A string of Croydon roads are set to close or face restrictions for weeks throughout November while major works take place, with gas main replacements, footway works and tram maintenance among the schemes. Some closures run on into December, so drivers, bus passengers and pedestrians in Purley, Thornton Heath and South Croydon should expect disruption well beyond a single weekend.
Purley: Woodcote Valley Road closes for six weeks
Woodcote Valley Road in Purley closes between Manor Wood Road and Smitham Bottom Lane from October 29 while SGN carries out gas main replacement work. The closure is expected to last six weeks, taking it into December.
The signed diversion runs via Woodcote Valley Road, the A237 Smitham Bottom Lane and the A2022 Foxley Lane. An alternative route is also given, via Foxley Lane, Russell Hill Road, Brighton Road, Purley Road, Brighton Road and Grovelands Road.
Stretton Road area: a web of closures until December 11
The most complicated set of works is around Stretton Road, where SGN gas main works begin on November 2. Stretton Road itself will be closed along its entire length, in two sections: from Morland Road to Vincent Road, and from Vincent Road to Davidson Road. That closure runs until December 11.
Over the same period, Leicester Road and Exeter Road will be closed at their junctions with Stretton Road. Alexandra Road and Edward Road will be closed along their entire lengths from November 2 to November 16. Vincent Road is closed until November 23, and Rymer Road is closed until November 30.
Parking will be suspended in Stretton Road and Vincent Road while the work is under way, and waiting and loading restrictions will be in place.
Thornton Heath: Mayday Road footway works for almost a month
In Thornton Heath, footway works on Mayday Road run from November 3 to December 1, lasting almost a month. Footways on both sides of the road will be closed in sections as the work progresses, and pedestrians will be diverted to the opposite footway.
Vehicles will also be affected: directional closures will prevent eastbound or westbound movement in sections of the road as work moves along it. Vehicle diversions will run via London Road, Campbell Road, Bensham Lane and Brigstock Road.
One-day closures in South Croydon and central Croydon
Selsdon Road in South Croydon closes between Chelsham Road and Sussex Road on October 29 for vegetation management, and is expected to last one day.
Station Road in Croydon closes between North End and the entrance to West Croydon Bus Station on November 1 for tram network maintenance, again expected to last one day. The northbound bus lane on the same stretch will be suspended while the work takes place.
Where exemptions are specified, they cover emergency services, works vehicles and anyone given permission by a police officer or a civil enforcement officer. All durations given are expected durations rather than guarantees, and works of this kind can overrun, so the dates are worth rechecking nearer the time.
The works at a glance
| Road | What is happening | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Woodcote Valley Road, Purley | Closed between Manor Wood Road and Smitham Bottom Lane for SGN gas main replacement | From October 29, expected six weeks |
| Stretton Road | Closed along its entire length in two sections for SGN gas main works | November 2 to December 11 |
| Leicester Road and Exeter Road | Closed at junctions with Stretton Road | November 2 to December 11 |
| Alexandra Road and Edward Road | Closed along entire lengths | November 2 to 16 |
| Vincent Road | Closed | Until November 23 |
| Rymer Road | Closed | Until November 30 |
| Mayday Road, Thornton Heath | Footway works; footways closed in sections, directional vehicle closures | November 3 to December 1 |
| Selsdon Road, South Croydon | Closed between Chelsham Road and Sussex Road for vegetation management | October 29, expected one day |
| Station Road, Croydon | Closed between North End and West Croydon Bus Station entrance for tram maintenance; northbound bus lane suspended | November 1, expected one day |
How to check for road closures near you
Road closures of this kind are normally advertised in advance through statutory public notices, which councils and utilities are required to publish when they close a road. Residents can search for notices affecting their street on the Public Notice Portal at publicnoticeportal.uk, which carries the notices published in local papers. Drivers heading across the borough may also want to plan around wider disruption, including a week of overnight M25 closures and a sinkhole on Mason’s Hill in Bromley after a water main burst.
