Merton Cycling Campaign

Morden Car Free Day
Results - Morden residents huge vote of confidence!

They did it!

On 22^nd September 2001 (following a successful pilot Car Free Day event in Dundonald Road Wimbledon in Sept 2000) Merton Council and Transport for London closed off Morden High Street (A24 London Road) to cars and lorries which used the hassle-free and congestion-free diversion route via Aberconway Road and Morden Hall Road.

One side of the (dual carriageway) high street was used to carry buses in both directions, the other side made an excellent street party venue for the day including an ice rink, antiques fair; Friends of the Earth stall; MCC stall; Children's bouncy castle; Heart FM Radio presence; Music; 3 special buses on display; Going for Green; Powabike...

Photos here

Map here

Could it be permanent?

MCC members, together with local FoE and the council, conducted an opinion poll on Car Free Day, which yielded the following results:

84% of respondents were Morden residents

91% of respondents thought CFD was a good idea

62% of respondents want CFD at least once a quarter (34% at least once a week!)

69% of respondents thought CFD made the street a friendlier place

85% of respondents find the amount of car traffic in London a problem

85% of respondents agree that car use must be limited in London

89% of respondents agree that public transport must be improved, even if that means motorists have less space

54% of respondents were car drivers

Woods Jewellers, Morden said: "the event was a great success - let's do it every week. We saw lots of people in the town we had never seen before."

Top to Toe, Beauty Salon in Morden said: "the event proved very popular with our customers and staff and we would support this as an annual event"

European Car Free Day was celebrated in about half of all London boroughs on 22^nd Sept 2001, with central London events being led by London Mayor Ken Livingstone at Tower Bridge which was also closed to motor traffic for the day. For more information on these and other events across UK, Europe and beyond, click on the following links:

Merton Council CFD webpage

Tower Bridge and other London events

Events in other UK towns and cities

Events beyond UK shores

Morden Car Free Day was a Merton Cycling Campaign initiative. MCC fully supports this bold experiment and looks forward to the day when our high streets can permanently become safe and peaceful places to spend the day. Morden has been in decline for years - perhaps traffic reduction is just what we need here? After all, some of UK's most successful shopping centres are pedestrianised, some not too far from home and in direct competition with Morden, e.g. Sutton and Croydon. MCC is campaigning for a permanently car free Morden High Street

Last word: Car Free Day 2002 will be on Sunday September 22^nd.

The following possibilities are being considered:

The Broadway, Wimbledon - see details here

Wimbledon village

Morden High Street again, possibly for the whole weekend…

Worple Road, Wimbledon, between Raymond Road and Wimbledon Hill Road