Poll: Heart of Hackbridge consultation what you need to know

Residents can choose between four options to alter the road layout, which has been a source of controversy since it was installed in 2014.

The consultation follows a council u-turn after road safety campaigners won a victory against the informal crossings originally installed.

Sutton Council was warned by consultants in a report produced in March that some drivers "did not even notice the presence of pedestrians trying to cross" at the informal crossings.

The consultants added: "Of particular concern would be pedestrians from more vulnerable groups, for example children, mobility impaired [and] elderly."

In October eight-year-old Max Vidal-Reed was hit by a car when he was walking across the informal crossing outside R K Pharmacy with his mother, Maria.

The four options are as follows:

Installing a zebra crossing on Hackbridge Road to replace the current informal crossing. Pencil shaped safety bollards will be raised close to the crossing.

However this means that the manned lollipop crossing service will be lost.

The informal crossing between All Tile Ceramics and Sainsbury's will be removed and all 'tactile' paving will be replaced. Cycle lane markings will be painted in Elm Road and signs introduced.

A bollard will be installed at the southbound exit of the mini-roundabout and the kerb height at the Elm Road and Hackbridge road junction will be raised to make it easily identifiable.

No parking would be lost in this option.

Similar to option one, but with an additional zebra crossing by William Hill. This would see five parking bays and one disabled bay removed.

To stop illegal parking on pavements bollards would be raised at the site of the scrapped bays.

Again similar to option one, but the additional zebra crossing would be installed in front of Howard's Hairdressing salon. Six parking bays and one disability would be lost and bollards to prevent illegal parking would be installed.

The additional zebra crossing will be placed near the Equinox Fish Bar, which will force the bus stop opposite to be moved about ten metres along the road. Six parking bays would be removed and bollards installed.

When the u-turn was made earlier this year Councillor Jill Whitehead, chairwoman of the environment and neighbourhood committee, said: "The council has a duty to monitor the impact of all new traffic schemes.

The independent surveys have told us that while 83% of those surveyed people believe the Heart of Hackbridge scheme has improved their perception of the area, some of the changes to the road layout have led to concerns, particularly because of a lack of controlled crossings.

"We are going to fix that by following the recommendations of the surveys as well as bringing in other measures including consulting on putting in a 20 mph zone and also extending the use of a lollipop person outside the school until Christmas while the changes bed in.