in the summer, and the Friends and the MAC are working together on this, alongside the Wandsworth Society.