Great West Road 'Green Hedge' May Be Installed In Chiswick

Local group campaigning for pollution-busting greenery to run along the A4

A visualisation of what the Hedge could look like

What if London’s main western traffic corridor was through a verdant corridor of greenery, instead of a dusty grey 6-lane highway? What if the houses and schools that lay along that polluted highway in Chiswick could be protected by a high barrier or green hedges and shrubbery?

Thats the question a group of local campaigners have asked as they announce that they are pushing for a 'Great West Hedge ' to run along a two kilometre stretch of the A4 in Chiswick.

They have teamed up with the London National Park City movement, which launches in July and will now source funding for the project, including from TfL, to offset the pollution caused by the relentless traffic along the road, particularly given the fact that the A4 has been excluded from the ULEZ scheme. The group includes Kate Hollis, Karen Liebreich of Abundance, Andrea Carnevali of the Chiswick Oasis project at St Mary's Primary School, Steve Pocock of the National Park City movement who is a local resident, and Rory Harding of the 'Trees for Cities' movement.

They said: "An increasing body of research and evidence shows the dangers of air pollution on health, especially of children and the elderly. It also shows that a protective barrier of greenery can help filter and screen out the worst of these pollutants.

"Between Chiswick and Hammersmith (Chiswick roundabout and Hammersmith flyover) there are eight schools, five nurseries and six parks. Two of these schools were recently audited and found to be high amongst the list of 50 most polluted schools in London. Children in these schools are no longer allowed to play in the playground. This is a disgrace!

"We – local residents involved with National Park City, Abundance London and Chiswick Oasis, and supported by most of the local residents’ groups and schools - propose a high hedge to run wherever possible along the existing grass verge of the A4 to create a protective screen behind which the schools can breathe, pedestrians can walk, people can cycle, residents can live safely. As the hedges thicken out and more people drive electric, the hedges can harbour biodiversity and will still protect against noise, dust and tyre pollution. Other advantages include sustainable drainage (SuDS) and carbon capture.

"We propose this hedge as a Living Laboratory, an experiment that could be repeated throughout the country if successful."

While costings have not been done, it is likely that such a project would need a six figure sum, possibly up to £250,000 to realise. It is also hoped that similar groups living further along the A4, might take up the challenge.

They now want the Mayor, the Greater London Assembly and Transport for London support this project as a fitting launch this July for London as a National Park City – to be installed in winter 2019/20.

The A4, the Great West Road, runs into central London, crossing the M25 and the North Circular at Chiswick Roundabout before rising over the Hammersmith flyover and eventually becoming the Cromwell Road as it arrives in the centre of the capital.#

The work on the Chiswick Oasis has given the group confidence that there is encouragement for such a scheme,as awareness of the dangers of air pollution to health has grown.

It could also encourage people to cycle along the A4 where there is a little used cycle lane.

The Great West Hedge would extend across two boroughs and the group hope they will get support from organisations representing residents, schools, parks and heritage. It is not yet known what type of greenery would be used in the panels, whether evergreen such as ivy, or more biodiverse mixture of plants. They hope the hedge would encourage biodiversity including attracting nesting birds and insects..

After five years of campaigning London will become the world’s first National Park City in July 2019. A place, a vision and a movement, the London National Park City has been supported by thousands of Londoners, the majority of the city’s 2,000 local politicians and the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. Read more at London National Park City.

The National Park City Foundation has been established to work with Londoners to help make the London National Park City, and other National Park Cities, a success.

May 3, 2019