Surbiton station remodeling was included in Kingston Council’s bid for the Mayor of London’s mini-holland bid.  Kingston was one of the 3 successful boroughs and will receive up to £30million over the coming years to improve facilities for cyclists across the borough.

There has been some discussion in the local paper regarding the proposal for Surbiton station particularly around customer drop off and black taxis.

There is no proposal to remove passenger drop off and black cabs from the front of the station.  There is no lift at the back, so it is essential that residents can park for a short period at the front.  We also want to encourage rail users to use our local shops, so we need them to come out the front onto Victoria Road for buses, taxis, walking or cycling onwards.

says Councillor Yogan Yoganathan

By opening up the road at the rear of the shops on Victoria Road, accessed by the entrance to Sainsburys car park, it is possible to create increased cycle parking, a pedestrian plaza, improvements to the min–roundabout whilst keeping the black cabs and drop off points.  The more detailed design work is yet to happen, and full public consultation will happen, but I believe this would create a more pedestrian and cycle friendly environment without penalising car drivers or the essential black cab service.

added Councillor Liz Green