Figures show almost 100 people were killed on Croydon's roads over 10 years
By Brian Haran
brian.haran@essnmedia.co.uk
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TRAGIC: The aftermath of a fatal crash on the Croydon Flyover
Almost 100 people lost their lives on Croydon's roads over a 10-year period, newly-published figures show.
The death toll ranged from a one-year-old toddler who died in New Addington seven years ago to a 98-year-old man fatally injured in Green Lane, Norbury, back in 2000.
A total of 93 fatalities occurred in the borough from 1999 to 2008, according to figures compiled by the Department of Transport.
The statistics also show that 36 of the victims were in cars, 30 were pedestrians, 25 were motorcyclists and two were bus passengers.
Interestingly, over the 10 years not a single cyclist died on Croydon's roads.
The fatal accidents were spread across the borough, with the worst blackspot being Purley Way with eight deaths.
Next highest was King Henry's Drive, in New Addington, where five people lost their lives.
Croydon's busy Wellesley Road witnessed three fatal accidents.
And there were two apiece on Brighton Road, which goes from South Croydon to Purley, Central Hill, in Upper Norwood, Pampisford Road, which goes from Purley to South Croydon, Roman Way, in Croydon, Whitehorse Road, in Thornton Heath, Coulsdon Road, in Coulsdon, St James's Road, in West Croydon, and on Croydon Flyover.
Of the victims the vast majority - 73 - were males.
In relation to the figures a Croydon Council spokesman said: "Croydon is fortunate to have had relatively few road deaths over the last 10 years.
"However, even one fatality is a tragedy that the council seeks to avoid.
"As these records demonstrate, there is no pattern of hotspots for deaths.
"A host of measures are taken every year to reduce the number of accidents that result in death or serious injury, ranging from traffic calming and speed restriction projects through to the young driver awareness programme.
"We continue to monitor all road accident data and we prioritise the areas thought to pose the highest risk of potential serious injury. "Every year we spend substantial sums of money on road safety measures, and we believe this contributes substantially to the relatively low level of annual fatalities."
The council is spending about £1 million in the current financial year on road safety schemes.
Roger Capham, who is involved with the Kenley Roadwatch scheme - a volunteer-led project to check on speeding drivers, believes speed is the major cause of most fatal accidents.
He said: "Speeding motorcyclists are the worst offenders - I'm not really surprised that there are so many fatalities among them.
"Humps and chicanes are used in some areas to deter traffic speed but the council is not very keen on these."
CROYDON ROAD FATALITIES
1999
April 19, Coombe Road, Croydon, Male, 18
April 24, Upper Selsdon Road, Selsdon, Male, 19
August 15, Purley Way, Croydon, Male, 19
August 15, Purley Way, Purley, Male, 33
October 13, Featherbed Lane, Forestdale, Male, 61
December 17, Addiscombe Road, Addiscombe, Male, 40
December 27, Selsdon Park Road, Selsdon, Male, 3
2000
January 4, Green Lane, Norbury, Male, 98
January 7, Coulsdon Road, Old Coulsdon, Female, 83
February 25, Stites Hill Road, Old Coulsdon, Male, 30
February 26, Coulsdon Road, Coulsdon, Female, 62
March 1, Smitham Bottom Lane, Purley, Male, Age unspecified
May 27, Thornton Road, Thornton Heath, Male, 34
June 24, Pampisford Road, Purley, Male, 39
July 28, Purley Way, Croydon, Male, 73
August 19, Brighton Road, Purley, Male, 28
August 29, Foxley Hill Road, Purley, Female, 89
September 30, Beulah Hill, Upper Norwood, Male, 19
October 12, Drummond Road, Croydon, Male, 74
October 16, Grange Road, Thornton Heath, Male, 3
October 19, Old Farleigh Road, Selsdon, Female, 86
November 4, Waddington Close, Old Coulsdon, Male, 64
2001
January 22, Rectory Grove, Croydon, Male, 46
February 13, St Peter's Road, Old Coulsdon, Female, 15
February 24, Croydon Flyover, Male, 46
April 16, St James's Road, West Croydon, Male, 77
August 31, Duppas Hill Road, Croydon, Male, 20
September 30, Portland Road, South Norwood, Male, 46
November 29, Roman Way, Croydon, Female, 28
December 25, Denning Avenue, Waddon, Male, 58
2002
February 1, Whitehorse Road, Thornton Heath, Male, 23
April 2, St James's Road, West Croydon, Male, 59
April 3, Gravel Hill, Croydon, Male, 27
April 5, Shirley Church Road, Shirley, Male, 51
May 5, North Downs Road, New Addington, Male, 51
May 21, Grove Road, Thornton Heath, Male 82
