• February 23, 2005

The Surrey Comet’s phone lines rang red-hot after we asked for residents’ opinions on whether the speed limit in Tolworth Broadway should be cut to 20mph.

Kingston Council had proposed to reduce speeds along the Broadway between Ewell Road and Oakleigh Way, following pressure from parents whose children attended Our Lady Immaculate primary school.

The same limit was being considered for Ewell Road and Maple Road. Opinion was split on whether it was completely necessary.

Douglas Reynolds, chairman of the road safety committee, said: “Traffic will attempt to avoid the limits and clog up other streets.”

And Mrs Broom, of Alexandra Drive, Surbiton, said: “It is impossible to go more than 20mph anyway due to the weight of traffic.

“If they have got money to spend why waste it on this? All this road restoration is just Kingston Council trying to get us out of our cars and on to public transport.”

But some people thought the move could only be positive.

Frankie Ward had two children at Our Lady Immaculate and had campaigned to reduce speeds for more than two years.

She said: “Road safety can only mean good things for the children of the school. We are thrilled to bits about this move.”

Kingston Council said the proposed 20mph limits in Ewell Road and Maple Road were part of a five-year plan to reduce the speed of vehicles around every school in the borough.

That fight is going on to this day.

A council spokesman said: “We hope the initiative will be as successful as the smiley face signs, which have been installed near many schools.

“The aim of both of these initiatives is to prevent children from being involved in accidents.

“Children are keen to get a smiley face rather than a sad one and parents respond by reducing their speed.”

  • February 20, 1965

More than £10,000 of damage was caused by a late-night fire that gutted the press shop of Humphreys in Malden.

Passengers on trains travelling almost directly above the blaze had a birdseye view as firemen fought desperately to prevent the flames from spreading.

  • February 23, 1990

Kingston shoppers dreamed of a Docklands-style light railway carrying the borough’s public transport into the 21st century.

The hi-tech system was under discussion with London Regional Transport to counter growing road traffic.

  • February 23, 2005

It is never too late to get in shape, as proved by Chessington’s Peter Bridge who ran his first marathon aged 61.

Mr Bridge, of Elmcroft Drive, ran the London marathon for Sense, a charity that assisted people who were both deaf and blind.