Mitcham Eastfields and Mitcham Village have long been neglected despite its potential. With thousands of new homes being built and a growing population, it’s time for Merton Council to step up and deliver lasting improvements that match the area’s needs. Since the new station was built in 2008, there’s been no change. This petition calls for urgent action in five key areas:

1. Protect Our Green Spaces – Mitcham Common Deserves Better

Mitcham Common is a beautiful and vital green lung for our community – a rare and historic space where families walk, children play, and residents reconnect with nature. However, this precious space is constantly undervalued, under-maintained, and littered, often relying on unpaid local volunteers and community groups to keep it clean and safe.

The responsibility for maintaining such a vital environmental asset should not fall on the shoulders of volunteers alone. We urge the council to:

• Provide more bins and regular cleaning crews to tackle persistent littering.
• Fund maintenance teams to support community volunteers.
  Invest in natural preservation and biodiversity initiatives.
• Improve access and signage so more people can enjoy the Common respectfully.
• Lighting: residents want improved lighting on key routes/entrances, comparable to Tooting Common, to enable safer evening use (while recognising wildlife-sensitive design)
• Amenities & activation: the Common has the potential for more structured community use such as Park Run (and similar organised, low-impact community activity) and longer-term aspiration examples like a lido

A cleaner, safer Mitcham Common will help improve mental health, promote exercise, and create pride in our local area. It’s time Mitcham’s environment received the care and attention it deserves — not just from residents, but from those in power.

2. Increase Train Frequency

Train services from Mitcham Eastfields are infrequent and unreliable. Currently, residents face 30-minute gaps between services — unacceptable in a London Zone 3 area. We call on Merton Council to work with London Thameslink and Southeastern Rail to introduce a train every 15 minutes, matching the frequency of better-connected areas. This change would reduce travel stress, encourage public transport use, and make the area far more attractive to residents and businesses.

3. Extend the Underground

We urge the council to reopen serious dialogue with Transport for London (TfL) about extending the Bakerloo, Northern, or Victoria line to serve Mitcham Eastfields and Mitcham Junction. An Underground extension would revolutionise local connectivity, reduce car use, boost investment, and close the gap between Mitcham and more affluent, better-served parts of South London.

4. Revitalise the Town Centre

Mitcham town centre is a beautiful culmination of cultures and people, however is tired, underdeveloped, and crying out for help. We are asking for:

• Investment in modern retail units to ensure local families and residents have access to essential shops, leisure, and food options, similar to thriving areas such as Balham and Tooting.
• Clean, safe, and well-lit public spaces for our communities children.
• Enhanced community infrastructure, like libraries and youth services.
• A clear, long-term urban regeneration plan.
• Additional Points Raised by Residents:
• We have also heard directly from residents on social platforms that elderly and disabled residents face serious barriers around the town centre, so are calling for Inclusive, accessible infrastructure that meets the needs of elderly and disabled residents, including safe roads, convenient parking, and accessible public spaces.
• As part of the More Loos For Merton campaign, build more accessible public toilets in Mitcham Eastfields, including at Mitcham Eastfields station, where they are already supposed to be.
• Ensuring new developments (such as Majestic Way) support a thriving town centre, with appropriately sized retail units, protection of essential shops, consideration for nearby schools, and designs that enhance rather than overwhelm the local environment.

This isn’t about flashy promises, it’s about restoring pride and function to a neglected community hub.

5. Support Retail Growth for a Growing Population

Over 1,500 flats are being built near the Asda site, yet the supporting infrastructure simply isn’t there. Two tired supermarkets; Asda and Lidl with limited stock and variety is not enough. We need:

• Additional supermarkets like Sainsbury’s or Tesco
• Everyday high street shops and services
• Investments in the community spaces that we use
• Easier road crossings and a fix to the traffic systems
• Cafes, bakeries, and places for community interaction
• A retail mix similar to what’s available in Streatham or Tooting

As the population grows, Mitcham must not be left behind. People shouldn’t have to travel elsewhere to access basic quality-of-life amenities.

Why It Matters

If nothing changes, Mitcham Eastfields and Mitcham village risk becoming overcrowded and underserved — with worsening transport, overstretched resources, and a town centre that does not meet the needs of its residents. This petition is a chance to demand better.

Mitcham deserves more than being a pass-through zone between Croydon and Clapham. We deserve investment. We deserve smart planning. We deserve pride in our community.

Sign this petition to urge Merton Council to prioritise Mitcham Eastfields — and give our area the infrastructure, transport, and future it truly deserves.