Crescent Road update: Changes get go ahead after scrutiny committee rejects call-in request

As previously reported, in January Kingston councillors voted to permanently restrict traffic going down Crescent Road from Kingston Hill, but only between the hours of 7.30am and 9.30am on weekdays. This was following widespread opposition to the on-going ‘trial’ of a total 24/7 block on such traffic.

The decision was referred to the council’s scrutiny committee by councillors who, it seemed, want Crescent Road fully reopened. The aim at the committee was to suggest the decision had not been properly made. This was the first meeting of the scrutiny committee since 2023. It couldn’t change the decision, but could send the issue back to the Kingston and North Kingston Neighbourhood committee. It voted not to.

This means that the decision taken in January - to dramatically lessen the hours Crescent Road has any traffic restriction and to allow residents of Cumberland House and Kingsnympton Estate to get permits to be able to use the road at all times - can now be put into effect.

But don’t start driving down there yet - council highways chiefs say it will take around a couple of months to get the traffic signs in place and to give time for all those newly eligible for permits time to apply for them.

You can watch the 2hours + scrutiny committee here. It was basically a lot of the same points being made as during the original meetings, with a few controversial moments, such as when the council highways chief used the word “fishy” in a reply about a petition collected by Kingston Independent Residents Group of councillors. Not surprisingly there were various coded accusations of pre-election politicking. And it also took well over an hour until anyone acknowledged that the only reason the traffic restriction in Crescent Road was brought in was to try to mitigate the knock-on effect of higher traffic levels in New Road caused by deciding to make the top bit of Kings Road one way towards Richmond Park.