Unified Traffic Plan Proposed for South Chiswick
Two local resident groups want to see simplified scheme for the area
Aim is to minimise the traffic passing through the area. Picture: Grove Park Group
The two leading resident groups in South Chiswick have combined to produce an alternative proposal for traffic measures in the area.
The Strand on the Green Association (SoGA) and the Grove Park Group (GPG) have been prompted to work together on the issue due to concerns about the way that Hounslow Council’s Liveable Neighbourhood scheme is currently operating.
Both groups have received complaints from their members and other residents about the various measures imposed over the last year. Some have said that the restrictions are unnecessarily confusing and other say that traffic has simply been displaced into other roads.
Although they remain supportive of the broader aims of the measures, which are to reduce through traffic and improve the environment in the neighbourhood, they do not agree with the way they are being implemented.
They are proposing that the various disparate traffic controls implemented over the last year by the council including the access restriction into Hartington Road and the partial closure of Staveley Road be scrapped and replaced with a common traffic measure covering the South Chiswick area.
This would mean that the entry to the area encompassed by the A205 South Circular to the west, the A4 Great West Road to the North and the A316 Great Chertsey Road to the east would be controlled by 12 ANPR cameras at every access point to the zone.
Crosses show where the ANPR cameras would be placed
These cameras would allow access to residents, their visitors, deliveries and taxis while preventing through traffic.
A Freedom of Information Request recently showed that Hounslow Council has made £1,879,502 by issuing 44,254 in fines from Low-Traffic Neighbourhood schemes in the borough, most of which is believed to have come from the Chiswick area. The Conservative party spokesperson for transport in Hounslow, Sam Hearn has attributed the high number of fines to the complexity of the restrictions with many people visiting the South Chiswick area unwittingly getting a PCN.
The two groups believe that the proposal would provide simple and consistent access for residents whilst meeting the aims of the scheme to reduce through-traffic and improve the environment.
They have already engaged with local residents about the schemes and discussed their proposals with the local ward councillors who are broadly in support of the plan.
An initial meeting has been held with London Borough of Hounslow (LBH) cabinet members including Cllr Hanif Khan, who has responsibility for traffic and they also indicated support.
In a joint statement SoGA and the GPG said, “Whilst we were concerned to hear the LBH Traffic team’s messaging as expressed through their Streetspace engagement calls last week, we believe our proposal has not yet been considered and are awaiting a meeting with Jefferson Nwokeoma (Assistant Director of Traffic & Transport) and Councillors to discuss the Councillors’ support and potential implementation of a common traffic scheme.”
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August 15, 2021
