This consultation presents a proposed new traffic and transport scheme for Turnham Green, designed primarily to reduce delays to buses and improve traffic flows in general.
This consultation, for a proposed Option 6 scheme, follows a consultation in May/June 2008, proposing Option 1.
While Option 1 received a high level of support in May/June, there was also significant opposition. Consequently, the Chiswick Area Committee resolved on 9 July to undertake a further consultation, for a new option - Option 6.
The key features of the new proposal, Option 6 are:
Town Hall Avenue would not be reversed, i.e. it would remain a southbound only street.
Several bus routes would change, to reduce queuing and passenger delays.
Two new signalised pedestrian crossings would be installed across Chiswick High Road on pedestrian desire lines, with the signals coordinated with the junctions to the west and east, replacing the current zebra crossing.
A new treatment of the area outside the Town Hall would include:
A new zebra crossing across Heathfield Terrace directly in front of the Town Hall, to replace the current pelican crossing.
A triangular island at the south end of Town Hall Avenue.
A new zebra crossing across Sutton Court Road, 20 metres south of Heathfield Terrace.
A raised table across the whole junction to slow the traffic and create a sense of place.
Belmont Road between Chiswick High Road and Dolman Road would operate as a northbound one-way street, on a trial basis, to allow easier access by bus routes 272 and 440 and provision of a new bus stop for these routes.
Improvements to the Chiswick High Road/Sutton Lane North junction would include the prohibition of the right turn from Sutton Lane North into Chiswick High Road except for buses, as route E3 would continue to make this turn.
Some new waiting and loading restrictions would be introduced around the Green.
Option 6 acknowledges that there is a very high probability that bus routes 27 and 440 will be extended to Chiswick Business Park and Power Road respectively. London Buses is currently consulting on these proposed extensions and is seeking the public's view on whether route 440 should replace route H91 on Wellesley Road.
The Borough believes that route 391 should run via Wellesley Road instead of route H91 or 440. A reduction in the number of buses circulating around Turnham Green provides the opportunity to spread the remaining routes (272, E3, 391 or 440) more evenly and avoid the need for more intrusive and expensive traffic management features including the junction signalisation that was proposed in Option 1.
Option 6 would therefore be a simpler, less expensive scheme that could be implemented more quickly. TfL has undertaken to install the proposed pelican crossings in January-February 2009, and if approved, the whole scheme should be able to be completed by the end of March 2009.
Further information
Printed copies of the consultation brochure and large-scale plans were available at Chiswick Library. An exhibition was held for anyone wishing to examine large-scale plans or discuss the scheme with council officers.
This consultation closed on Friday 26 September 2008.