June 10, King Henry's Drive, New Addington, Male, 16
June 29, Long Lane, Addiscombe, Male, 24
July 15, Purley Way, Croydon, Male, 32
July 15, Central Hill, Upper Norwood, Male, 18
August 25, Wellesley Road, Croydon, Female, 22
September 20, Whitehorse Lane, Thornton Heath, Male, 37
October 26, Purley Way, Croydon, Male, 22
2003
March 16, Beulah Hill, Upper Norwood, Female, 87
April 13, Orchard Avenue, Shirley, Male, 36
April 24, Pampisford Road, South Croydon, Male 56
May 19, Portland Road, South Norwood, Male, 34
June 23, Addiscombe Road, Addiscombe, Male, 57
July 3, Wellesley Road, Croydon, Female, 16
August 2, Central Hill, Upper Norwood, Male, 16
August 14, Purley Way, Croydon, Male, 18
September 17, High Street, Croydon, Male, 82
October 1, Addington Road, Selsdon, Male, 66
October 26, Duppas Hill Road, Croydon, Female, 35
November 24, Spout Hill, Addington, Female, 84
November 27, Roman Way, Croydon, Male, 17
2004
February 1, Tennison Road, Croydon, Male, 19
March 17, Croydon Flyover, Male, 30
April 30, Arnhem Drive, New Addington, Female, 75
May 20, West Croydon Bus Station, Female, 83
July 2, Sydenham Road, Croydon, Male, 39
August 18, Whitehorse Road, Selhurst, Male, 39
September 12, Foxley Lane, Purley, Male, 16
October 24, Bensham Lane, Thornton Heath, Female, 36
November 8, King Henry's Drive, New Addington, Male, 16
November 8, King Henry's Drive, New Addington, Male, 40
November 30, George Street, Croydon, Female, 69
2005
April 21, Oak Avenue, Shirley, Male, 83
August 5, Wickham Road, Shirley, Male, 75
August 8, Lower Addiscombe Road, Croydon, Male, 21
August 20, Coombe Road, Croydon, Male, 35
September 2, Purley Way, Purley, Male, 77
September 5, Covington Way, Upper Norwood, Male, 29
November 11, King Henry's Drive, New Addington, Male, 50
2006
April 8, Upper Selsdon Road, Selsdon, Male, 25
May 24, Farley Road, Selsdon, Male, 21
June 12, Wellesley Road, Croydon, Female, 77
September 12, Purley Way, Purley, Female, 35
October 26, Park Hill Road, Croydon, Male, 53
December 3, Brighton Road, Purley, Male, 17
2007
February 21, South Norwood Hill, South Norwood, Male, 69
April 26, Field Way, New Addington, Male, 28
August 18, London Road, Norbury, Female, 18
September 17, Croham Valley Road, South Croydon, Male, 36 September 22, Coombe Lane, Croydon, Female, 80
October 14, Sumner Road, West Croydon, Female, 18
October 14, Sumner Road, West Croydon, Male, 17
October 14, Melville Avenue, South Croydon, Male, 89
November 9, King Henry's Drive, New Addington, Male, 20
2008
February 28, Featherbed Lane, Forestdale, Male, 21
March 12, Church Road, Kenley, Male, 1
September 7, George Street, Croydon, Male, 28
October 16, Addington Road, Selsdon, Male, 41
12 Comments
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by Arfur Towcrate, Staffycher
Wednesday, January 06 2010, 8:15PM
“6th reckons that "I can speak from the experience of someone who has to attend 999 calls quickly and often finds my response delayed due to these" (humps and chicanes). Emergencies such as deaths caused by speeding, by chance? Difficult to take the word of someone who doesn't know his Croydon from his Sutton.”
by 6th, Sutton Croydon Surrey
Wednesday, January 06 2010, 6:29PM
“I agree with phil thomas --- speed bumps and other traffic calming items are a complete nightmare, I'm glad he tries to ensure they're not replaced, I can speak from the experience of someone who has to attend 999 calls quickly and often finds my response delayed due to these.”
by Arfur Towcrate, Staffycher
Wednesday, January 06 2010, 7:12AM
“"Humps and chicanes are used in some areas to deter traffic speed but the council is not very keen on these."
Not quite. Councillor Phil Thomas is mainly responsible for these lifesavers either being removed or not replaced after roadworks.
Better that somebody dies, is badly hurt or scared off the road (think schoolkids on bicycles) than local politicians and boy racers be prevented from speeding, eh Phil?”
by Mr.Angry, Purley
Tuesday, January 05 2010, 9:55PM
“Lets face it the figures spell it out that some bikers are an accident waiting to happen only experienced older ones who stick to the limit tend to escape the carnage.”
by David, Croydon
Tuesday, January 05 2010, 4:51PM
“People are making some interesting conclusions here. To say, for example, that motorcyclists are the worst offenders seems a bit silly. If a pedestrian, cyclist or motorcyclist is involved in an accident with a car/bus/lorry they are likely to come off far worse than the driver, who is protected in their metal box.”