CONSULTATIONS have started on redeveloping plans on Tolworth Broadway and Surbiton High Street, both projects to be funded by TfL if successful.

Both are wishing to improve and enhance the areas, attract shoppers, businesses and be more pedestrian-friendly.

But will concerns and views from the general public and businesses be listened to or ignored? We only need to look at the disaster that Kingston Council, TfL and councillors created in New Malden High Street, and is still ongoing.

In March, Kingston Council ran a consultation questionnaire on Tolworth, receiving only 361 replies.

Altogether 344 were from residents - a very small number compared to the number of households in Tolworth.

The questionnaire results showed 73 per cent walked, 72 per cent felt that the pavements were wide enough and 59 per cent felt it's easy to cross.

Improvements required: 53 per cent on traffic congestion, 44 per cent on car parking and only 25 per cent road crossings for pedestrians.

On these results, why does the council feel the need to push ahead and remove the barriers and install a green painted walkway down the middle of the Broadway at the cost of £2.1m of taxpayers' money?

Since 2001, there has been no maintenance on the barrier, other than remedial works.

With TfL requiring £80m and increases on public travel fares, how can TfL continue to fund woolly projects?

TfL must rethink where they are spending taxpayers' money and start to invest in worthwhile projects and maintain a service to a high standard.

DANIEL GOODGER Chessington