TfL Ditches CS9 Redesign for Duke's Avenue and Duke Road

Massive opposition to revised scheme means most access to be maintained

CGI showing original design for CS9 in front of Church

Transport for London (TfL) have announced that they are no longer intending to proceed with most of the proposals for new traffic arrangements at Duke’s Avenue and Duke Road to accommodate the proposed segregated cycleway on Chiswick High Road.

They have abandoned the plan to reduce the eastbound approach to the junction of Duke’s Avenue from two lanes to one and to restrict access to cars and vans wishing to exit Dukes Avenue. However new weight restrictions of 7.5t tonnes will mean larger vehicles would not be allowed to exit at this point.

This is in response to concerns raised during consultation about rat running through local roads. Space constraints on the exit of Duke’s Avenue mean that large vehicles will not be able to make the turn onto Chiswick High Road safely.TfL will be moving forward with the designs for Kew Bridge and Kew Bridge Road to Wellesley Road as proposed during consultation.

They are proposing to make Duke Road one-way only north of Bourne Place. Vehicles wishing to access Duke Road will be able to do so using Duke’s Avenue and Bourne Place. Duke Road will also be left turn exit only onto Chiswick High Road except for cyclists. Traffic would have to use Annandale Road to exit east onto Chiswick High Road instead.

Other changes announced include the plan to remove the tree outside Byron restaurant.

We originally reported that the changes to the scheme would mean that the cycleway would have to revert to the earlier design which had it travelling along the pavement directly in front of the Catholic Church. However, the report on the consultation responses does suggest that TfL still plans to run a narrower cycleway outside the line of trees with three traffic lanes being maintained on Chiswick High Road. The width of this would be 2.5m wide rather than 3m. It is not clear at this stage how this will be managed with the existing road space. We have asked TfL for clarification.

There was massive opposition to the proposals from those who responded to the second consultation. 1208 people gave comments on the plan for Duke Road and Duke's Avenue. 74% of those respondents said that they were concerned that the proposals would increase congestion. Only 20.3% of respondents gave what TfL described as a ‘general comment in support of the scheme’.

964 responded to questions on the Kew Bridge Road section of the consultation with 24.4% making comments generally in support. The way TfL has presented the consultation results makes it difficult to work out whether respondents were broadly in favour of the proposals or not.

63.2% of those who responded and gave a post code were from the Chiswick area. The next largest number of respondents came from Brentford followed by Kew but no area apart from W4 provided more than 10% of responses. 73% of those who responded described themselves as local residents.

Construction work is proposed to begin later in 2019. TfL is also working with Hammersmith and Fulham Council on their proposals for a new cycle route along part of the A4.

Councillor Hanif Khan, Cabinet Lead for Transport at Hounslow Council, said, “The council is supportive of improvements to cycle facilities between our town centres and central London. This specific proposal is to be considered at the meeting of the council’s Cabinet on 3 September.”

Hounslow Cycling Campaign Borough Co-ordinator Michael Robinson said, “We welcome the updated Cycleway 9 plans from TfL and look forward to work starting this year.

"The cycleway will link the town centres of Hammersmith, Chiswick and Brentford and help rebalance their high streets away from motor vehicle traffic towards people walking and cycling. This will enhance the Borough and improve safety for all.

"There are aspects of the plan that we think could be even more ambitious to reduce the dominance of polluting motor traffic on our streets but we recognise that TfL and the Boroughs have the difficult job of balancing demands from multiple stakeholders.

"Cycleway 9 is just one part of a journey towards healthier and safer streets for all and we ask TfL and the Boroughs to start implementation at the earliest possible opportunity."

"While campaigning on Chiswick High Road to Stop CS9, pro-CS9 lobbyists enjoy interrupting me by saying, 'don't let perfect be the enemy of good'. The problem is ... CS9 is not even good. It's a bad scheme for Chiswick and its residents. It favours the few - just over 2,000 cyclists - over the many - around 40,000 residents. Arrangements for Duke Road/Dukes Avenue are unnecessarily restricting and complex and will mean gridlock on and near Bourne Place. And now another tree is to be removed, in a scheme that already does nothing to reduce pollution on Chiswick High Road.  CS9 is  nowhere near good and very far from perfect.  We will continue campaigning to Stop CS9, collecting signatures for the petition, to send a very strong message to Hounslow's cabinet. This is a bad scheme for Chiswick and it must be stopped. Chiswick deserves much better."

London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, Will Norman, said: “Getting more people walking and cycling as part of their everyday routine has huge benefits for our health and wellbeing, and we know there is a high demand for more cycling in this part of west London. It was absolutely right that TfL took the time to work with the councils to ensure everyone’s response to the consultation were looked at properly, ensuring the proposed scheme is the very best it can be. I’m delighted that we are on course for work to begin on the route later this year.”

Claims about the negative aspects of the scheme to persuade people to sign a petition against it have been hotly disputed by a local cycling group who are strong supporters of the scheme.

Over recent weekends local Conservative councillors and residents have set up stall outside Marks and Spencer on Chiswick High Road and collected signatures against the plan to build what was originally called Cycle Superhighway 9 (CS9) and is now to be called (CW9). They intend to be there every Saturday for the next few weeks.

July 27, 2019