Workers are installing new traffic signals at the East Putney crossing where a woman was killed in May – improvements that internal TfL documents reveal were only approved after the fatal collision, despite years of warnings about the dangerous junction.
The £80,000 upgrade, approved nearly two months after her death, replaces an outdated Pelican crossing system that residents had specifically warned TfL created a “safety risk.” Under the old system, pedestrians saw flashing green lights while drivers saw flashing amber, with both groups uncertain who had right of way.
“Pedestrians think they can cross safely when drivers think they can go safely,” one resident wrote to TfL about this specific crossing during a consultation that closed in March, weeks before the May collision. The crossing was not upgraded. Eleven weeks later, a woman died there.
INVESTIGATION: This is the fifth story in our investigation into the fatal East Putney crossing. Read our previous coverage:
- Pedestrian killed at crossing (May 19, 2025)
- Would TfL’s plans have saved her? (May 21, 2025)
- She died where TfL promised action. Now they’re doing nothing (Sep 11, 2025)
- TfL will finally fix fatal crossing (Sep 28, 2025)
The collision occurred at 5:35pm on 19 May during rush hour, when an HGV struck the pedestrian who died at the scene. Police confirmed the traffic signals were working as designed – highlighting the fundamental design flaw that residents had flagged.
Photos taken this week show the new equipment awaiting activation, including pedestrian countdown displays that will show exactly how many seconds remain to cross safely. The new system eliminates the confusing flashing amber stage for drivers and flashing green stage for pedestrians.
TfL’s own data had classified this stretch of Upper Richmond Road as a “Priority 2” location – among the top 12% most dangerous road links in all of London. The crossing recorded 35 casualties including one serious injury over the three years before the fatal collision.
Internal emails and decision documents obtained by Putney.news through Freedom of Information requests show TfL staff debating how to respond to the death. The consultation had focused on “public realm improvements” rather than safety measures, and one manager wrote that TfL “was about to drop the scheme that had been proposed within the consultation, but then the incident happened.”
The broader £3.6 million East Putney Urban Realm scheme – which would have widened the fatal collision crossing from 2.8 metres to 4 metres, realigned other crossings, and added traffic-calming measures – remains shelved indefinitely. TfL says it will stay on hold “until the outcome of the police investigation and Coroners report is published.”
The crossing upgrade itself was not publicly announced. TfL provided no information about the improvements until we obtained internal decision documents in September.
TfL approved the upgrade on 16 July and set an internal deadline of March 2026, meaning the current works are ahead of TfL’s own schedule.
Unbelievably sad and outrageous that is has taken for someone to lose their life before something has been done.
This resonates with me as I live on Weimar Street where Franco Manca is sited. I have been sending emails to Mr Cheung since they remodelled the road, explaining that even though the road is one-way drivers still speed down it the wrong way. I think this is because they think the road that separates the old Barclays Bank and Wagamama’s is pedestrian only, so drive down Weimar Street and then onto the on-way section, which I’ve relayed to Mr Cheung.
I’ve witnessed so many arguments, cyclists clipped etc.
When I initially sent the emails to Mr Cheung he was very polite and responsive saying he’d have the ‘NO ENTRY’ sign repainted on the tarmac. There are No ENTRY signs but they’re not illuminated anymore due to cost apparently.
Now Mr Cheung simply doesn’t reply – so much for the 7 day initiative.
When someone is seriously injured or worst I imagine he’ll then do something about it.