While Putney residents met in a crowded church hall on Wednesday night sharing stories of missed hospital appointments, coughing children, and buses stuck in gridlock, their elected representatives were just a short drive away — turning the town’s worsening traffic crisis into a political score-settling exercise.
The debate in Wandsworth Town Hall, which centred on a Conservative motion titled Putney Traffic Chaos and Congestion [pdf], quickly descended into what one resident later described as “like watching two cars collide in slow motion” — except no one tried to steer.
Brooks opens with real concerns — then makes it political
The motion was introduced by Cllr Ethan Brooks (Conservative, Thamesfield), who began with a clear summary of what many residents have been saying for months: Putney’s traffic is “choking,” the gridlock around the Bridge and Lower Richmond Road is “not the future we’re being consigned to,” and people need “hope” that the council will act.
He referred to the petition delivered to the Council in September 2024, signed by over 1,000 residents, saying:
“We brought you over a thousand signatures in just a few days. And what was the response? Scorn.”
But he didn’t stop there. Brooks accused Labour of treating Putney with contempt because it didn’t win his ward in the local elections:
“Like it didn’t matter, because it came from Putney. And… because they dared elect Conservative councillors. That made them beneath your attention.”
From that point on, the debate became less about traffic and more about political grievance.
The grievance chorus
Other Conservative councillors echoed the same line.
Cllr James Jeffreys (Thamesfield) asked:
“Is it because the Labour administration has fewer councillors in Putney and so it’s not worth the political capital to sort?”
Labour replies in kind — with deflection and heckling
Labour could have chosen to acknowledge the problems and offer new proposals. Instead, they defended themselves in equally partisan terms and ignored the very real problems faced by Putney residents.
Cllr Jenny Yates (Labour, Roehampton), Cabinet Member for Transport, opened with:
“The changes made to the junction last year are a Tory legacy scheme and this Labour administration inherited it.
“Yes, that means you, the Opposition, voted for this scheme.”
Yates denied that air quality had deteriorated and accused the Conservative councillors of “peddling misinformation.”
While all this was going on, Cllr Aydin Dikerdem (Labour, Shaftesbury & Queenstown) could be heard heckling and jeering Conservative speakers. It all added to the sense of performative theatre — loud on blame, light on reflection.
Simon Hogg brushes it off
During Leader’s Questions, Cllr Simon Hogg (Labour, Falconbrook) was asked directly about the Council’s efforts to address the Putney traffic problem. He gave a 45-second, entirely detached, answer in which he didn’t mention the word “Putney” once.
“We are absolutely committed to our ambitious walking and cycling strategy… Obviously improving the safety of all road users at busy junctions like the one he refers to.”
There was no direct mention of the resident petition, the Conservative motion, or the multiple calls for intervention. The finger-pointing and partisan insults had achieved one thing: the leader of the council refused to engage.
Meanwhile, residents met down the road — unacknowledged and unaided
While councillors were locked in a rhetorical battle, Putney residents were gathered in Community Church Putney for the first official meeting of the Putney Action Group. Many had responded to a survey detailing how traffic congestion was affecting their lives.
Among the comments:
“The traffic is terrible. It’s no good saying don’t take the car — because buses can’t progress either.”
“I can taste and smell pollution on a daily basis on my street.”
No councillor from either party attended.
A wasted opportunity
At the end of the debate, the motion was inevitably voted down — 27 votes against, 21 in favour. There were no amendments, no new commitments, and no united plan.
Cllr Yates was right: the scheme was inherited from the previous Conservative administration. Cllr Brooks was also right: it clearly isn’t working. But rather than confront that shared reality, both sides defaulted to type — blame the other, raise the volume, and insist that their party cares more.
And the people of Putney were again left to deal with the consequences.
