ANGER is growing at the mounting cost and disruption to residents of the Coulsdon paving debacle.
Replacing the cracked central paving strip with patterned asphalt will cost about £400,000, the council said this week, with the work – and road closures – set to begin on January 28.
A council spokesman said the "majority" and possibly all of that cost will be footed by Transport for London (TfL), with discussions continuing.
It adds to the more than £350,000 already spent on buying and laying the paving in 2009 as part of TfL's £3 million "town centre improvements".
Incredibly, it started sinking and cracking almost as soon as it was laid.
Coulsdon resident Peter Morgan said: "This is an enormous scandal.
"I did a survey when the project was proposed and people did not want the town centre [paving] in the first place.
"There was a consultation process but when people spoke out against it they were rubbished and it was forced through.
"It has caused months of disruption and will only cause more and more disruption."
Brighton Road, in central Coulsdon, will be shut in stages for three weeks starting on January 28.
Traffic will be diverted via The Avenue, where temporary parking restrictions will be put in place.
On Wednesday, TfL had yet to confirm bus diversion routes but was said to have ruled out using the bypass because the southbound lane does not have a pavement.
The Advertiser understands the final stage of the road closures will be the stretch from Malcolm Road, by Waitrose, to Windermere Road, by Doble Motorcycles.
Peter Appleford, roads representative for the Coulsdon West Residents' Association, deemed closing that stretch "unacceptable".
He said: "It means no traffic going through there at all.
"We object to that. We cannot see why they cannot do it in two halves.
"It will be very difficult for anyone with mobility problems and will also be a nightmare for traders. It is unacceptable for things to be like that."
The council also confirmed this week it was not considering offering rates discounts to businesses who fear losing trade during the roadworks.
It added it would not be offering any free parking in the council-run Lion Green car park to make up for restrictions in The Avenue.
A spokesperson said: "There is ample free on-street parking in several neighbouring side roads."