Concerns Raised About Tarnished Rainbow Crossings
Turning buses believed to be main reason for marks on Turnham Green Terrace
February 12, 2023
The condition of the new rainbow crossings installed on Chiswick High Road earlier this month is raising concerns as the designs have started to become tarnished by tyre marks.
Some residents spotted scuff marks from the first day of opening on Wednesday 1 February and the issue has got steadily worse on the painted road surface which was installed by Hounslow Council at a cost of £35,000.
A celebrity-studded event was held the following Friday to officially launch the crossing but, even at this stage, there was some evidence of damage caused by passing traffic.
A number of residents and shop owners in the residents are now expressing concern that if the deterioration continues at this rate the designs will be increasingly obscured.
A local business owner with premises nearby said, “I’m 100% onboard with the message that these crossings are trying to convey but if they start to look shabby the gesture becomes counterproductive. They have been in just over a week and I worry that things will just get worse.
"The weather has been cold so tyre wear will be less. In warmer temperatures there could be even more marks obscuring the design. The council needs to ensure they don’t become an eyesore by instituting a regular weekly clean up programme to remove the marks. If they are in a good condition, they provide a boost to the look and feel to the local shopping environment but if they degrade, they will create the impression of a down-at-heel neglected area which is the last thing we need.”
Marks on the Chiswick crossing just over a week after installation
A local resident who works in civil engineering is more optimistic saying, “One thing that must be remembered is that there hasn’t been a drop of rain since the crossings were installed and the first fall should return them back closer to their original state.
“If it is the same painting technique that has been used as on the crossings by the Six Bells in Brentford, this is proving to be quite durable with very limited tarnishing despite being on a busy road.
“That said, you can’t discount concerns about their condition longer term particularly on the western side of the Turnham Green Terrace crossing where the E3 bus will be constantly turning left across the crossing. Tyre wear increases when a vehicle is not travelling in a straight line. It therefore may have been sensible to have excluded the southern end of the terrace from repainting.”
It is thought likely that power-washing could be used to keep the colours of the crossings vivid as it is possible to remove rubber residue without taking the paint off the road surface. However, if a vehicle leaked oil on the crossing that may prove to be more difficult to remove.
We have asked Hounslow for comment about the concerns raised.
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