Designs submitted to make ‘dingy and unsafe’ underpass less grim

By Charlotte Lillywhite, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans to overhaul a ‘dirty’ underpass in Clapham Junction where women feel unsafe are moving forward.

Wandsworth council confirmed the final design for the £4.5million transformation of the route underneath Falcon Road Bridge, which connects north and south Battersea, will soon be chosen so that construction work can be carried out next year.

The authority launched a competition in August, in partnership with the London Festival of Architecture, asking for proposals to revamp the 100-metre-long underpass. It recently moved into the second round of the competition, where residents are being asked for feedback on their favourite out of seven shortlisted designs.

Labour council leader Simon Hogg told the council’s transport committee on November 19 that many residents had asked for changes to the ‘rather unpleasant, slightly dingy’ underpass. Regarding the shortlisted designs, he said: “We are going to pick one very soon. We are going to implement it very quickly.”

A report by council officers said the ‘extremely dirty and damp’ underpass has long been identified by residents as the part of Clapham Junction that needs most improvement. The important route allows pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles to flow beneath Clapham Junction station, which is one of the busiest stations in Europe.

The report said respondents to a recent council survey said they wanted the underpass to be improved ‘because it felt neglected, dirty and unsafe’.

Many women who responded described feeling unsafe walking through the underpass, it added, including ‘one night worker being followed after a shift and incidents of catcalling reported, with many women expressing their reluctance to walk through the underpass alone’.

The total approved budget for the scheme is £4.5m, including £500,000 for pre-construction work, £2.7m for construction work and a contingency of £1.3m.

The project is the first step in wider plans being drawn up for the regeneration of Clapham Junction.

The council is putting together a masterplan for Clapham Junction to translate these policies into development proposals. It is working with stakeholders, including the GLA, TfL, Network Rail and landowners, to meet emerging targets for the area and to improve the station.

The seven shortlisted designs for the underpass are being exhibited online and on display boards near the bridge, with residents invited to provide feedback and indicate their preference. The feedback will be shared with the judging panel, who will choose the winning design on November 29.

The chosen design will then be developed further, with the aim of starting construction work in summer next year.

Pictured top: Councillor Simon Hogg next to Falcon Road Bridge (Picture: Wandsworth council)