Merton has 'worst roads in London' according to local MP
Wimbledon MP Paul Kohler claims road quality is the number one issue for Merton residents he speaks to.
Merton now has the worst roads in London, with four in 10 ‘unclassified’ roads rated as ‘poor’ according to the borough’s MP. This marks a dramatic increase from last year, when just 23% of roads were in poor condition, according to a study by the Liberal Democrats locally.
Wimbledon MP Paul Kohler said road quality is the number one issue for Merton residents he speaks to. He added: “They have been neglected for far too long, and the Merton Labour council need to start putting our money where the potholes are.”
Merton Lib Dems claim their data shows that the number of local unclassified roads categorised as ‘poor’ in Merton have doubled in a year, leaving the borough with the highest number of all of London’s 32 boroughs – though Merton Council says it does not recognise the data as an accurate reflection saying its A roads, which are not covered by the statistics, are above average.
Unclassified roads are generally smaller, local roads that do not carry as much traffic; classified roads, on the other hand, include motorways and A roads. Merton Lib Dems feel the government’s funding for roads for 2025-26 is a short-term measure and not needs-based, meaning Merton could lose out to other boroughs whose roads are in better condition.
Mr Kohler told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “Every council has suffered under the Tories’ mismanagement of the economy, so why are Merton’s local roads the worst in London and the second worst in the country? I’m calling on the former leader of the Labour Council, Cllr Stephen Alambritis, now the Cabinet Member responsible for transport, to please make mending our roads his number one priority.”
The Lib Dem MP for Wimbledon raised these concerns in Parliament during an attack on the Labour-run Merton Council for its alleged failure to maintain the roads. Merton residents say they see this failure on a daily basis in the roads they feel are in a dangerous state.
Cyclist Sean Reed highlighted the state of London Road in Mitcham, particularly in the bus lane, where potholes have nearly caused him to lose control of his bike. He added that the conditions on Mill Green in Mitcham also ‘shake the car to death’ whenever he drives there.
Renters and homeowners on Mitcham’s Commonside East gained national attention last year when they spoke about having to fork out thousands to repair their cars due to the poor quality of their road. Those residents remain in limbo as the road’s owners (The Mitcham Common Conservators) allegedly refuse to fix it, while the council will only adopt and maintain it once it’s fixed.
The LDRS reported similar concerns at Bancroft in Raynes Park, where potholes were so bad that the bottom of residents’ cars were regularly damaged. One resident said that trying to communicate with the council about repairs was like ‘bashing your head against a wall’.
Another Merton resident, Cherelle Mercado, pointed out ongoing pothole issues on Western Road, saying: “The front of the Toby Carvery leading to the Canons is horrendous. It’s been that way for months.”
Her frustration was clear as she noted that these problems remain unresolved despite repeated reports and usage of the council-backed Fix My Street App. Fellow Merton Lib Dem councillor Matthew Willis told the LDRS how residents in his Raynes Park ward were trying to help the council identify issues through this app but often do not see any action from them.
He commented: “Residents continue to tell us local roads are not up to scratch. Often, when potholes are reported, they are not repaired quickly, and they become bigger problems. Residents on Beverley Way in my ward continually report potholes caused by water coming from the A3 and the 265 bus route. Despite these reports being closed off via FixMyStreet as ‘fixed’, there has been no real improvement in the situation.”
Merton Council disputed Mr Kohler’s figures, stating that only around half of London councils provided data to the DfT, meaning it doesn’t reflect the full picture of road conditions. Merton also insisted its A roads were in better condition than the London average. However, in a statement provided to the LDRS, they did not mention the quality of their unclassified roads.
A spokesperson said: “Merton Council does not recognise this analysis as providing an accurate assessment. Just last year, Transport for London assessed our roads as above average. London and pan-London data showed our A roads are in better condition than the London average, while our latest residents’ survey did not highlight damage to roads as an issue for our communities.
“The council prioritises the maintenance and improvement of the borough’s roads, investing £2.4m into the network over the last year and allocating an increased £2.7m for the next financial year. We know roadworks cause frustration for residents and are working hard to minimise disruption. We intend to bring in an additional scheme which will require utility companies to pay a fee for digging up our busiest roads at peak time to help curb issues.
“Merton repaired 1,130 potholes over the past year – with nearly 100% repaired on time (between 10 and 28 days). Other local authorities in London carried out repairs on more than three times that number.”
Following Mr Kohler’s Parliamentary speech, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander agreed to meet with him to discuss ways to improve Merton’s roads. She promised that the £500 million allocated for highway maintenance this year would make a difference but acknowledged that further discussions were needed.