Radical Changes Made on Chiswick Streets Overnight

Council given £1 million to do more as road access is restricted in centre of town

New signs at the entrance to Devonshire Road

Hounslow Council have moved quickly to introduce a range of measures in Chiswick designed to reduce access to motor vehicles and increase space and safety for pedestrians and safety.

The day after a number of residents of the borough were informed by letter earlier this week of what was being plan access restrictions were implemented. New signage is in place on Devonshire Road with parking bays suspended and access from Chiswick High Road to Duke Road has been blocked off for motor vehicles.

On Devonshire Road between Chiswick High Road and Glebe Street loading bays will not be strictly confined to ‘goods vehicles’ and most parking bays will be suspended with a few remaining for blue badge holders. Access will be retained to Prince of Wales Terrace for residents and businesses there.

It will no longer be possible to turn right from Devonshire Road into Glebe Street. The council say these measures will be enforced with CCTV but no cameras appear to be in place at this time. There has been a mixed reaction from traders on Devonshire Road so far with some claiming the changes will drive them out of business.

It is believed that similar measures for Turnham Green Terrace will be implemented shortly. The closure of Turnham Green Terrace to through motor traffic except buses is to be done on a trial basis. There will still be access to Turnham Green Mews for businesses and their visitors. Some loading bays and blue badge parking places will be retained. All vehicles, not just commercial vehicles will be allowed to use the loading bays with a maximum stay of 20 minutes. Most of the parking bays on Turnham Green Terrace will be suspended to create a wider footpath to allow for social distancing.

The council say the scheme will be enforced by CCTV but further details of how this will operate were not contained in the letter.

The footpath is also going to be widened outside Foubert’s between 2 and 12 Turnham Green Terrace to allow social distancing between shoppers and those waiting at the bus stop.

An additional measure which was not previously disclosed by the council is the closure of Duke Road to motor traffic from Chiswick High Road. This will require vehicles intending to head south on Duke Road to turn down Dukes Avenue and the go via Bourne Place. It was previously proposed in a consultation on suggested revisions to the Cycleway 9 scheme but rejected at that time.

Barriers prevent entry into Duke Road from Chiswick High Road

The council say in the letter sent to residents that they are ‘looking at options’ to restrict traffic on Fishers Lane and are in detailed discussions with London Borough of Ealing about the closure of the underpass at the railway bridge. The borough boundary is immediately to the south of the bridge. The proposal would be to retain access for buses and cyclists.

Most of these changes will be introduced as Experimental Traffic Orders which allows the council to progress schemes without a full consultation. They will review feedback received over a six month period and make a decision as to whether they should be permanent at that point.

Hanif Khan, the Hounslow Cabinet member for transport posted a video on Twitter showing him at Devonshire Road as access restrictions we were being introduced including the use of planters. He says, “The concrete planter blocks are a most fantastic example of innovation combining with technology to find the most cost effective and most environmentally friendly solution that is helping us to drive social change towards cycling, walking and reaping the health benefits.”

Newly installed in @LBofHounslow self-watering green roadblocks helping with emergency transport plans and social distancing guidelines.

Improving walking and cycling while implementing @SadiqKhan #StreetSpaceLondon
measures. @willnorman @_wearepossible @RuthCadbury pic.twitter.com/bIAhApchuB

— Cllr Hanif Khan @LBofHounslow (@HanifKhan_1) June 19, 2020

The government has given Transport for London £45 million to distribute to London boroughs for schemes of this nature. It is understood that having started implementation increases the chances of a borough getting funding. According to a report on road.cc TfL has allocated £22.26m to 24 London boroughs so far.

According to a report on the transport web site, Hounslow received £1,062,500 for a variety of projects including footway widening, town centre space, a strategic cycle route, three low traffic neighbourhoods and three school streets. Hounslow Council would not confirm which grants related to which specific projects. It is therefore not clear at this stage, for instance, which parts of the South Chiswick Liveable Neighbourhood scheme which were announced recently have been funded.

Schemes in Hounslow Borough Funded by Transport for London

Michael Robinson coordinator Hounslow Cycling Campaign said, “Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps has referred to ‘A once in a generation opportunity to deliver a lasting transformative change in how we make short journeys in our towns and cities’. It is good that Hounslow has moved quickly to act upon statutory guidance from the government to reallocate road space.

“There are many examples from London and elsewhere of how retail thrives with more space given to people and less to motor vehicles. Social distancing means this is more important than ever.”

Leader of the Conservative group on Hounslow Council, Jo Biddolph said, “In over 20 years of involvement with retailers and businesses in Chiswick, initially working with them and now as a councillor and through the Chiswick Shops Task Force, I have never known any proposal from Hounslow Council to arouse more opposition from traders and residents. Nor have I ever seen traders more worried about their futures. Just as they were about to re-open after an enforced closure, with determination to rebuild their businesses for our benefit, they learned that Hounslow council doesn’t want to help; it wants to make it even more difficult for them. “

She claims that the council have ignored government guidance in failing to consult traders about the measures including those who haven’t reopened yet. She also described the introduction of these measures when significant roadworks had started on Chiswick High Road and were due to begin on Devonshire Road ‘as absurd.’

While welcoming the introduction of school streets which she said were popular she accused the council of forgetting about its former advocacy of stop and shop parking which will be lost as a result of the schemes adding, “The council must stop pretending that vehicle access is just about deliveries. It is about shopping.”

She called on Hanif Khan to admit the changes have been made in error and reverse them promptly.

Parking bays suspended near Chiswick Police Station

A TfL spokesperson said: “Walking and cycling will be central to London’s recovery from coronavirus and we’re determined to ensure that people living in every borough have access to high-quality infrastructure. It’s more important now than ever before that walking and cycling is made safer, easier and more appealing right across the capital. Each application for funding is being carefully assessed on its own merits and money will only be awarded for schemes which meet the principles laid out in the guidance we have issued to boroughs and published on our website.”

June 21, 2020