Hounslow is privileged and honoured to mark the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, as she departs London to her final resting place at St George’s Chapel, Windsor.
Published: Friday, 16th September 2022
With many road closures in place for the Queen’s funeral from 10am (please note the updated time) on Monday 19 September, residents and visitors to Hounslow are being urged to follow local travel advice to help ensure the day goes as smoothly as possible.
The funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will take place at Westminster Abbey at 11am and following the service, the coffin will leave Westminster Abbey for Windsor, travelling through the London Borough of Hounslow via the A4 Great West Road.
We know that many residents of Hounslow will want to witness the historic occasion and pay their respects to the monarch as the cortege moves through the borough. The Council and its partners are working hard to make it as safe and accessible as possible for people to do this. We are also working hard to manage the impact on the transport network and surrounding area while road closures are in place.
It is expected that the procession route through Hounslow will be extremely busy. The Council is urging everyone who will be attending to plan their journey in advance, travel on foot or by public transport if possible and observe all regulations that have been put in place for everyone’s safety.
A public information is available online for residents to read and download.
A list of Frequently Asked Questions has been answered online.
The Route
The Queen’s funeral procession is expected to enter Hounslow after passing through the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. It will enter the borough via the westbound carriageway of the A4.
It will continue along the A4 (Great West Road) and onto the A30 Great Southwest Road at Henlys Roundabout.
The route will briefly pass into Hillingdon, around Heathrow, before re-entering the borough. It will then leave the borough and enter Surrey.
Road Closures
Road closures on and around the route are expected to come into force at 10am on Monday, 19 September. They will remain in place for around two and half hours after the procession has passed through the borough.
Crossings, junctions and pedestrian over and underpasses will be closed to the public throughout the procession, until it is safe for them to be reopened.
A full list of road closures is available online.
Travel Arrangements
If you are travelling to witness the procession, please avoid travelling by car.
There will be road closures and traffic management plans in place which will cause disruption to motorists for much of Monday, 19 September, both around the route and across Hounslow and London generally.
Parking along the route will be restricted and the Council asks motorist to not park on residential streets and side roads adjoining the route.
It is advised that people use public transport to access the procession route and to plan their journey in advance.
You can find information about public transport, including how to plan your route, on the Transport for London website or through National Rail Enquiries.
People who live along the route are being advised that they will not be able to enter or leave their home via motor vehicles from 11.00am. We've been advised by the Metropolitan Police that this could be subjet to change.
Travelling to central London
TfL is warning people to expect services to be extremely busy, so customers are advised to make flexible plans for their return journeys due to the volume of people travelling and to check status updates regularly. Bus routes in central, west and southwest London will also be severely affected with many routes on diversion or stopping short of their destinations.
Those travelling are asked to plan ahead and keep checking real-time information during their journey.
Travelling to the airport
To facilitate the procession of Her Majesty The Queen’s coffin to St George’s Chapel in Windsor on Monday 19 September, local roads will be impacted and closed around Heathrow during the day.
Passengers travelling to the airport are strongly advised to use alternative routes such as the Piccadilly and Elizabeth Lines, which will be operating regular services on Monday, or Heathrow Express, which will be running additional services.
Please see tfl.gov.uk for the latest updates on road impacts on Monday 19 September. Up to date information on road closures and events can also be found by following @MetPoliceEvents on Twitter.
Cycling
The route will be closed to all traffic before, during and after the funeral procession. This includes bicycles. You will not be able to use bicycle lane along the route.
Street Cleaning
Street cleansing staff will be working along the route before the procession begins and once it has passed through the borough.
The Council and its partners must ensure the route is clean and safe to use before re-opening it to motorists and other road-users.
It is expected that people will want to honour the Queen by throwing flowers along the procession route once it has passed. Please only throw individual flowers rather than bouquets, please remove all plastic wrapping and do not throw other items such as teddy bears.
Alternatively, floral tributes can be laid at war memorials and places of worship across the borough. Please respect our borough and take your litter home with you.
General information
Anyone travelling to witness the procession should wear suitable clothing and be prepared for rain.
Please note there are no public toilets along the route and many businesses which have facilities might be closed on Monday.
Please remember, COVID-19 is still present within our communities. If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, in the interests of others who also want to pay their respects to the Queen, you are encouraged not to attend.
National moments of reflection
There will be a one-minute silence on Sunday, 18 September at 8pm. This will be a National Moment of Reflection.
There will be a two-minute silence at noon on Monday, 19 September.
Leader of Hounslow Council, Councillor Shantanu Rajawat, said: “We know many people in Hounslow will want to pay their respects as the Queen’s funeral procession passes through our borough. This is a time for our community and our country to come together to mourn her passing and to celebrate her life.
“This is going to be an extremely busy time for our borough. We anticipate that many people will want to line the route and inevitably this will lead to disruption. We are working hard to minimise the impact, particularly for those living close to the route, and we would ask our residents, communities and visitors to work with us. We would like to thank everyone for their co-operation so far.
“We want people to be able to witness this occasion in safety. So please follow the guidance and regulations.”
