Demands to Modify Chiswick Traffic Measures Grow

Area forum meeting hears claims schemes are not working

Virginia told the forum her husband's carers are struggling to reach them. Picture: Hounslow Council.

November 30, 2022

Chiswick residents have slammed traffic restrictions and roadworks that they say have brought chaos to their roads – with builders forced to abandon work vans streets away from home.

A number of roads in south Chiswick are subject to restrictions which prevent general traffic from using them between 8am and 7pm with an exception for buses and permit holders. Anyone else who drives along these roads will be fined.

While restrictions along Staveley Road and Burlington Lane are in their trial period (with a final decision due to be taken in early 2023), measures along Strand on The Green, Thames Road, Harvard Hill and Hartington Road have all been made permanent.

In a heated meeting last week, councillors were accused of ‘ignoring’ residents impacted by low-traffic schemes, designed to reduce pollution and tackle the climate crisis. Speaking at the Chiswick Area Forum on Tuesday (22 November) Rob King, chair of the Grove Park Group, said, “The scheme is not working, this year so far over £10m worth of fines have been issued by Hounslow Council from just two streets in South Chiswick.

“We think that that data points alone prove the need for the scheme to be modified in several areas.”

Mr King also asked councillors for improved visitor access, saying that lots of residents are unable to host guests because of the restrictions. He also asked the council to look into a speed review and assess the current signage.

Mr King’s comments were interrupted by protestors who shouted while holding a fake cheque. The demonstrators said, “When will you pay the people of Chiswick back £10m you’ve made on two roads? You’ve taken from hard-working people who cannot afford to lose this kind of money it is a disgrace.”

Rob King addresses Chiswick Area Forum. Picture: Hounslow Council

Jefferson Nwokeoma, Hounslow Council’s assistant director of traffic and transport confirmed that a speed review had taken place and the council were awaiting approval from Transport for London put up more signs. He said, “The signs are compliant with every minimum standard, what we are looking to do is over and above required standards.”

Hounslow deputy leader Katherine Dunne and Jefferson Nwokeoma, Hounslow Council's assistant director of traffic

Virginia, who lives in the north of Chiswick, told the meeting the restrictions are hurting the carers required to take care of her husband. She said, “They need cars, they’ve never ridden a bike and it takes them a long time to walk. They used to come in five minutes, but they now take up to 20 minutes to get to us.

“They are on a very tight schedule, very long hours and it has completely buggered up their lives. There’s a good scheme for carers in Ealing where you apply for a permit for them and pay a sensible amount of money and the GP has to affirm the carer is needed. Why one earth can this not be done?”

A builder, who lives on the Glebe Estate, told councillors he has often had to leave his van at the bottom of Chiswick High Road because of the roadworks causing gridlock. He said, “I am wasting an hour plus a day polluting on Chiswick High Road because I just cannot get home.”

Conservative Councillor Peter Thompson said, “The traffic was bad, but it was never bad enough to justify what you’ve done, never. Whatever say tonight, you know exactly what the recurring issues are – we can’t get visitors, carers and all sorts of things easily into our area.

“There are many things you could do about this but my main point is you need exemptions for essential workers for all these schemes. Where else in the borough, in the country, do you have to have protracted conversations with carers, plumbers, your own family, and visitors, this is bonkers where else in the country do you have to do this?”

Not all residents opposed the restrictions, Iris Hill said she can breathe much better since the closure and enjoys the quiet. She said, “I’m not the only one to think this, but to support the measures publicly brings abuse.”

The Chiswick Area Forum

Responding to the comments made at the meeting, Deputy Council Leader Katherine Dunne said, “I know there’s been a request for visitor access, no home within the area cannot receive visitors, every part of the area is accessible to everyone.

“The point is to restrict traffic going through certain routes and the scheme does that. We are going to look in detail at that before we make any decision about whether it is permanent or not. The worry is if you increase the number of people who have exemptions, which we already have done in response to residents, then you start to dilute the usefulness of the scheme.

“These discussions are taking place up and down the country, not least across London and many other cities. The reason for that is not because the evil council is coming along, trying to make people’s lives more difficult, it’s because we have big and serious issues that we have to address.

“We have these bigger issues we have to address around climate, around air quality, around getting people more active. We are promoting cycling and building cycling lanes. I understand the work has been disruptive.

“We haven’t got everything right and not all of them have been made permanent, changes have been made and we are still listening and we still have some decisions to make.”

Addressing the claim that the council has made £10m in fines, Cllr Dunne told the Local Democracy Service: “As with all PCNs it is difficult to give an exact figure for the amount of income, because many motorists pay at the discounted rate and some will be going through the appeals process. However, any money collected from enforcement always goes back into the road network.

“Enforcement is an essential part of ensuring roads are safe for all our residents, and would be less safe for everyone if enforcement measures were abandoned.”

Megan Stanley - Local Democracy Reporter