By Alan Hutchings, Mitcham Cricket Green Community & Heritage

Councillor Andrew Judge is once again flying in face of public opinion regarding the bus lane through the heart of the Fair Green at Mitcham.

It appears that his decision, along with those on his committee, are the result of misusing information taken from the Rediscover Mitcham survey.

This survey was poorly worded and badly distributed through out the residents of Mitcham (due mainly to the know fact that the distributors left out a considerable number of properties, mine included).

The wording of the questions was misleading, an example of which was "do you want a bus stop nearer the shops".

It fails to mention which shops and how this was going to be achieved.

If moving the bus stop from one place near to some shops, to another place nearer other shops, then the original shops would loose out.

Then by taking the answer to the bus stop being closer to "the shops" he translates this into an authority to say that the people of Mitcham have asked for or even want a bus lane through the Fair Green.

The whole survey issue has been mishandled, misused and now presented as a fait-a-compli to the public.

The whole issue of a bus lane should a separate issue to the regeneration of Mitcham Centre and must be dealt with on its own merits and not used as part of a programme.

Any of the early work being carried out as part of the funding of the Rediscover Mitcham project may and probably will be ruined/destroyed by a subsequent bus lane.

To add insult to injury on the figures being misused is those of Councillor Peter Walker who claims that "London Buses" have said that a bus lane would produce an additional 6,000 footfall in the Fair Green that would re-vitalise Mitcham.

Councillor Walker has not and therefore probably cannot verify this claim, thus adding to the misconception of the need or want of a bus lane through the very heart of Mitcham Fair Green.

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