Morning, Surbiton. One road story that matters more than it looks — there's a junction on Ewell Road that isn't coming back until January. Then a properly full fortnight: Bob Marley, a K-pop tribute, lunchtime jazz, the farmers' market and your one chance to argue about what gets built here until 2043. Oh, and tomorrow hits 34°C. Here's Tuesday.
Six months of works where Ditton Road meets Ewell Road
If you drive, cycle or bus through the top of Ewell Road, this is the one to know about. The junctions with Ditton Road, Hollyfield Road and Kingsdowne Road are under multi-way signals and staged closures while the new cycle route goes in — and the council's own schedule has this running until 25 January 2027.
That's six months. Not a fortnight you can wait out. If that junction is on your daily run, work out the alternative properly now rather than rediscovering the queue every morning — and build in extra time for the school run come September.
via the Kingston Council roadworks list
586 homes approved on the Motspur Park gasholders — up to 16 storeys
The GLA has approved plans to demolish three gasholders at Motspur Park and put up five blocks containing 586 homes, 175 of them affordable, ranging from eight to sixteen storeys. The scheme comes from gas firm SGN with developer Berkeley Homes.
It drew fierce opposition from residents and local politicians, largely because the site is designated Metropolitan Open Land — protected, in principle, from exactly this sort of development. Sixteen storeys is taller than anything near it. Gary, you asked for planning news; this is the biggest decision in the borough this month, and it's a useful thing to have in your head before the Local Plan consultation on the 15th.
reported by Tilly O'Brien · via Kingston Nub News
Neighbourhood crime down 14% across London
New figures show neighbourhood offences across London fell 14% in the twelve months to June — around 35,000 fewer offences than the year before, with theft, personal robbery and vehicle crime all down. The Met puts it down to a targeted push on repeat offenders and crime hotspots. Borough-level numbers aren't broken out here, so treat it as the London picture rather than the Surbiton one — but it's the right direction. Jonathan, you asked for crime and travel.
Everything else in place across KT5 and KT6 this morning:
- Upper Brighton Road, near St Matthews Avenue — NEW. Two-way signals running 24 hours, in from yesterday until 4 August for utility works. This is the one that'll catch you out this week.
- Ewell Road, near Tolworth Close: two-way signals, 24 hours, until 7 August — flood-prevention work.
- Dysart School crossing: finished. Those temporary signals came down yesterday, as flagged.
- St Mark's Hill, outside Wentworth Court — two-way signals on 7 August for bulk meter works.
- Upper Brighton Road, near Glenbuck Road — 8–9 August, two-way signals with the footway closed, so you'll need to cross over.
Roger, Alison, Stewart — this section exists because you asked for it. Jill, still watching the K2: no route change flagged yet, and I'll say so here the day one appears.
- Wed 29 & Fri 31, 10am — Lifting Spirits wellbeing mornings, 96 Ditton Road. Free, as ever.
- Fri 31, 12pm — Melbury Music Quintet at the Rose. A lunchtime concert, and one for those of you who keep asking me for live music.
- Sat 1 Aug, 10.30am — Repair Café Kingston at Kingston Library. Bring the broken thing instead of binning it; volunteers will have a go. First Saturday of most months.
- Sat 1 Aug, 3pm — K-Pop All Stars Tribute at the Rose. If there's a teenager in the house, this is your afternoon sorted.
- Sat 1 Aug, 9pm — live music at The Surbiton Flyer, 84 Victoria Road. Every Saturday, 9pm til late, free to walk into. Ken, Andy, Kat — you asked for pub gigs, and this is the most reliable one in town. I'll name August's acts once I have the running order.
- Sun 2 Aug, 7.30pm — Legend: The Music of Bob Marley at the Rose.
- Mon 3 – Sun 9 — Ministry of Science Live! at the Rose, direct from the West End. Explosions, in a good cause. School-holiday gold.
- Now until Fri 21, 1–5pm — “Stepping Out” at Tolworth Community Library. On already, free to drop into.
- Wed 12, 11am — Active for All Sports Day, Chessington Sports Centre, Garrison Lane. Pat, Colin, Roy — one for the Chessington lot.
- Thu 13, 12pm — lunchtime jazz with Teresa Jennings in the Rose Cafe. And The Cat in the Hat runs Thu 13 to Sun 16, for the small ones.
- Sat 15 — the big one. The Surbiton Farmers' Market is back on Maple Road, 9am to 1pm — third Saturday of the month, up to 40 stalls, running since 2009. And the council brings its Local Plan consultation to the market the same morning: this is the final say on what gets built in this borough through to 2043. Housing, high streets, green space. If you've ever grumbled about a development, this is the bit where they actually ask. Christine, you wanted the market; Gary, you wanted planning. Same morning, same street.
- Tue 18 & Wed 19, 11am — Bach to Baby at St Mark's Church. Real classical musicians playing a concert built for babies and toddlers, where nobody minds the noise.
- Sat 22 & Sun 23 — Kingston Street Art Festival. New artworks going up live across the town centre over the weekend. Malcolm — crafts and festivals, you said.
Checked this morning against Kingston Council events, the Rose and Surbiton Farmers' Market.
Warm and easy: partly cloudy, a high of 29°C down to 18°C overnight, and essentially no chance of rain.
Tomorrow is the hot one. Clear skies and 34°C — the hottest day we've had this summer. Do the outdoor jobs early, keep an eye on older neighbours and anyone on their own, drink more than you think you need, and don't leave dogs in cars even for five minutes. The hosepipe ban is still on. Back to 26°C and cloud on Thursday.
You wrote in. A warm welcome to three more neighbours who got in touch at the weekend: Ian and Sam, both after what's happening across Surbiton and Kingston — I hope the fortnight above earns its keep — and Roy, a bit further out these days but still in to eat and shop, wanting to know what's changing on the high street. Roy, that's a running thread here; more to come on Victoria Road.
The bit I still can't crack: the rest of the pubs. The Flyer I've got covered. What no listings page anywhere covers is the quiz nights, the other pub bands, the car boots, the choir practice, the thing your neighbour runs out of her front room — and that's half the life of a town. Sat, you asked for quiz nights specifically and I still haven't got you one. So: if you know of something, hit reply and tell me. I'll check it and run it, with a thank you. You lot are a better listings page than any website.
Run something for the community? It goes in here free. A fair, a fundraiser, a residents' association, a repair café, a choir, a litter-pick, a support group — anything not-for-profit. Hit reply and tell me, and I'll promote it, no charge, always. That's rather the whole point of Surbiton Daily.
That's Tuesday. Put the 15th in your diary — market and Local Plan, same morning, same street. And drink some water tomorrow.
Mike, Surbiton Daily
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