Mary Macleod calls for “greater clarity”on the issue

Local MP Mary Macleod has organised a public meeting to discuss the Hammersmith Flyover closure next Saturday, January 14th. The MP for Brentford and Isleworth has called for “greater clarity” over the date when residents can expect the flyover to be reopened.

Anyone affected by the closure is welcome to attend the meeting at The West London Free School, from 2-3pm where they will have the opportunity to raise any concerns with local transport officials and representatives from Transport for London.

The four lane arterial road was closed in December after routine inspections highlighted issues with its structure. Mary commented:“The Hammersmith flyover is a vital transport link for West Londoners and its temporary closure has caused much disruption, especially on roads in the Chiswick area.”

“The priority here is safety but it is also important that local people have an understanding of when the disruption they are currently facing is likely to end.”

Transport for London have put into place a number of measures to minimise delays including traffic light phasing and working with the freight and the delivery industry to divert large vehicles away from trouble spots. A spokesman revealed earlier this week that around 80 engineers are currently working to assess the scale of the problem, with that number set to increase once work commences on replacing the steel cables.

Hounslow Council have instituted 24 hour bus lanes and waiting restrictions on a Sunday but many residents are sceptical about the likely benefit of the measures and believe that they have been introduced primarily to raise revenue.

Last week the London Mayor Boris Johnson visited the site and promised that the flyover would be “fully operational well ahead of the 2012 Games,” however there has been much speculation as to when this might be. Mary added, “The priority must be for the experts to work out a realistic time frame for the flyover to be back in action and for that information to be shared with local people.

The West London Free School is located at Cambridge Grove, Hammersmith, W6 0LB. Any questions regarding the meeting should be sent to hbicampaign@gmail.com

January 10, 2012