New Range of Traffic Restrictions Planned for Grove Park

Council shutting off access to the area from the A316

Staveley Road outside Chiswick School. Picture: Google Streetview

A range of measures that will effectively close off access to the Grove Park area from the A316 have been introduced by Hounslow Council.

The plans were revealed at the same time as it was announce that they plan to make many of the Streetspace measures introduced during lockdown permanent include the ANPR camera enforced restriction on Hartington Road.

There will be a new working hours restriction on the part of Staveley Road outside Chiswick School. There is currently a partial restriction on vehicles entering the section of Staveley Road the school in the morning and afternoon during term time but this is to be extended to operate from 8am to 5pm Monday to Saturday (not all week as originally reported).

The council says this is in response to feedback from residents regarding an increase in traffic on Burlington Lane. Access from the A316 Chertsey Road into Burlington Lane will be closed. Vehicles will still be able to exit Burlington Lane onto the A316.

Residents and businesses in the Grove Park and Fauconberg Road controlled parking zone areas will have access at all time and Staveley Road allotment holders will be eligible for permits. No indication has been given as yet as to how access for deliveries and visitors will be handled.

The barrier in place on the other section of Staveley Road won’t be reviewed in September as planned, but will be considered as part of the trial of the new Staveley Road/Burlington Road measures. A review of this trial can happen at some point after the first 6 months commencement and within 18 months maximum.

In addition the council has decided to make a range of Streetspace measures in Chiswick permanent. This will require the issuing of a new traffic order to supersede the Experimental Traffic Orders under which these schemes were implemented.

Measures that will be continued beyond the trial period other than the one on Hartington Road include the closure of access to the A4 from Harvard Hill, restrictions on Strand on the Green/Thames Road, the closure of the railway bridge underpass on Dan Mason Drive and the banning of left turns into Duke Road from Chiswick High Road.

The oppostion says that these decisions have been taken without prior discussion with Chiswick councillors, local businesses or residents. Sam Hearn, Conservative spokesperson for Transport and councillor for Chiswick Riverside said, “The decision to make these experimental schemes permanent was made without a full picture of traffic and pollution data. Taking these decisions based on what the council has admitted is a flawed dataset which compares pre- and post-lockdown traffic data will lead to further misery for local residents and businesses in our area. Instead of ploughing ahead with these poorly implemented schemes, the council should be consulting with the local community and local representatives to create alternatives which work for our area.”

Despite promises of proper consultation, Hounslow Council’s decision on Friday was taken without.

“Hounslow Council’s Streetspace implementation has been a disaster in project management from the very beginning,” said Chiswick Riverside Councillor Gabriella Giles. “Chiswick councillors, businesses and residents want to cut off rat runs and improve air quality in our area, but the poor implementation of these schemes has resulted in businesses struggling as access is cut off, misery for residents and has, ironically, pushed local traffic to peripheral roads. The council should be working constructively with us as local Chiswick representatives to implement these schemes correctly instead of ploughing ahead to save face.”

Local Conservative councillors and candidates are now calling for a full, constructive review of the schemes made permanent on Friday, including a holistic look at all data metrics and qualitative consultations with local residents and businesses.

Other than the School Street restrictions outside Chiswick School which are being superseded by the new arrangements, the council have announced that they intend to make other schemes around schools in the borough permanent. These have generally been less controversial than other traffic measures taken.

It is understood that councils have informed by central government that continued funding for transport is very much dependent on them following through on schemes implemented during lockdown under experimental orders. Neighbouring Ealing Council has been told it is likely to lose funding for transport in the borough because of the termination of a Low Traffic Neighbourhood scheme before the trial period ended. Councillor Hanif Khan, who has cabinet responsibility for transport in Hounslow was recently invited to Number 10, Downing Street to attend a reception hosted by Boris Johnson for people who were deemed to have made a positive contribution to transport during the pandemic.

Councillor Khan said “Over the last few months, after extensive engagement with residents, we’ve removed and amended Streetspace trials that were not working as intended, and today we’ve made permanent those trials that are working well.

“We know there is a range of strongly-held views about Streetspace, and we hope that our balanced approach to reviewing the trials has demonstrated that we really are listening and trying to reach the best outcomes.

“Once again, I want to thank residents for taking part in the Streetspace consultation and attending our engagement meetings."

August 29, 2021