Thumbs down for Stile Hall Area CPZ

Councillors unconvinced majority of residents in favour

Chiswick Councillors have voted to reject a report that was recommending the implementation of controlled parking in the Stile Hall area of Chiswick. At the same meeting they gave the go-ahead to a series of proposals for the Gunnersbury Estate area which included a CPZ and a number of traffic calming measures.

It was proposed that the Stile Hall Area scheme been postponed to give time for further consideration. Many residents have complained that they were unaware that a consultation had taken place.

The results are given in the table below.

The scheme would have operational hours of 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. on Mondays to Fridays, in Brooks Road, Cambridge Road South, Chiswick Village, Clarence Road, Haining Close, Oxford Road South, Stonehill Road and Wellesley Road.

Despite around 55% of residents being broadly in favour of the proposal, councillors were unconvinced this reflected a majority view amongst residents. The response to the informal consultation was very low.

Cllr. Peter Thompson stated, "There were only 17 votes between those who wanted and those who didn?t want a CPZ. The Committee did not feel that this was sufficient mandate to go ahead with the scheme. We resolved to revisit this area in 12 months time and see if the situation has changed."

The Chiswick Area Committee did agree to implement a CPZ in the Gunnersbury Estate area. Cllr Peter Thompson, Chair of the Chiswick Area Planning Committee, commented, "Of all the areas that we have had to consider for a CPZ this was the most difficult. The narrowness of the roads on the Estate meant that Council Officers and the Fire Service were pushing for residents to park on the grass verges. This proved to be totally unacceptable to local residents who rejected the Council's plans in large numbers last year."

As they pointed out this would not enhance the areas conservation status and since the estate was built in 1928 the fire service had not had problems in accessing properties.

A package of measures to reduce rat-running and traffic speeds has been put together. Cllr. Thompson feels that after many meetings with local residents the proposals will win support on the estate.

The Committee agreed to progress a parking scheme, with operational hours of 9.30am to 11.30pm and 3.30pm and 5.30pm, on Mondays to Fridays in Gunnersbury Avenue, Gunnersbury Lane, Park Drive, Princes Avenue, The Ridgeway, Triangle Way, Princes Way and Park Place Drive to the Traffic Order stage. The decided that parking on the grass verges was completely unacceptable to the majority of local residents and therefore it should not be a feature of this CPZ and that the so-called service roads in this area should be designated for residents parking only.

A further consultation exercise will be conducted in Manor Gardens and Manor Way to provide the community there with the opportunity to reconsider their position in the knowledge that a scheme is to be introduced in the Gunnersbury Estate and that the results of this further consultation be reported to a future Committee meeting

One-way traffic is to be introduced in a clockwise direction on Park Drive, The Ridgeway and Princes Avenue and a 20mph speed limit be introduced throughout the estate with a limited use of speed cushions.

The residents of Gunnersbury Avenue and Park Drive (Even Numbers Only) will be further consulted with the option of making Park Place Drive one way southbound or northbound.

May 30, 2004