Experimental traffic schemes
The temporary road closures affecting Chiswick and Bedford Park continue to provoke very mixed reactions from pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and local businesses. The changes included the trial road closures of Turnham Green Terrace, Devonshire Road and Fisher’s Lane; restriction on motor vehicles entering Duke Road from the High Road and road closures at the junctions of Wellesley Road and Stile Hall Gardens with the South Circular (A205).
We remain committed to working on behalf of the Society’s members and local residents to try to ensure a positive outcome from the trials, which would ideally provide improved access to Chiswick High Road, Turnham Green Terrace and Devonshire Road for cyclists and pedestrians, while at the same time minimising — to the greatest extent possible — any adverse effect on the free flow of public transport, and commercial and private vehicles in the area.
We are concentrating our efforts on ensuring that any permanent proposals that emerge from the current temporary schemes provide for an appropriate balance of interests amongst all road users — pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and local businesses. To this end, we are building on the effective lines of communication we have established with local councillors to encourage them to work together to propose a constructive way forward for Ealing and Hounslow. We are also attempting to establish what criteria the councils are planning to use as a test for the success of the measures currently being trialled to ensure all stakeholder interests are represented, in particular those of local residents.
Information on Hounslow’s Streetscape programme can be found on the Hounslow website.
Turnham Green Terrace and Devonshire Road reopened
When Thames Water extended their emergency works on Acton Lane into late November 2020, Hounslow Council suspended access restrictions for Turnham Green Terrace and it has now been announced that this will continue. Enforcement of the restrictions and issuing of PCNs ceased and parking is once again permitted within the guidelines displayed.
Hounslow Council announced in July that Devonshire Road would re-open to through traffic from 8.00am to 5.00pm daily by the end of July. This follows consultation with residents and local businesses with the latter saying that they preferred a partial restriction of traffic, which would allow continued use of some parking space for outdoor dining.
Improving the Terrace
A report, prepared by leading transport engineers Urban Movement, suggested a range of improvements for Turnham Green Terrace — including a piazza outside Turnham Green Tube Station, more zebra crossings, public spaces and widened pavements, whilst retaining some parking, as well as through traffic.
The proposals are the result of a community workshop organised by group of local architects and planners. You can read the press release and full report here.
Any comments received were included in the submission of the group’s recommendations to Hounslow Council.
Fisher’s Lane remains closed
Ealing Council have implemented the temporary closure of the Fisher’s Lane underpass to all traffic except buses, cycles and emergency vehicles.
Ealing Council consider it to be part of a strategic cycle route, intended eventually to link East Acton to Chiswick and to Cycleway 9 on the High Road. The Council have announced that the trial will be continuing until September.
Comments and consultation
The councils stated that a number of these changes are being introduced as Experimental Traffic Orders (therefore not requiring consultation) and that feedback will be reviewed to determine whether they should be continued beyond the trial period. If the councils decide to take any of the schemes forward on a permanent basis, they will have to launch a formal consultation at that point and residents will have an opportunity to make their views known.
Hounslow Council have announced that following the completion of an interim (3-4 months) and a final (7-8 months) review by an independent consultant into the temporary traffic schemes, all Hounslow residents will receive notification of a link to the reports.
Feedback will be accepted up to the end of the trial and residents asked for final comments on the schemes in early January.
It’s important to continue to make your views known directly to the relevant local authority:
- To provide feedback on the Hounslow schemes, you should complete the consultation feedback form and/or email: traffic@hounslow.gov.uk
- For further information or to make comments on the Fisher’s Lane scheme, email: COVIDtransport@ealing.gov.uk
We’ve also been asked to let you know about a local initiative — a petition organised by a resident who is concerned about a number of issues relating to the road closures. You can find details here.
Temporary Cycleway
A temporary version of the Cycleway 9 affecting the way traffic is managed between the junctions with Heathfield Terrace and Goldhawk Road is in operation.
Unlike the original plans for the segregated cycleway, there is no use of pavement space or removal of trees but the designs introduce a bi-directional cycle lane taking over existing bus lanes and restricting motor traffic to a single lane each way for much of the length of Chiswick High Road.
In addition to traffic congestion during the building of the cycle lane, there have been many comments made about the temporary scheme, including some concerns about potential safety issues for both cyclists and pedestrians, such as the complicated junctions, revised zebra crossings and bus stops, and changes to the way vehicles enter/exit side roads.
Transport for London (TfL) has stated that it remains committed to continue with the trial operation of Cycleway 9 although some changes are planned to the way the route operates and a consultation is to be held into the changes being proposed, as well as the long-term future of the scheme..
Figures released by TfL and Hounslow Council in July, which they say shows that Cycleway 9 has been a success are being strongly disputed by opponents of the scheme. You can read more on ChiswickW4.com.
Hounslow has asked for continued feedback from residents on the project.
To submit your views, including raising any safety concerns:
- Hounslow: complete the feedback form and
- Transport for London: email streetspacelondon@tfl.gov.uk or haveyoursay@tfl.gov.uk