MP meets with residents on A4 noise
Ann Keen MP and Dave Wetzel of Transport for
London visit Wolseley Gardens to hear for themselves the problems residents
face
The
momentum for action on the issue of noise on the A4 continued to grow
this week as a high powered delegation visited residents to experience
for themselves the extent of the problem. Local MP Ann Keen persuaded
Dave Wetzel, Vice Chair of Transport for London, to attend as the next
step in the campaign to reduce the noise pollution affecting residents
near the A4/M4 in Chiswick. Transport for London are responsible for this
stretch of road.
They visited Wolseley Gardens and the Harvard Hill Recreation Ground on Friday afternoon to see and hear the extreme levels of noise and other pollutants emanating from the A4 which makes life for so many northern Grove Park residents so miserable. They met a number of local Wolseley Gardens residents all of whom testified to the dire state-of-affairs and who recalled past, but failed, campaigns to have something done about it.
A residents' spokesperson said after the meeting, "Ann Keen and Dave Wetzel gave us good advice, suggesting, first, we contact the Hounslow's Planning Office to ascertain what objections they might have to any particular form of barrier and that, once we have the initial go-ahead from the planners, that they will support our claims and arrange the necessary meetings to discuss the form of barrier acceptable to all parties, to firm up our proposals and move the campaign forward."
Ann Keen said, “I was pleased to meet with the Vice Chair at Transport for London, to draw this matter to his attention. I am confident that Dave will do all he can to help local residents"
Residents said that they couldn't understand why less densely populated areas further up the M4 had extensive sound proofing to protect residents. They argued that since the barrier would be running east-west and south-facing that the construction of a barrier with solar panels might be a possibility, and that this would be an ideal trial site, fitting in with Ken Livingstone's Ambient Noise Strategy for London.
They also suggested that resurfacing might be an option as the noise from tyres was just as pervasive as engine noise but Dave Wetzel said that quieter surfaces meant less adhesion and therefore could not be considered on safety grounds.
This stretch
of the A4 was recently featured in a report on the country's top
ten noisiest roads.
May 25, 2003
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