Key Points
- Kingston Council officers are weighing up plans to bid for an additional £100,000 to rework safety models for the busy Fountain Roundabout in New Malden.
- Previous redesign proposals, including a “Dutch-style” roundabout prioritized for pedestrians and cyclists, failed to secure Transport for London (TfL) funding due to negative impacts on bus services.
- TfL has indicated it is unlikely to fund either of the two major layout options modeled by council officers this year.
- Committee members have recommended using local council funds to install a zebra crossing on the Kingston Road arm of the roundabout instead of relying on TfL funding.
- Independent local politicians have criticized the ongoing expenditure, describing the pursuit of further funding for options modeling as a waste of taxpayers’ money.
Kingston Council (South London News) November 10, 2026 – Officers at Kingston Council have been weighing up plans to bid for a fresh cash injection of £100,000 to rework the safety options for the busy Fountain Roundabout in New Malden. The move comes after earlier redesign proposals failed to secure backing from Transport for London (TfL).
As reported by Charlotte Lillywhite, Local Democracy Reporter for MyLondon, the council is facing renewed pressure over the gateway junction into New Malden. New safety changes have been put forward for the South London roundabout after previous long-term proposals hit administrative and financial hurdles.
A newly published council report stated that TfL was unlikely to fund either of the primary structural options officers had modeled this year to improve safety at the four-arm junction. These options included converting the junction into a “Dutch-style” roundabout—where pedestrians and cyclists are granted priority over motor vehicles—because transport assessors determined it would negatively impact regional bus services.
As detailed by Charlotte Lillywhite of MyLondon, local decision-makers are now considering alternative steps to improve safety without relying on external regional transport grants. Following discussions at the neighborhood level, the relevant committee agreed to recommend that the council use its own internal funds to install a zebra crossing on the Kingston Road arm of the roundabout. The final decision on whether to proceed with this local funding allocation will be made by Kingston Council’s Place Committee at an upcoming meeting.
How Have Local Politicians Reacted to the Proposed Spending?
The proposal to seek additional money to continue studying traffic layouts at the junction has drawn criticism from local representatives who argue the process has drawn out for too long without concrete results.
As reported by Charlotte Lillywhite of MyLondon, Independent councillor James Giles added it was “scandalous” that the local authority was considering bidding for another £100,000 to “identify yet more options” for the junction.
Detailing his opposition to further consultancy and modeling work, James Giles stated:
“We know what we want. If TfL won’t fund it, that’s fine, we’re going to drop it with TfL and move on. I don’t want another £100,000 of taxpayers’ money wasted on identifying options.”
Background of the Fountain Roundabout Redesign
The Fountain Roundabout serves as a primary gateway into New Malden town centre, connecting major corridors including Kingston Road and Cambridge Road. For several years, Kingston Council has explored options to upgrade the four-arm junction to address safety concerns regarding pedestrian crossings and cycling infrastructure, alongside broader town centre regeneration efforts.
In 2023, the local authority agreed to allocate £100,000 to review the junction’s layout and proposed installing a zebra crossing. However, council officers subsequently concluded that a standalone zebra crossing would not fully resolve the underlying safety issues at the site, leading to the appointment of external transport consultants to explore comprehensive structural alternatives.
Subsequent proposals included high-intervention models such as a full CYCLOPS (Cycle Optimised Protected Signals) junction and a Dutch-style priority roundabout. While these layouts aimed to improve conditions for non-motorized road users, recent evaluations by Transport for London indicated that such major structural reconfigurations would disrupt key bus routes operating through the corridor. Consequently, TfL declined to provide funding for those specific models, prompting council officers to review scaled-back solutions and consider additional funding bids to establish a viable scheme.
Prediction: How Will This Development Affect Local Residents and Commuters?
The outcome of the Fountain Roundabout redesign proposals stands to directly impact several distinct groups within the local community:
- Local Pedestrians and Cyclists: If Kingston Council’s Place Committee approves internal funding for a zebra crossing on the Kingston Road arm, pedestrians will gain an immediate, dedicated crossing point. However, non-motorized road users may not receive the fully segregated, priority-based cycle infrastructure originally envisioned under the Dutch-style roundabout proposal.
- Bus Passengers and Motorists: The decision by TfL to withhold funding for major structural overhauls prevents potential delays and disruptions to regional bus services that would have resulted from priority traffic signaling. Motorists will also avoid the potential congestion associated with significant junction reconfigurations, though general navigational challenges at the busy four-arm junction will remain.
- Local Taxpayers: If the council opts against bidding for another £100,000 to fund further feasibility modeling, municipal resources can be redirected toward direct infrastructure delivery rather than ongoing consultancy reviews, addressing concerns raised regarding local authority spending efficiency.
